Mauve Hand-Embroidered Cotton Tunic from Thailand, "Sensational Siam"

"My name is Kanchana Sujaritjindanon, but everyone calls me Nok. I studied agriculture while attending college. After graduating from an Australian university, I decided to extend my stay to improve my English. When I first returned to Thailand, I helped my brother with his clothing business.

"I fell in love with making clothes and learned everything about creating apparel. At first, I didn't know much, but now I can design patterns and create a dress. Cotton is my favorite material because it's comfortable in any weather and can be used in any design — from casual to dressy. In 2007, after eight years of working with my brother, I decided to open my own workshop. I hired a woman to help me sew and embroider.

"My small workshop is based in Northern Thailand. My staff and I work everyday to make lovely cotton clothing for shoppers around the world. The clothes I design are comfortable and can be easily worn everyday. Some are decorated with simple hand embroidery. This extra work helps my worker earn extra income. Our most important aim is to make clothes that look nice when worn."