Where did the idea come from –the porcelain glasses?

Well, I like the idea of afternoon tea, of having tea in really nice places - like let’s say, here. You see, like this chair and those kinds of details, small details on the furniture or the interior of  the tea shop. I started looking at cuttlery, so that’s why I’m using porcelain as the main material.

That’s really interesting.

Yes, combining the baroque details that I like, and also I love the art work from Marcel Wanders, an interior designer, just like Philippe Starck. I read his book about the new antiques, where he says that you don’t take things from the past and renew them, but you just take the essence of the past, study them then turn it into something new .Having something completely different combined with that antique style.

So what else are you looking into, using the porcelain?

I’m not sure yet. For now I really enjoy doing the eyewear, and I think people know me for that. There’s a good response, when I put my stuff on the shelves. Obviously there’s a big market for eyewear, and a lot of eyewear designers anyway. Porcelain is fragile but it’s a luxurious material…

Are you tempted to paint any of them?

Maybe - some people wanted me to color them, but I think in the future, there’s more of a minimal trend coming on. I don’t want anything « too much » - there’s already the baroque details. I quite like the pure white or black object.

How do you choose the frames?

All the frames are vintage from dead stock and are of very good quality. As I said before, new antiques is about mixing the past with something that contradicts that past, so I chose to do glasses, which have a quite structural form.

What are your fellow graduates doing?

Some have continued their studies to work with diamonds and stones, or pearls, or get jobs in geology - or in quite famous jewellery brands. It’s very different.

Any of them coming out and doing their own thing?

Yeah, some of them, it just depends on the direction they want to take. So people don’t do this at all. Glasses is such a mass market, everybody wears them, but it’s hard to find something new and interesting… When I did my own project I didn’t think of the end product, I just gradually built it up. That’s why I have quite good research to work with, to produce designs…

It’s amazing that it became produceable!

Well at first, those pieces were not all that wearable… So when I had a chance to sell at Browns, I tried making something more wearable - I don’t want them to be art pieces that you can’t really wear. Some styles can be loud. It depends on the people and their mood as well. Some people like blue lenses and brown frames!

You’re originally from Bangkok. Is there any Asian influence in your work?

I don’t feel like I have to do anything related to my culture - I just want to do what I like to do and what inspires me. And at this moment in time, I love having tea and sweets, and that’s been my interest for a few years.

Who do you admire, in design, fashion, or architecture?

As I said Marcel Wanders. But fashion-wise, I really liked Rodarte’s collection last season. I think they used this fine china on the dresses.

Anybody else?

I tend to not look at eyewear designers, I don’t want to have their ideas in my head...

How did you get into design ? Did you always want to do design?

No, most people ask me if I do fashion design because I love dressing up. And I love fashion, but it’s not me...

Where do you find your inspiration if you’re not into designers?

Just what I like. I started looking at food, and that’s how I started doing my project for Folli Follie in my second year - that was based on the meringue shape. I love food, seriously. I love food and desserts…

What was your best fashion moment?

When I went to the Chanel fashion show in Paris. In fashion shows here, there’s straight runways.  In Paris, it’s a proper show. That made me realise it’s not just about the clothes - you get to realize what the collection is all about, and you’re like ‘I want that piece’.

Who would you like to see wearing your glasses?

Gaga just wore my glasses - that’s a good thing. Maybe Anna dello Russo, or Chloe Sevigny - I think they’re cool. I like people who may wear famous brands, but it just doesn’t look like they took it from the runway.

Who is your idol?

I would say my mom, she can do anything. She has five kids, but she works and goes to the gym after work and comes back home and cooks for us…

Interview: Lucy Morris