Sustainable fashion is no longer just classroom theory when Turbo Kittipoom Neampraset, a 4th-year student from the School of Fine Arts, Fashion Design program, proved it through participation in the "GQ Next Gen 2025" project—a special collaboration between GQ Thailand magazine and 5 leading universities in Thailand: Bangkok University, Rangsit University, Srinakharinwirot University, Silpakorn University, and Chulalongkorn University. This project provides opportunities for new generation youth to experience real-world work with fashion brands that prioritize sustainability.
Collaborating with an Environmentally Conscious Brand
Turbo had the opportunity to work with Khun Phet Phipatchara Kaewjinda, owner of the PIPATCHARA brand, a designer who stands out for transforming recycled plastic waste into fashion products. This aligns with Turbo's personal interest in being part of sustainable design.
"Getting to participate in this project allowed me to see the process of transforming waste into something valuable, all the way through to designing and producing beautiful and functional products. This experience not only enhanced my design skills but also opened my eyes to new perspectives on how fashion can be part of solving environmental problems."
A Challenging 7-Day Mission at Every Step
Within just one week, Turbo went through a complete professional workflow. The first 3 days involved presenting concepts and prototypes to the brand for consideration, where he leveraged his existing bag-making skills. "When the brand saw the prototype and was confident in my craftsmanship, I was trusted to complete the entire bag at home." The resulting work was photographed for a lookbook featuring clothing from the PIPATCHARA AQUA-R-US collection with male models for GQ magazine and was officially published, which was an extremely valuable experience.
Learning Professional Work and Sustainable Fashion
The experience from this project wasn't just about creating work, but also learning professional work processes, from briefing methods and communicating with photographers to on-the-spot problem-solving. "I understand the meaning of Sustainable Fashion much more clearly now. It's about designing for long-lasting use, timeless style, creating long-term sustainability without always relying on new technology, but using good design to create value and reduce wasteful consumption."
First Steps Toward a Future Dream
Turbo shared his thoughts about receiving this opportunity. Despite lasting only one week, it created unforgettable memories. "I was so happy from the moment I learned I was selected for this project. Most importantly, I want to thank the PIPATCHARA brand for helping me learn and understand the concept of sustainability in every step, whether it's choosing environmentally friendly materials or creating durable, long-lasting products. I can apply this knowledge to my own designs. I'm even happier that the work we designed and sewed ourselves was recognized and featured on the cover of GQ magazine. From this experience, I have a clearer goal in finding the right career path, and if I get the chance, I'd like to create my own brand in the future," Turbo concluded.
The "GQ Next Gen 2025" project is not only a platform showcasing students' abilities but also serves as a bridge between classroom learning and the real working world, while instilling sustainability consciousness in the new generation of Thai fashion industry professionals. Particularly, it provides opportunities to work with environmentally conscious brands and inspires the development of Thai fashion toward sustainability in the future.
