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Okay, so we have to go back to like 10 years ago. One of the founding members and I both studied at the same university called Chulalongkorn [University]. We were both in the same faculty, which was Fine and Applied Arts.
When we graduated, Cake invited me to open the multi-store… We had that store in a very chic part of Bangkok. We also launched Rally in the same year. It’s almost like nine years already, the beginning of 2017.
We start from nothing. We start from 100% passion - and very little money.
Did you receive any outside investment when starting out
No, no. We started from a multi-brand store with a very small shop.
[We thought a lot of] money was not required at the time… [We thought], “we’re young and we could do anything.”
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How would you describe Thailand’s fashion industry and landscape?
I think in Thailand, the country is globally known for how good it is in manufacturing, but not for its designers or how creative their designs are. But for me, Thai’s creative [essence] is very strong, and it's a really big deal.
The first day [we opened]… There were fewer than00 competitors in the market [at the time]. But now, there are almost a thousand brands around here. A lot of good stuff! We still need to find room to survive, but it’s fun.
[Throughout my time] owning a business here [in Thailand], I like to know where the ceiling is - the next ceiling for Thai creatives [to reach]. [So I’ve been] trying to do something, like collaborations, events, or making something that the Thai industry has never made before. [I really want to] do something for Thai to represent Thai brands to travelers, those on the outside.
How would you describe Rally Movement’s identity?
We have a persona for Rally customers. We call them “Bond Girls."
The Bond Girl represents [the young working woman: intelligent, not super sweet or super friendly, and maybe is perceived as a bit “masculine.” A woman who prefers function, for work. So her clothes are more practical, more functional, and the silhouette is practical and easy to wear.
So we set up that kind of persona to work on and to be like a baseline on our DNA… [And] I think we are very strong about our branding, our positioning, our emotion, and tone. Some customers know exactly who we are, but some can get the vibe and feeling and emotion by [how we represent our brand].
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What advice would you give to young creatives who want to start a brand?
You should [just] start first. You can find a way. And the point is: don’t stop.
[Another thing:] [even] if you are a creative person, the thing that you need to [focus on] is company structuring, tax, and finances. [Even if] you don’t have to have a lot of money, knowing [how money works] is the key.[Even] if you don’t know [how it works] and are really bad with it, find it [somehow] or enter a partnership with someone who has money.
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