Shopping In Bangkok
After so much research of what to do in Bangkok my thoughts about going to this major city was open to a lot of different activities. I thought for sure we would be hanging in Kao San Road, the backpackers area, which in turn ended up not being our scene. Also we visited the majority of the famous temples like the Palace, Wat Arun and Wat Pho which took only one day to admire. So what were we to do with the other 2-3 days in Bangkok on the last leg of our trip? Well, visit the massive shopping mall complex of course!
Now those who know Julian know he is not a fan of walking around to shop especially for a couple of days. Much to our surprise there was so much to see and experience, these weren't your typical shopping malls! Starting with MBK, this was a 8 story shopping mall that had a lot of touristy trinkets which was great for shopping for souvenirs for family and friends. Julian picked up a silk scarf for his grandmother and I picked up some hand made silk handbags for my friends and family. Overall this mall wasn't our favorite for shopping but I would say if you are looking for things to bring home for a lot of people you can get your souvenir items here.
While exploring each story in this massive mall we made it to the top floor which had an escape room, movie theater and 2 big arcades. We became addicted to the escape room challenge. I mean the rooms were designed by the Japanese, we asked for clues many times and it was almost like you had to read minds to get some of the clues, this was our first time doing escape rooms and by far the most challenging! Here is our victory photo that made it to the Hall of Fame.
In between games we would find ourselves enjoying a mojito sorbet and watching kids take a break from their studies to play at the arcade. Now when I tell you these kids are pros at these games you can see below how good they are. In unison following the song and direction of the game. They even come to the mall, to the arcade with their own gloves to play these games, crazy!
So overall MBK is the fun mall for us to try and take a stab at the escape room and to watch these kids but shopping was ok and the food scene was fast food so we needed to explore some of the other malls in this complex for a good bite. We landed in the jackpot, Siam Paragon was our absolute favorite for window shopping and dining. We didn't eat at a traditional restaurant while visiting Siam Paragon we actually visited their Siam Gourmet Market which is on the ground floor of this 8 story masterpiece. Imagine a whole foods but with themed stalls inside of the market. You could pick out your cut of meat and bring it to the in store stall "You Hunt We Cook," to have the meat your selected cooked to your liking. After experiencing all the places we've visited in Thailand, the islands, the north and now Bangkok we didn't enjoy the majority of our meals so we were looking for something solid. Within this market there was a french bistro that had a 3 course meal, truffle soup, ceasar salad and truffle chicken pasta. It was exactly what we needed to keep our energy up!
Siam Paragon was the most elite of all of the malls because of the extent and fine edit of designers from all over the world. My excitement walking through each hall way, on each floor weaving through racks, I was in fashion heaven. Having traveled to fashion capitals in the US like New York City and coming from Miami, I have seen what I thought was beautiful window displays but let me tell you I was in awe. The amount of attention to detail in visual merchandising, mannequin displays and curation of designers complimenting each other for the most epic 8 floors of shopping!
Siam Discovery was my second favorite mall in Bangkok. The feel of this mall was unique because it was laid out like a complete department store but towering at 7 stories high. Instead of being full of many different store fronts, each floor was directed towards one common theme. Organized by his, hers, street style, digital, creative, play and retail "labs". I remember on the women's floor you can watch a fashion show in a small theater they had on the side. It was so exciting to me as I have never been to such a high tech department store. They also had impeccable visual merchandising as pictured below. The designers in Siam Discovery were more well known designers like Rag & Bone, Stella McCartney, Phillip Lim, Alexander Wang, Helmut Lang, Dries Van Noten, Thom Browne, Yohki Tamamoto, Diesel, etc.
Last but not least my favorite of the Mall Complex Siam Centre. This four story mall was a mix of quick bite stops, beauty lovers shops, and my favorite section (I think it was on the 3rd floor) was the Thai Designer section #webelieveinthaidesigners. The whole floor was dedicated to designers who have built their businesses and a name for themselves in Thailand. Visiting each store I was able to see the variety in styles, visually step into their relm and experience their fashion. As a fashion designer and stylist this was eye opening and truly sealed my love for Thailand. I was able to appreciate the craftsmanship put into their collections and it really changed my view on Thai fashion. Below are some of my favorite designers and store fronts.
Fly Now III Visual Displays
in Siam Center
I told Julian as we start our journey of exploring the world together, I want to build a wardrobe from around the world. I want pieces in my wardrobe to have a story behind them, so I bought a printed spandex tee from Fly Now III which is known all over the world and has expanded to the Middle East, Asia and Europe. I like to think of Fly Now as the edgier Betsy Johnson of Thailand for their eccentric prints and window displays.
It's like they say things that haunt you the most are the things you didn't buy and on the second day of visiting the mall complex's I couldn't stop thinking about AD HOC, a street wear line that was completely composed of all black edgy styles for men and women. I convinced Julian to go back with me to the Thai designer floor to visit my beloved all black designer. I picked up my favorite everyday tee that had a box shape but was unique with it's felt ruffles and mesh sleeves. It was the perfect mix of simple, chic and understated edgy. Can you see the smile on my face as I purchase my favorite top!
At AD HOC my Favorite Thai
Designer
Overall I would highly encourage you to take the time while in Bangkok to get out of the sun and heat of the city to visit this massive shopping complex to enjoy the fun activities within each mall and for the fashion experience to expand your style and mind and most of all support up and coming Thai designers.
- Nina
P.S. Thanks for Escaping Reality to read my experience at the Bangkok Shopping complex, if you have been and want to share your favorite designers or tell me if you would check this mall complex or for feedback comment below!
