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and admiring its hybrid characters.” The
freedom of being a fashion designer and
having his own label enables Sorapol to
“express myself through my work and have
my designs come to life.” It also gives him
the privilege of collaborating with artists
of today, “to create a collective of artistic
minds and present to the world of fashion,
music and pop culture.” The interesting
thing about Sorapol’s design signature is
the playful contrast in his clothes and the
fact he doesn’t see any boundaries. He also
thinks it’s not necessary to conform to an
industry that is constantly changing.
Surprisingly, the first article of clothing
Sorapol ever designed was“a fabulous outfit
for my Barbie doll!” He adds, “I draped
paper over the doll and then recreated it
with fabric… when I was seven!” Today,
his favourite model is Kristen McMenamy
whom he says “has an air of godliness
shrouded in mystery,” whilst the celebrity
he would have most liked to dress in the
past is Queen Elizabeth I of England, and
in the present, Queen Elizabeth II or Kate
Middleton in a risqué ball gown. When
preparing to show his collection, he says,“I
feel fulfilled moments before a SORAPOL
show, when the models set off to walk and
the magic comes to life. It’s an emotional
realisation of the hard work that has
been put in throughout the season.” The
importance of fabric feeling beautiful to
touch and the brilliance of the construction
both on the inside and out is what make
Sorapol’s collection such a joy to watch
and desire, whilst his attention to detail and
finish presents itself outstandingly on the
red carpet and on closer inspection.
When it comes to colours, Sorapol
admits he has an eclectic palate and wants
to see colours unseen to the majority
of human eyes, and when describing his
favourite fabrics to work with, he sits up
straight, smiles and says with a gleam in
his eye, “I love silk, I was born wrapped
in silk, darling!” To end our conversation,
Sorapol has sound advice for aspiring
fashion designers, “Be brave, believe in
your abilities, be open to criticism but not
obsessed by it, and make it happen through
hard work and perseverance.”
www.sorapol.co.uk