Those who have visited Tailor On Ten know that it can be a hot walk to our store, but once you arrive, you’re invited to relax in our tropical garden. You may also catch a whiff of something fresh… Like a pine forest following a light spring shower. That’s thanks to the new Tailor On Ten Signature Scent, which has just been turned into a luxurious bar of soap by the talented people of Soap Kitchen, a successful local company, focusing on quirky soaps, handmade to the highest standards. We sat down with both companies’ founders to find out the story... 

How did the Tailor On Ten and Soap Kitchen collaboration come about? 
BEN (TOT):  The home of Tailor On Ten is a beautiful house that everyone loves, but the other way of recognizing it as a home is by its smell, so for a long time, we’ve been planning to develop a signature scent. When Alisa walked through the door one day, the pieces just fell into place.

Upon chatting to Alisa Phibunsiri who runs Soap Kitchen, we quickly realized how the two companies get along so well; “I hate t-shirts and I don’t like men who don’t iron their clothes.” Since Tailor On Ten enjoys working with like-minded local businesses (such as Café Caps in the past), developing the signature scent and soap together was a no-brainer.

What did you think of the process; was it good developing a bespoke scent as a change from the normal routine?
ALISA (SK):  It was fun and went very fast! After I got the brief for the scent, I went hunting for the perfect ingredients and brought little samples for the TOT team to sniff. After that I went back to my little lab to perfect the combinations. TOT had a clear vision so we managed to create the signature scent very quickly! This was my first bespoke scent commission. It was really fun to work with such a nice group of people, who are in it for passion, just like us. We all want men to look and smell good!

So what is the Tailor On Ten scent and what was the inspiration for creating it?
BEN: Thailand has all these amazing flavors andaromas, but Bangkok is not always the most delicately fragranced. Our house on Sukhumvit soi 8 is an oasis from the noise and rush – and now for your nose too!

ALISA:  We wanted to create a scent that would be pleasant to smell every day and can be worn by both the gents and ladies. It had to be something distinct, but not too imposing; masculine, yet not overpoweringly so. This called for a balanced scent. In the end, we went for a blend of white flowers mixed with pine and eucalyptus. The white flowers give lively floral notes that evoke the vibrancy of Thailand, while pine adds a masculine touch and eucalyptus makes it very fresh.

How did you create the design?
ALISA:  We knew we wanted to use white and black as it is classic, stylish and follows the colors of the Tailor On Ten logo. To create the black and white combination, we used bamboo charcoal. It’s a very trendy food ingredient right now. Have you seen those black bun burgers? That’s what they use. The soap naturally has a cream color, but to make sure it remains brilliantly white, we added natural white clay.

Did you know about Tailor On Ten before the collaboration?
ALISA:  Of course! Photos of Tailor On Ten clothes kept popping up among my Facebook friends’ posts. I accompanied a friend to a shirt fitting and was very impressed by the TOT shop and service. Little did I know this meeting would turn into such a successful partnership!

What’s the favorite thing you like to see a man wear?
ALISA:  Well, I once walked away from a date because his shirt was all creased. I do like good shirts – and I’m not just saying that because you are tailors! I like a nice pair of jeans and a good pair of leather and suede shoes too.

Who are your own style icons?
ALISA:  I’m very experimental with my clothing so I just wear whatever. Kendall Jenner has a good style and I’ve been into the fashion house Balmain lately. I like Victoria Beckham’s line too, but I do think she should smile more often!

There was certainly no shortage of smiles when the first batch of Tailor On Ten Signature Scent Soaps were delivered. Do pop into our shop and have a whiff of the scent yourself, or why not order a couple of bars right here. If you want to find out more about Soap Kitchen and Alisa (including her favorite restaurant kitchens), check out the continued interview here.