Jareeythana’s interest in fashion led him to open a shop in Siam Center called Time’s End together with a friend. It was an instant hit, and soon became a leading Thai fashion brand. The success of Time’s End boosted the designer’s confidence, and he eventually started 27 Friday on his own.

The label offers a unique identity to clients, mainly because of the many intrinsic handmade details. “I spent a lot of time hands-on finishing the details. The leather-made flowers sewed onto the women’s blouses and jackets in this Fall 2010 collection are just one example,” Jareeyathana explains. In fact, he also created necklaces with beads and sequins for the collection himself. “Even though it took me a lot of time to hand-sew the pieces, the final result was definitely worth the time,” he smiles proudly.

Jareeyathana believes in having a voice through his designs – even the recent political chaos in Bangkok had an impact on his current collection. “I was touched by the soldiers who protected the city during the crisis. Women were offering them food, water and flowers. It inspired me to create this collection called Soldier of Love,” he explains. For the range, he designed almost see-through chiffons in a pastel colour palette for women, with lots of flower embellishments emphasising the neckline, while the men are decked out with tailored-fit suits with big flower brooches on the chest. Men’s suits are military-inspired with metal buttons and epaulets on the shoulders.

Besides making his political stand on peace and harmony, Jareeyathana also wants his government to continue support for local designers. “Thailand always has big events, but nothing lasts. They should launch ongoing projects that support young design talents – just like Tokyo and Korea.” And what will he do if he stops designing one day? “I think this is going to be my last job,” he says with a big smile.