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Cover Story: 5 Things You Need to Know About Pitcha “Maye” Thanalongkorn

By Prestige Online Thailand
07 Apr 2021
People & Events
Cover Story: 5 Things You Need to Know About Pitcha “Maye” Thanalongkorn

For Pitcha “Maye” Thanalongkorn, her dynamic vision for the family-owned empire – which evolved from Thailand’s first lingerie company – has led to a powerhouse brand that’s now also a leader in e-commerce.

The well- travelled Chief Marketing Officer is the third generation to run Sabina, her family’s lingerie empire. With her at the helm, the business has transformed into a modern, household brand in touch with the times – empowering Thai women to be the kind of individual Maye embodies: confident, sexy, and unafraid to take on the world.

Situated on Arun-Amarin Road, Sabina’s headquarters has all the makings of a family affair. The glass-clad, low-rise is the only modern structure among the surrounding shophouses in the historical Bangkok Noi district. The walls of the third-floor meeting room are lined with brightly coloured, rainbow-themed bralettes and basics – a stark contrast to the demure conference room furniture, and a nod to Maye’s dynamic vision for Sabina. Prestige met up with the vibrant entrepreneur to discover more about her inspirations, what led her to create her own brand and her response to a meaning of life.

Her Grandmother is Her Biggest Inspiration

She recalls the early days of her first exposure to the family business, rotating through different departments and learning to hand-sew bra cups during her summer breaks. “My dad used to bring me here all the time.” And even as a young child, she would offer her opinion on Sabina’s product lines. “He wanted honest comments from someone close in age to his consumers. He was always keen to hear my feedback and made sure I was heard.”

Maye’s father’s encouragement continues to this day, allowing her – unhindered – the freedom to make decisions at work and lead through her own lens. Despite him being the person who fostered her go-getter attitude, she credits her grandmother, Jintana Thanalongkorn, as her biggest inspiration.

“My grandmother was the breadwinner of our family. After seeing all the imported lingerie lines at a store in Talad Phlu, she decided to create her own brand. She learned sewing and pattern-making by herself and sold her hand-sewn innerwear at a street market, launching her namesake brand Jintana – the first lingerie brand in Thailand. This enterprise eventually evolved into Sabina.”

Her Interest in British Designers Led Her to the UK

“At the time, I didn’t really know what exactly I was going to do, but I was obsessed with British designers. Alexander McQueen and Vivienne Westwood were at the top of their game, and I was completely mesmerised by their work.”

She initially set out to study fashion design but quickly realised she needed more than just design skills in order to accomplish her vision at Sabina. “I wanted to focus solely on design, but decided to take my parents’ advice to supplement my creative aspirations with business skills.” This culminated in her attendance at the London College of Fashion where she pursued a degree in Fashion Design and Marketing, which she ended up loving more than purely just going the design route.
“I love the psychology involved in marketing,” she says. “I have no regrets pursuing this route because it ended up being more in line with what I do now. And I love learning from my experiences. I absorb and store everything because I know that the knowledge I’ve gained from them will come in handy one day.”
That love of learning has led her to add a post-graduate certification in History of Fine Jewellery at Sotheby’s and internship stints with Vivienne Westwood and shoe designer Nicholas Kirkwood to her résumé.

Mad Moiselle Intimates is Maye’s Vision of Modern Perception on Lingerie

She recalls a time when she zealously pitched a collaborative project to a local brand. “My head was brewing with ideas,” she recounts. “It was my first pitch meeting and I was extremely excited, but they turned me down.” Despite the initial discouragement she felt, Maye took it all in her stride and became even more determined to fulfill her vision of Sabina as a powerhouse lingerie brand. At the core of the company’s business philosophy, which she devised, was the concept of creating value with new innovations, modern designs and dynamic new ways of communication.
And that’s exactly what she did when she founded Mad Moiselle Intimates in 2015. The brand is a subsidiary that operates under Sabina, but the products are unlike any of Sabina’s current offerings. “Everyone knew Sabina, but their perception of our brand at the time was a bit dated,” she explains. “With Mad Moiselle Intimates, I wanted to create something that would modernise and elevate our company’s brand perception.”

Gratitude is At the Core of Both Her Professional and Personal Life

Besides empowering women through her lingerie, Maye is also passionate about uplifting women in her community. Some of the CSR initiatives she has continuously worked on at Sabina include donating bra cups through the company’s own foundation to help raise awareness on breast cancer.

Since her brother was involved in a car accident, she has developed a carpe diem attitude and fully believes one shouldn’t take anything for granted, and live life to the fullest. “If I want to do something in life or say sorry to someone, I don’t want to wait until it’s too late.”

Her Love for Travelling is a Healthy Response to the Meaning of Life

She always seizes every opportunity to immerse herself in travel experiences whenever there’s time to spare. Her jet-setting lifestyle has taken her from Thailand’s beaches to the snowy mountains of Japan and cathedrals in Spain. “Travel really opens you up to new perspectives. I love immersing myself in the culture and the people, and I’m always inspired everywhere I go.”
With her journeys so well-documented on Instagram, Maye is a self-professed expert when it comes to travel photography and styling. She swears by her fashion choices (Dion Lee, Jacquemus, and Christopher Esber are some of her current favourites), but she also places a huge importance on accessories like watches and jewellery. “Gold and rose-gold are my daily go-to pieces because I can wear them to dress up or down. Lately, I’ve been loving Omega’s jewellery line. The pieces are sleek but detailed. Previously, I’ve been more accustomed to their watches, but I’ve come to admire the jewellery too because it’s so easy to mix and match, and works great for daily wear.”

“The healthiest response to life is joy,” she declares. “To be engaged in the here and now. Instead of calling it ‘work’, realise it’s play…”

Credits

Photographer: Vatcharasith Wichyanrat

Stylist: Pisit Jirarhadaphan
Makeup Artist: Nontalee Wongpeng
Hair Stylist: Kitphisuth Kanchanakawinphong
Editorial Coordinator: Kanyaphat Somwong

Location: Villa Deva Resort and Hotel 

Read the full interview in the April issue of Prestige Thailand.

Visit shop.burdathailand.com to purchase or subscribe for the magazine.

Thai Society Prestige People Thai Celebrity Pitcha "Maye" Thanalongkorn
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