The next time you plan your shopping getaway to Bangkok, plan to buy more than just mass-produced T-shirts that proudly proclaim corny, and often sleazy, slogans from the now-famous bargain markets in Thailand.

That's because young Thai designers are flashing their fashion credentials with their very own hip street fashion labels and cutting-edge designer sensibilities.

And 15 of them will be showcasing their pieces from their collections at the Thai Fashion Festival at Vivocity from tomorrow, 12 June until Monday, 16 June. Picked from a pool of 90 potentials to represent Thai fashion creativity, they are considered the crème de la crème of the country's fashion world.

If you did not know by now of the up-and-coming fashion industry that is booming in Thailand, the stories behind some of these designers will make you do a double take.

Take 33-year-old Ms Orchuma Prachasaisoradej. Her day job is a senior analyst with the Central Bank of Thailand, while she creates accessories and clothes under her brand, Rafiki.

Putting in 16-hour workdays to manage work and family - she is a mother to two young daughters, she is equally at ease when handling complex computing calculations as she is when dreaming up fashion designs on the drawing board.

She said: "I love my work as a banker because I can enhance my knowledge in regulating banking and non-banking institutions from a macro point of view. But fashion has been my passion since I was born."

And no, she does not think that fashion and computing are odd bedfellows. She explained: "I think every field is connected. It depends on which areas you want to further develop [your brain cells] and use them efficiently."

In a 2006 article with The Nation, the paper reported that she decided to pursue her interest in fashion despite parental disapproval. She sold the occasional handmade handbags to classmates at Chulalongkorn University, and eventually thought about setting up her own label after completing her degree in accountancy. It was when she won won a 2005 contest to design uniforms for Bangkok Airways that she gained wider recognition for her work.

Another young designer to look out for at the Thai Fashion Festival at Vivocity is Ms Nutthida Palasak. The 25-year-old is a professor who teaches fashion design at Srinakarinwirot University in Thailand during the day, and keeps herself occupied with designing for her two-year-old fashion label, Tint Tempo, at night.

Photos: Nutthida Palasak

Taking her credentials as a designer seriously, she said: "I consider myself a full-time fashion designer but I love to teach, that is why I am teaching."

Her designs, which have a modern aesthetic, will definitely appeal to young women who like having fun with fashion.

When asked what makes Thai designers stand out from the crowd, Ms Palasak replied: "Thai fashion designers always surprise with their extraordinary designs, and at a price that is reasonable."

Other labels that will be represented include by Chooooo, Nuches and Phonthip, as well as brands that can be found at Bangkok's Platinum Mall, a shopping hangout well-known for its street fashion.

The Thai Fashion Festival, organised by the Thai Trade Center, will be held at Vivocity tomorrow, 12 June 2008 until Monday, 16 June 2008.