In a recent interview with CNN, former Gucci creative director and marketing mastermind Tom Ford divulged what he believes will be the next big thing in the fashion industry: one-of-a-kind. Considering the current ubiquitous filtering of designer goods into the mass-market (a trend Ford ironically helped instigate), the proposition seems plausible. And one designer whose namesake line is perfect evidence of Ford’s prediction is Bangkok-born, Los Angeles-based designer Koi Suwannagate.

Recently nominated for CFDA coveted Fashion Fund Award, Suwannagate manufactures all her hand-sculpted, one-of-a-kind clothes locally, an aspect that has, along with her inimitable style, drawn fans from Nicole Kidman and Natalie Portman, to Philip Lim, a fashion designer with whom Suwannagate collaborated with this past summer. Intrigued by both Suwannagate’s unique designs, as well as her Thai roots, we called up the designer at her LA studio for the inside scoop on her hometown. The best of Bangkok, in her own words:

What are you working on right now?
Right now we’re working on production [for Resort/Holiday 07/08]. We make everything ourselves, so I design the collections and do manufacturing too. We do 500 pieces in one season, and that’s just for holiday. For the entire Summer 08 season we do 900.

Has there been more expressed interest after the CFDA-nomination?
Definitely. Our orders have increased. In one day one person can make three pieces. So, we’re over capacity.

What do you miss most about Bangkok when you’re in LA?
I miss my friends and my family. Thai people like to hang out and get together. Thai people eat all day long. We get together and move from one restaurant to another.

How would you describe Bangkok to someone who has never been?
It’s like New York - it’s pretty busy, and Bangkok drivers are really scary and aggressive. But, the people are much more relaxed – they’re always smiling, talking to everyone. There’s so much happening in Bangkok – the art, the fashion, the people. It’s become more Americanized. I hate to say that… but teenagers will hold hands, kissing on the street, and that would never have happened five years ago.

In what ways has Bangkok influenced you as an individual?
I’m pretty laid back, which is why I like living in Los Angeles. I like to have my big, open space; I don’t like pressure. Thai people are the same way – if you’re a stranger they will welcome you like you’re part of their family. I have that too - I’m sort of naïve, so my designs come out colorful, easy to wear.

Do you do much shopping for inspiration in Bangkok?
Yes, of course, I love all the textiles. They have this huge market, Jatujak. They have everything there you can buy – anything from pencils to big furniture, antiques to fabric from the north.

What hotel would you recommend to a first-time visitor?
Hotel Eugenia in downtown Bangkok. It’s a boutique hotel with 12 suites, all decorated with antique furniture from 80-100 years ago. It makes you feel like you’re going back to the 19th century. It’s not expensive; only like $200 a night. And being downtown is convenient.

Would you recommend downtown Bangkok as a good starting point?
Yes. In the center of downtown there’s the Siam Center, which is very popular. It’s the best place to go shopping, and there a lots of restaurants.

What’s one of your favorite places to shop downtown?
Playground. It has three levels. It’s the Colette of Bangkok. It’s Thailand’s most inspiring art boutique, with art, music and books you can’t get anywhere else. They have a restaurant and a cooking school there too, and art exhibitions. It’s pretty inspiring.

What are some of your favorite restaurants in Bangkok?
Sky Bar – it’s in the high tower, the second tallest building in Bangkok, you go up to like the 64th floor and look out onto the river. There’s a neon-lit, open-air bar that changes color every few minutes. All of the celebrities go there. They have the best live jazz music. Le Café Siam is the most romantic place to have dinner in Bangkok. It’s a colonial bungalow furnished with antiques. It’s fusion cuisine. They have this herb-crusted Ahi Tuna, which is amazing. And Mahanaga, which is also a beautiful Thai fusion restaurant. It’s stylish, chic, and peaceful. When I’m in Thailand I eat like six times a day [laughs].

What is a typical Thai breakfast?
We like to have these Chinese donuts with traditional black Thai coffee; you can find it at any local market. I love it, but it’s pretty fattening. But, when they make it fresh out of the pan it’s so good. We have porridge too and sometimes we eat them together. Those kinds of things you can find at 4am too.

Speaking of late nights, what are some of Bangkok’s hottest after-dark spots?
It's pretty crazy; we have so many nightclubs. I don’t really drink so I don’t go out that much, but all of my gay friends hang out at Silom Soi 2. It’s an amazing gay bar; they have a show almost every night – Saturday and Sunday are the best. They have a person dressed like a woman -- you can’t tell if it’s a man or woman. They sing, or do a talk show.

What about attractions like museums, galleries, or historical monuments?
The Temple of Dawn is very beautiful – you take a day trip to go see it. As far as galleries, these days there are a lot of new generations that come abroad to NYC or LA and then come home and set up a business with a café and gallery. There are a lot of small places like that. Some are very professional and the art is really good. It’s hit or miss.

What’s your favorite spa in Bangkok?
When I go to the spa I usually go to the island to a place called Chiva-Som. It’s pretty popular.. I get a Thai massage – they really get down into your tissue. Sometimes it hurts. But afterwards it’s so rewarding. It releases your tension. If you can stand it, afterwards you feel so relaxed.

What’s Bangkok’s best-kept secret?
I feel like I’m a pig, all I talk about is food [laughs]… but, at the old Temple of Dawn, near the Chao Phraya River, if you walk through this small dark walkway, there’s a big open space and they have five or six small tables and you can get the best grilled shrimp, the best fish. These kinds of places don’t usually have a name. There are lots of them; you call them by the chef’s name. So, this one is Chef Eang's (a.k.a. Chef Red’s). You call in advance and have them cook for you. Really, you just have to go with a friend who’s a local. It’s like New York – you don’t try to go to the same place twice; you try new things. Every three weeks you can go to new places. It’s more about what’s new now.

~Alisa Gould-Simon