Phuket resort showcases gender-fluid fashions

I stayed at Phuket's The Slate resort back when it was known as Indigo Pearl. A delightful spot, quite different from your cookie-cutter seaside hotel.

Conceived by Bill Bensley, the maverick architect and interior designer, this eclectic retreat is home to original installations and sculptures that reflect the area’s rich industrial heritage and tin mining past.

The Slate is a member of the Design Hotels collection and is again showcasing its creative credentials by collaborating with This Is Fred, an edgy London fashion label.

Crafted by British designer Frederick (Fred) Morrison, who has presented his collections at the Paris and Berlin fashion weeks, This Is Fred produces pioneering gender-fluid urban wear.

The Slate and This Is Fred have created this exclusive “THE SLATE X FRED” collection, which is influenced by The Slate’s architecture and interiors. Each hand-stitched item features black and white stripes that appear almost magically when the cloth is in movement. The unisex collection comprises trousers, tops, ponchos, jackets and more.

The collection is being exhibited at Shades, The Slate’s gallery space, and each piece is available for purchase at The Stockroom, the property’s online and onsite retail store.

“I discovered Fred in Shoreditch, a very creative and artistic area in East London where you can find one-of-a-kind vintage shops and independent fashion labels," said resort co-founder and owner Krystal Prakaikaew Na-Ranong (known to her friends as Khun Moo).

"I always prefer small independent brands to well-known international ones. His geometric cut and shape, use of materials and the gender-fluidity of the brand immediately reminded me of The Slate.

“This Is Fred has a similar brand philosophy to The Slate. Our brands have an avant-garde approach and a very bold way of thinking. 

"I invited Fred and his partner to stay at The Slate at the beginning of 2020, just before the pandemic, to discuss our collaboration. Fred was very much inspired by the resort’s architectural attributes and we decided to create THE SLATE X FRED collection together.”

The hotel has previously hosted “Artist in Residence” programs and one of Thailand’s most famous “Sak Yant” tattoo artists for a three-month residency, which allowed guests to get their own traditional tattoos.

Guests can also learn the art of flower arrangement and southern-style Thai cooking or enjoy a treatment at the Coqoon Spa.

Culture lovers can learn about The Slate's interiors and Phuket’s history on the Art Journey, a QR code-enabled tour that reveals the vision behind the resort’s artworks and sculptures.

See www.theslatephuket.com.