AAS Fashion Design alumni Varalee (Mel) Sangsomsap started her brand SSAP fresh out of school in 2012 while working freelance with Antonio Azzuolo. In 2011 she was a finalist for the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund and moved back to Thailand in 2014. Earlier this year, she applied to Vogue Thailand’s’ program, ‘Vogue Who’s On Next, The Fashion Fund 2018’ which aired on Television complete with design challenges and a runway show finale. Ten finalists were selected from hundreds of applicants and Mel secured the ‘Runner-up’ position receiving 100,000 THB (approximately 3,000 USD) and a one-year mentorship to grow her brand. Mel…

We saw an incredible facility, met with the leading people running it and had the chance to get samples of their product. All in all, I found it to be a huge success and a real activation for our discussion of the supply chain in class. I know American Woolen was excited to host us and really enjoyed the students enthusiasm.