{"id":17750,"date":"2024-12-19T11:38:00","date_gmt":"2024-12-19T04:38:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.koktailmagazine.com\/?post_type=the-future-list&p=17750"},"modified":"2026-02-09T17:14:29","modified_gmt":"2026-02-09T10:14:29","slug":"jirawat-maan-sriluansoi","status":"publish","type":"the-future-list","link":"https:\/\/www.koktailmagazine.com\/th\/the-future-list\/jirawat-maan-sriluansoi\/","title":{"rendered":"Jirawat \u201cMaan\u201d Sriluansoi"},"content":{"rendered":"

A modern interpretation of Thainess built from everyday objects and personal cultural experience through The Only Market Bangkok. <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\u201cI describe my experience as a monument, because I have collected experience from everywhere, from graphic design to styling. To build this monument I embraced every opportunity and immersed myself in the environments I am passionate about.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Conversation with Jirawat \u201cMaan\u201d Sriluansoi reveals a creative. With more than 17 years of experience spanning styling, graphic design and visual storytelling, Maan has worked across multiple creative disciplines, with each chapter informing the way he understands objects, culture and meaning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Courtesy of Koktail Thailand<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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\u201cYou might get a little confused from the technology and styling to fashion, graphic design or even sustainability. They may seem like separate threads at first, but as you follow my journey, you\u2019ll see how they all connect,\u201d Maan laughs.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

He describes himself as someone who loves graphic design, calligraphy, sustainable thinking, souvenirs, fashion and even technology. While these interests may seem like separate threads, they come together in The Only Market Bangkok, a brand that reimagines what souvenirs and \u201cThainess\u201d can mean today. Through this journey, we trace his evolving vision and the path that has led him to where he stands now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Courtesy of Koktail Thailand<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maan\u2019s Path to The Only Market Bangkok <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

First: Experience as a Foundation<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\u201cThere was a moment when I did fashion trading, which allowed me to connect with many Thai designers. I was constantly speaking with buyers and designers, and eventually began running showrooms in Japan and later in Paris, acting as a bridge to represent Thai brands on a global scale.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Maan\u2019s path into fashion was shaped by a wide range of hands-on experiences. He began as a graphic designer at a magazine working across photoshoots, art direction and visual storytelling, while also working as a stylist. These roles naturally connected him with a close circle of creatives he respected. During this time he led Thai fashion brands such as Sretsis, Dry Clean Only, PONYSTONE, among many others, to buyers resulting in their launch in showrooms in Japan and elsewhere. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2017 Maan got the opportunity to work with a showroom in Paris. He was then approached by Patipat \u201cBest\u201d Chaipukdee, founder of Dry Clean Only, who wanted to create a collection to be presented and sold through this showroom. Best asked Maan for his assistance; for Maan the timing was right and Dry Clean Only launched in Paris with his help. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Second: Discovering Power Through Calligraphy<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\u201cBecause of my work I was travelling frequently to Japan. I remember trying to memorise letters without fully understanding the language, yet the forms of the characters themselves fascinated me. Around the same time designers across the world were boldly embracing their own languages, such as Russian, Korean and Chinese, printed on clothing. I\u2019m not sure whether this shift happened collectively or was influenced by Gosha Rubchinskiy, but he made the Russian language feel cool and powerful. Seeing these languages on streetwear made me realise that any language could stand confidently on clothing.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

He went on to study how to design calligraphy with Jinda Nerngchamnong, an expert in Thai handwriting and calligraphy. He began with the Thai script for Krung Thep Maha Nakhon printed on T-shirts in collaboration with Dry Clean Only. That was the moment Maan realised something fundamental: the Thai language worked too. As a graphic designer, he naturally saw everything as elements, and the Bangkok name itself became one. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Courtesy of Koktail Thailand <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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\u201cIf you strip away the need to understand Thai and look at it through the eyes of a tourist, or even an outsider like an alien or a ninja,\u201d he laughs, \u201cthe structure of the letters is powerful on their own.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

That shift in perspective became the starting point. After returning from France, Maan was approached by Barom \u201cTay\u201d Bhicharnchitr, the visionary behind Central Embassy and founder of Thai multi-store SIWILAI, with an invitation to create products for the store. He began simply: T-shirts, tote bags, caps, lighters, and even picture frames, all featuring the Krung Thep Maha Nakhon typography. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

From there The Only Market Bangkok continued to grow, expanding with new branches across leading department stores including Emporium, Emsphere, One Bangkok and Siam Discovery.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A post shared by The Only Market Bangkok (@theonlymarketbangkok)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n