Phaan is a fashion design student, blogger, and freelance illustrator based in Bangkok, Thailand. She runs julibaker and summer, a blog cum online shop where she documents her works and sells her art.
How did you come up with the name julibaker and summer? Is there a story behind it?
I know that many people are curious about the name of my blog and shop. The story is quite simple; “Juli Baker” is actually derived from Juliana Baker, the name of one of the main characters in my favourite movies, Flipped, while “Summer” is derived from (500) Days of Summer, another one of my favourite movies.
What inspires you and your art?
What inspires you and your art?
I must say that everything can inspire me. Films, music, art pieces or even just a sentence or two from conversations I’ve had or heard inspire me. But if I had to pick one, films influence my work the most because I have a very strong interest in surrealist films and this is reflected in my designs.
I believe my work processes are just like other illustrators’. I usually start by observing my surroundings and recording my observations in a sketchbook that I bring along with me wherever I go. When I am ready to start on an art piece, I simply look through my sketchbook for ideas. I think a sketchbook is the best place for designers to store their ideas.
Art and craft is a huge part my identity; I love to do things by hand and I definitely prefer this form of art over digital art. I do believe in this quote – “Perfect is boring.” I love unexpected or accidental results.
What are some projects that you are currently working on?
I am working on a pocket book that contains illustrations of my trip to the UK last year. The illustrations are mainly of people I’ve met, interesting experiences and art places that I recommend.
In May 2015, I am going to be a fashion and film columnist for Cheeze, one of my favourite street fashion magazines in Thailand.
I am a Beatlemania; I love everything about the The Beatles. My bag collection is inspired by their album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band as well as the ladybug. The entire process starts with general ideas and concepts for the bags, followed by the actual designs. After that, I send my designs to the seamstress for production. The final stage of the process is marketing and promotion for which I create a lookbook for the bags.
The fashion collections are for my programme at Chulalongkorn University. Doing fashion business in Thailand is not easy – you need to have huge budgets and investments, and at the moment, I’m not ready to enter the fashion industry. I want to have more time to learn and to explore, and perhaps someday when I feel ready enough I would consider it seriously.
We notice that you make references to various movies like Amélie and My Life in Pink in your work. How have these films directed your art? My Life in Pink in particular has a very strong message that addresses certain social issues or causes (e.g. transgenderism). How do you think this has influenced your work?
As I mentioned earlier, films always inspire me. Both Amélie and My Life in Pink are unique to me and I thought that every single frame and scene in the films were composed beautifully. I have incorporated the mood, tone and other elements from both films in my work. My Life in Pink teaches us that people are different and that we should embrace such diversity. Hence, in my collection Once You’re Not a Boy, Ludovic, I mixed up the feminine and masculine details.
What do you hope to achieve in your creative work in the next five years? Where do you see yourself?
Within the next five years, I may have completed my master’s degree, but even then I will still be a freelance illustrator and perhaps open up my very own art school. I will also continue travelling and perhaps work on new pocket books to collect my travel experiences.
Read Phaan's blog here. Follow her here and here.
Read Phaan's blog here. Follow her here and here.
