The stylish duo gets candid about their individual and shared style sensibilities. 

By Ashima Sethi

When I met Ravisara and Rattan Monga on a sunny, Saturday morning, the duo were the epitome of the question: “is that your mum or your sister?” Dressed casually in styled athleisure-inspired outfits, both women exuded a laid-back confidence as they spoke candidly about their mother-daughter bond and their shared style sensibilities.

No stranger to the world of fashion, Ravisara is a graduate of Regent’s University London with a BA in Fashion Design and Marketing. While she was living in London, she conceptualised a womenswear label that, after moving back home to Bangkok, she’s been able to dedicate more time to alongside her other passions, one of which is dance.

Branded as RAVISA by RAVISARA, Ravisara describes the label as a “ready-to-wear womenswear brand that you can easily transition from casual to work and day to night. A lot of it is inspired by my time in London, so you’ll find that my designs are named after its boroughs, streets, and post codes. Currently, items are stocked at CAMP Megabangna, but are also available via Lazada, Shopee, Instagram, and LINE (@ravisa).”

When asked why she decided to foray into design, Ravisara says, “I noticed within the Thai-Indian community there were designers specialising in Indian wear and Indo-Western, so I wanted to come in with something different but still true to myself.” So how would she describe her style? “I grew up raiding my brother’s closet because I always found his t-shirts and hoodies to be most comfortable, so my style is pretty easy-going. I’m a ‘comfort over everything else’ type of girl. You’ll rarely see me wearing sequins or anything like that unless it’s a themed event.”

On the other hand, one to embrace sophistication no matter the occasion, Rattan brings elegance and professionalism to the forefront in her job as Senior Administration Officer at AISB Ramintra Campus. According to her daughter, “I wouldn’t say we have the same type of style when it comes to dressing up because she’s a lot more sophisticated than I am. I’d be comfortable in baggy shirts and shorts, but I definitely use her as inspiration when it comes to some of my designs.”

Apart from RAVISA by RAVISARA, a few other brands continue to attract the duo, “For a good pair of jeans, I always go to Topshop,” says Ravisara. “In my opinion, Topshop has the best jeans in the game.” She’s also a fan of raiding her mum’s closet (like all of us good daughters are, sorry mum!), she says, “I love borrowing my mum’s handbags, especially ones from Chanel. Unfortunately, we wear different sized shoes otherwise I’d borrow her heels as well!”

In return, her mum is an avid supporter of her label, “She is extremely supportive, and I consider her my lifeline. From the brand, she tends to go for designs that are more ‘smart casual’ as opposed to just dresses, but it’s testament to how the label has something for every age group.”

STYLE ON THE MOVE

For relaxed weekends in and around the city, these two looks combine understated colour palettes with flattering tailoring to create casual yet stylish silhouettes. Ravisara wears PIMLICO Shirt in grey paired with BAYSWATER Trousers in grey from her own label with a patterned cross-body purse from Off-White; Rattan wears BAYSWATER Trousers in peach.

RAVISARA AND RATTAN’S ESSENTIALS:

CELINE Luggage Tote: a statement handbag that’s both fashion forward and functional.
DIOR Lip Glow Oil: a nourishing, easy-to-apply gloss that brings out the lip’s natural colour for a no-fuss makeup look.
Chanel La Crème Main: now that we’re washing our hands even more, this cream is great for keeping them soft and moisturised.
Hermès bracelet: an accessory that can heighten any outfit.
Apple iPad: essential for working on the go!

CAREER COUTURE 

For sophisticated, matching business looks, the duo opts for the classic combination of grey and black. They elevate each
respective look using trendy cat eye-inspired sunglasses, versatile high heels, and statement leather handbags.
Ravisara wears the SW8 Top from her latest collection with a tote by CELINE; Rattan wears a grey top from RAVISA by RAVISARA paired with a brown purse from Hermès.

Pictured in the featured photo, For a night out, both women dazzle in their respective sartorial selections by Thai design house, Vatanika. Ravisara opts to pair light grey and bright red for a bold and youthful look, whereas Rattan embraces timeless sophistication in a black satin top and trousers. Photos were taken at Indus Bangkok. For more information about their versatile settings, visit www.indusbangkok.com