Emerging cult brand PATTARAPHAN champions unpretentious, well-made jewellery that is striking yet effortlessly wearable. With an emphasis on conscious design and manufacturing, each piece succeeds in its sympathy towards both the human body and the environment. To mark the release of PATTARAPHAN’s Pre-FW 2022 collection, we take a look at the eponymous jewellery brand and its philosophy.
In Thai ‘pattaraphan’ translates to beautiful skin - a title that seems fitting for a brand that has adorned the bodies of supermodels including Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid. PATTARAPHAN takes founder Nok Salirathavibhaga’s Thai heritage into consideration, with the country’s craftspeople and skills being an integral part of the brand. Since being founded in 2018 production has been based in Bangkok, with Nok stating, “I was still in New York when I began making my first prototypes - there was no doubt in my mind that we needed to base production in Thailand.” The country’s influence has similarly shaped the brand’s consciousness. “Slow production” and manufacturing is central to its ethos to minimise environmental damage. Many pieces are constructed from sustainable and locally sourced materials, with jewellery crafted from deadstock sapphires and pearls to recycled metals. The outcome is something to behold: pieces of jewellery that are both contemporary and timeless in equal measure.
Timelessness and longevity are central pillars of PATTARAPHAN with Nok seeing jewellery as a particularly sentimental object. Creating a collection of modern heirlooms is no small feat, yet the brand succeeds with each piece being designed with preservation as a central aim. The contents of grandmother’s jewellery box are certainly emulated through products such as the Anya Locket Necklace. “Our pieces are crafted mindfully and have lots of details to set our designs apart and to make sure they are secure when they are worn,” Nok explains. With some styles now being offered in a 14K gold option, these are objects that will be passed down for generations. This versatility gives a certain tactile quality to PATTARAPHAN’s jewellery, adding a practicality that means the jewellery is suited to both errand running and date night looks. With “discussion in the millimetres,” at each stage of the design process, trained jeweller Nok and the team at PATTARAPHAN see every detail as “significant and necessary.” This emphasis on intentional structure combined with an eye for trend that marks the brand as a trailblazer in the industry, setting it apart from other companies.
A modern heirloom- Stranded Cycle Hoops in London Blue Topaz
by PATTARAPHAN
Taking cues from Nok’s life experiences and identity, there is also a deeply personal quality to PATTARAPHAN, most obviously expressed through the brand’s ID pieces. “For me, jewellery is really personal, and our collections are heavily influenced by my background and upbringing.” Memories of the designer’s childhood parallel elements of her career now - a fascination with playing with candle wax in her grandmother’s praying room eventually morphed into the construction of jewellery wax models during her studies at Pratt Institute. The brand’s signature soda tab styles signify this profound period in Nok’s life when she was, “anxious and overwhelmed from living in big city like NYC.”
As an eponymous brand, PATTARAPHAN is intrinsically linked to the founder’s identity. Growing up, Nok didn’t have a good relationship with the name, yet during college she discovered that its Thai meaning denoted exactly the aims of the future brand. Nok believes that, “jewellery should be an extension of your identity, like a second skin.” Deciding to use her name for the brand was a way to reconnect with her heritage on her own terms whilst showing just how much her background influences her creations.
Exploring Identity- Two-Tone Medium ID Hoops Pair
by PATTARAPHAN
Nok is currently loving the Baby Cycle Bracelet and the Ying Charm Hoops from the new collection. Both styles are completely versatile meaning they can easily be worn alone or styled together with other jewellery, making every outfit instantly unique.
Effortlessly Adaptable - Baby Cycle Bracelet by PATTARAPHAN
Shop the new Pre Fall/Winter 2022 collection here.