Kanchana “Chompoo” Shnatepaporn

Founder & CEO, BWild Isan

Industry : Business

Starting at the family fabric store business in Khon Kaen, Kanchana learned artisanal sewing techniques, and eventually opened a small dressmaking and wedding gown shop called “By Heart”. When Covid put many locals out of work, forcing them to return home from their city jobs, she drew upon their strengths–design, ceramics, computer, weaving–and created BWILD ISAN, creating a community where skilled, new generation designers and craftsmen in different fields come together to create work inspired by the Isaan way of life. Her role is to determine the organisation’s directions to make the most out of the team, and that the gain is not just for financial benefits. Despite the challenges of launching a new brand during a pandemic, her “Kai Baan” chicken handbag immediately became an iconic fashion product, and her collections “Wild in the City” and subsequent “Ant Colony”--which moved more towards couture–both won several awards. Her brand''s ultimate goal is to support all local artisans working in their hometowns in the north-east of Thailand and help generate long-term incomes for her team and the local community, and eventually start from sharing the profits to Isaan school children in remote areas.