THE PUBLICATION CELEBRATES THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF SHONE PUIPIA, A THAI CLOTHING BRAND. DESIGNED BY NAPISA LEELASUPHAPONG, THE BOOK PRESENTS THE CONCEPT OF ‘HANDS’ INSPIRED BY THE CRAFTING PROCESS OF THE BRAND’S CLOTHING
TEXT: SURAWIT BOONJOO
PHOTO: KETSIREE WONGWAN
(For Thai, press here)
The image of vibrating and illuminating objects is blurry and unidentifiable, nevertheless aesthetically striking with stimulating colors that evoke incendiary emotions. This is the vibe of the first collection of the Thai clothing brand, Shone Puipia, that photographer Lee Wei Swee beautifully captured. The image is featured as the jacket cover of ‘HANDS,’ a publication created to celebrate Shone Puipia’s five-year-long career as a fashion designer. Napisa Leelasuphapong, the designer assigned to oversee the book’s design, conveys the brand’s ethos through the intricate textural details of A5 paper sheets. Created by folding A3 sheets in half, the folded sheets are stacked and bound together with a delicate rope. Made of fabric with a hand-printed pattern, the book jacket is sewed by hand with additional details of buttons that can be fastened and unfastened, symbolizing the connection with the act of wearing and taking off clothes in fashion design.
The name ‘HANDS’ is the title that Shone has chosen for the show, and it is also used as the name of the publication. The lettering on the fabric book jacket is in his own handwriting. Napisa discusses how the name ‘HANDS’ accurately represents the creative process involved in crafting the brand’s clothing items. She single-handedly folded and arranged all the pages before binding them into a total of 700 books.
Instead of a traditional book, Napisa designed a publication that consists of a collection of loose sheets with each page that can be separated independently. The sheets’ large size, when folded into a compact form, allows for more diverse and dynamic storytelling due to the way they can expand and condense. The combined elements of scale and arrangement on the pages create a cohesive flow. The series of images is presented in a deliberate sequence, alternating between single pages and poster-sized sheets when unfolded. This allows readers to explore the details from different angles, both on the front and back of the images. The photographs in the collection include both official shots from the fashion shoots and candid snapshots that have not been made public over the course of the brand’s five-year history. Interspersed among the photos are interviews with individuals who have a close connection to the brand, including the designer’s friends and colleagues.
“I interviewed a number of individuals to gather their perspectives on Shone Puipia as a brand. Specifically, I sought their insights on the creative contributions they have made and the growth they have experienced and witnessed alongside the brand over the past five years. As a friend whom Shone invited to work on the project, I talked to Lee Wei Swee, a talented photographer who has worked with the brand on many collections; Boonsong Thaodee, a fashion designer and friend of Shone whom he met while studying in Belgium; and Mook Attakanwong, the founder of ATT19, who has been supporting Shone since the beginning of his brand.”
Napisa’s design approach has successfully captured the essence of the brand’s image and identity while also pushing the publication beyond its realm. The design process she devised stems from her desire to break away from traditional methods and definitions of bookmaking. It’s the perfect clash with the special nature of the project and collaboration with Shone, and it ends up setting the publication apart from current norms and perceptions.
The design reflects Napisa’s perspective on Shone’s design, which sees clothing as a means of artistic expression. She intends to exhibit ‘HANDS’ as an artifact, specifically in the form of a sculptural creation. She perceives Shone’s designs as more than just clothes because they possess unique characters that persist even when they are not being worn.
The design’s ability to strip off certain elements and put them back on again is in line with the collection of photographs and materials that have been collected over time. The images and content are carefully chosen and arranged in a deliberate sequence and style that effectively represent the Shone Puipia brand.
The publication’s distinctiveness lies in its ability to beautifully convey messages and visuals from the dynamic and physical motions captured in the photographs. The design exudes a feeling of liberation for the way it can be opened and seen, revealing different aspects as readers begin reading it from various points in the carefully crafted linear structure.
“I would like the book to incorporate a substantial amount of handcrafted elements. Unlike other books, the process did not simply conclude at the printing house. It starts with human hands, and it’s ultimately completed by human hands. Just as the name ‘HANDS’ of both the collection and the book implies.”
shonepuipia.com