22 August 2016, Bangkok – The Ministry of Industry, in collaboration with Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion, Department of Industry Promotion, and Thailand Textile Institute, is holding an international event on fashion design titled “International Fashion Co-Design: Ride the Power of Asia” to develop “innoneering designers” and enable Thai SMEs to have a global reach. The event aims at promoting a higher level of cooperation between enterprises and government organizations, as well as enabling enterprises in such industries as fashion, textile, apparel, leatherwear and footgear, jewelry and accessories – from SMEs, fashion brands and lifestyle brands to conglomerates – to produce higher-value fashion products and compete at the global market. Taking place on 22 – 23 August 2016 at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC), this event includes symposiums and workshops with both global and domestic icons in industrial design, as well as famous Thai designers, which will allow interested fashion designers, enterprises, and those who work in the industry to have a good chance to enhance their works.
The event’s opening ceremony will be presided over by Dr. Atchaka Sibunruang, Minister of Industry, who will give an address on “Thailand’s Policy on Industrial Design” and the thought behind urging enterprises in manufacturing, fashion, textile and apparel, leatherwear and footgear, and jewelry and accessory industries to make a move to transform themselves – from Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to Original Design Manufacturers (ODMs) – in order to reach higher value markets. The Ministry looks to prepare Thai designers for the competition at larger scales through a designer-building scheme called “Innoneering Designers” – a combination of three major concepts: Design, Innovation, and Engineering – which should enable Thai enterprises to come up with outstanding products and compete in the global market.
“It is clear that we are moving toward becoming Thailand 4.0 today, which will allow us to sustain prosperity in the 21st century when we make innovations – not commodity – based on our bio-diversity and cultural diversity unlike in the past. As fashion industry evolves around creativity and technology, coupled with the fact that Thailand has enjoyed competitive advantages due to its cultural diversity so far, what we have to do is develop the technology to add more value into our products. This can be achieved through active collaborations in multiple aspects and levels – between manufacturing and design sectors, between creativity and science, and within and across regions, for example. When these collaborations are achieved, they will lead to an advancement of the industry. Overall, they will set an important step for Thailand to become the hub of ASEAN industrial design,” noted Sibunruang.
“Holding the International Fashion Co-design event under the concept ‘Ride the Power of Asia’ is therefore a huge call for the manufacturing sector and the creative sector to accelerate the structural transformation by developing any product together throughout the supply chain. This event consists of four major parts: (1) International Symposium, (2) Co-Design Workshop, (3) Creative-Meets-Investor, and (4) Design Supporter Exhibition. It is anticipated to bring a tremendous benefit to both Thai designers and entrepreneurs, allowing them to widen their horizons and learn brand-building techniques necessary for global branding. They will have a chance to learn more about new business models that focus on active collaborations through Co-Design, Co-Branding, Cross-Industry, and Cross-Culture activities under the Global Reach scheme. To be specific, entrepreneurs in the fashion industry will have a good opportunity to meet with different fashion people, including designers and businessmen whom they can talk business with during the Creative-Meets-Investor session,” she added.
Apart from designers and entrepreneurs in industrial design from both inside and outside Thailand, this event also features symposiums and workshops with global fashion icons – including Simon Collins, the former Dean of Parsons School of Design, on the topic Multi-Culture Co-create: The Campaign Against Bad Design; Ornella Bignami, President of INTERCOLOR, on Global Supply Chain Co-Design: From Material to Product to Retail; Christina Morozzi, Director of Education, Instituto Marangoni School of Design Milano, on Design Management System: Multidisciplinary Enabling Creative Success; Jayne Esteve Cure, IFM (Institut Francais de la Mode), on New (Millennial) Fashion Consumer; and, Apisit Laistrooglai, Managing Director of Thailand Creative & Design Center (TCDC), on Design Infrastructure. Joining them are famous Thai designers who will give talks on Co-Branding – including Polpat Asavaprapha (ASAVA), Kraipob Pangsapa (Cotton USA), and Thaworn Kanokwaleewong (Bluepin Intertrade), and on ASEAN Co-Create (Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand), Eric Choong and Wisharawish Akarasantisook from a famous Thai brand Wisharawish, and Sakjira Wiangkao from Baisri Creation.
International Fashion Co-Design: Ride the Power of Asia is a good opportunity for both Thai designers and entrepreneurs to broaden their perspectives and seek advice from experts in investment and design to improve their performances and bring transformative changes to Thailand’s fashion and design industry in the future. This is part of the mission to successfully implement the government policy that is a key driver to encourage and sustain Thailand’s economic growth in the long run.
