Niramon

Hello. My name is Niramon. I have been interesting in Japanese language and culture form olden years, so I entered the university in major of Japanese language. Current I work as a thai-japanese interpreter in Japanese company in Thailand.  I am really honored to write column in this time. 

When speaking of「Leather product」, I can raise only bag or shoes which made by cows or crocodile’s leather with elegant design. I deeply impressed that leather product are [The middle-age’s fashion] because they are adult-liked simple design and black or brown tone which loved by the middle-aged. 

Certainly there is also having world-famous brand in Thailand but they were imported so they take high price. However the people who adored in leather are not less. People who want take Thai brand leather even without the world-famous brand are a lot.

My mother is also one of them. Anywhere when she saw shops of [Leather], she will go straight on to the shop. When get into the shop you can see people selecting bags, and they are same age as mother. That makes the impression of「The middle-age’s fashion」more stronger.

By the way, Thai leather is cheap and had good quality that recognized in many countries too. They are a lot of Thai-branded leather product which export to America or Denmark. And the prices are not too expensive. Such as handbags take about 2000-70000 baht(100Yen＝about 38Baht). Even though they are relatively affordable, they are not popular to young people.  Because young people think designs and color tone that hardly coordinate with clothes, the bags which take on   made form plastic or cloth product are well-selling than leather.

My first trip to Japan was 3 year ago .Every time I come to Japan since then, shopping in Japan is my enjoyment. I often stroll in the town and when I found an interested shop, I get into. And I met preferred item many times.

One day I was strolling in Yokohama and I found a fascinating shop. The shop named [genten], the brand which promotes about the environment and rise up the ECO consciousness. First time I just thought that a beautiful shop and maybe met some good things, so I got into the shop.   In the shop, they are types of bags, almost of them look simple and possible to matching to any styles, so I got falling love them. When the shop staff introduced that they are made from leather, I remember that I was quite surprised.  Because, these bags is completely different to the leather I knew.  The price was high but however I took on my purchase power and decided to challenge.

Then I came back to the hotel and take a close look to the bag. Its quality was better than compound leather and feeling is also different. After I back to Thailand, my friends praised about the bag. That made me so proud and favorite using it. Now it took about 2 years, and I first time found fascination of leather. If they are Plastic or linen, when they take long time then get old we have to throw them away. But leather was different. When it has been used for a long time, it would be softer and color would little change. That makes me feel like it growing together with us.

And now I understood that why people whom chosen the leather a once they will wish for them all the times.   And a person who always ignored “leather”like me, also became a person who always ask the shop that "This is leather?"