Resort's world

MANILA, Philippines - There is heritage waiting to be conserved, if only you take a dip closer to your own shores. Innovating for the sake of newness isn’t necessarily so, unless it escapes the temptation of being too short-sighted.

Post-recession, and a looming “double-dip” ahead, shopping is different: fewer start-ups have launched, except for discount shopping sites and a few good pieces born out of ritualistic demand.

Pow Foongfaungchaveng, 32, has just come home from an early nightcap in Bangkok, in time for a long sleep for Sunday brunch to Skype-cast on his swim shorts label-Timo.

The polymath at 30

“I came back from London in 2006 with a degree in Law for Armed Conflicts (the law of war) in King’s College in London. And that has no direct link with fashion at all.” Bangkok-native, London-schooled, Pow Foongfaungchaveng holds a nine-to-five job in Thailand as a property developer for a large capital firm TCC. “I still have my full-time job as a conceptual designer for hotels and curator for a few museums. TCC is a large company and we have to build two hotels every year. My job is to identify what type of product to have in every location. We did a Banyan Tree in Samui island with the Banyan Tree team.”

Timo’s collectible fit and colorway half-dry in nine minutes via microfiber fabric.

“I told myself when I hit 30, I want to do something for myself and few friends like it so far.” His new venture puts another stamp to his journey, “It is a product of a bit of everything I experienced in life — working with creative minds, working not only on the money part. Right now we are recognizing the value of edu-tainment, which is a fun way of learning for the museum I am working at, and Timo is all about taking fun seriously.”

“Not only realizing the cultural-historical side but a contemporary take on textiles is my latest project for the Queen Sirikit’s Museum of Textiles. For the longest time I was a curator in TCDC (Thailand Creative and Design Centre) which is a design museum in Bangkok having interactions with Victoria & Albert in London and Vitra Museum.”

Philosophy

“In my opinion, everything we do starts with a purpose and Timo is for swimming. Timo caters to design-orientated Asians (with smaller bums). Though we have a lot of foreign friends, too, (Bkk’s expat community) have tried it and we are slowly addressing that. Boardshorts are for protecting knees and are really for surfing, that is why they’re long. Swim shorts must reveal kneecaps.”

Perhaps gym shorts, too, can be reevaluated from the runner’s-length shorts to city shorts. “Also, Timo addresses the embarassing spectacle of rising up from the pool with a bikini brief (more appropriate to fitness competitions, or underwear).” Timos’ air outlets at the back also allow air to escape, as you jump in the water.

Launched only this summer, sales are limited-scale with plans of online sales via the Timo website. “Right now we sell, guerrilla-style, to different stores in Thailand. Currently we are at my good friend’s BOYY bags at Chidlom and the Design Museum giftshop.”

Asian nations’ locally-grown brands are only beginning to get fit. “I just attended the 20th anniversary party of (Thailand-based apparel) Greyhound this year. It was a good retrospective. Every culture has an underlying value: the French, elegant; Italian, modernist; Chinese, skilled. Let’s say Chinese children now: they are beginning to be creative; just like in Thailand, we have yet to explore our identity as well.”

Every Englishman’s (sand)castle is his home. Graphic detail of Timo “coins” cap tips of waistcord in Édition Chevron print trunks.

Site specificity

Looking back to the beach and Thailand’s monarchic past, “The sandcastle logo was done by my good friend from New York.” Timo’s form serves up three functions : “Timo ‘Prep’ is a little lower on the waist like how uniform shorts are worn in prep schools. Timo ‘Captain’ is more classic tailoring, worn mid-waist for a more athletic fit. D-ring tapes also ensure locker keys are secure. Timo ‘Editions’ are more limited in production so it’s unlikely you will have redundancy at the poolside. Editions are currently the 1970s Chevron print in three colorways.”

Enjoying a sunny climate year-round, it makes perfect sense to have garments that match the weather conducive to local weekenders or holidaying guests. Like the flip-flop thong slippers (which are really meant to go with sand and not the mall), the beach or pool is a wonderful retreat from urbanity to begin with, and a good place to show off a farsighted product line — with an appropriate length, of course (from the waist down).

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Visit www. timotrunks.com.

Available at Boyy bag store, G/F Central Chidlom.