Siam Center Adds Three New Concepts in Three Weeks to Anchor Local Brands

Siam Piwat opened three concept stores across fashion, beauty and wellness at Bangkok’s Siam Center over three weeks. The openings add local labels alongside Italian apparel brand Subdued.

Among them is domestic apparel maker Maison Keeps, which opened its largest flagship to date on the first floor on September 4.

The brand started in 2017 as an officewear line called Keeps. During pandemic lockdowns, it shifted into durable everyday basics for young adults and children. Earlier, on August 17, nail artist Grace Kantima Banjobdee opened Kantima House on the first floor. Her salon is styled like a living room and takes bookings through Line and Instagram. Local fragrance house 3rd Sense opened its first physical counter near the first-floor escalator on August 26. The brand sells scents themed around four energy paths, featuring artwork by Thai painter Juart Woraset.

Local flagships and first-floor concepts

These domestic labels join Italian Gen Z fashion retailer Subdued, which entered Thailand on Siam Center’s ground floor in July. Securing space requires tenants to follow Siam Piwat’s exclusivity mandate. The mall operator requires multi-branch brands to reserve a fixed share of their inventory exclusively for Siam Center. This keeps tenants from simply replicating standard mall assortments.

That policy turns the venue into an incubator rather than a volume driver. By demanding bespoke stock allocations and custom store designs, the landlord trades standard chain rollouts for distinct merchandising. The goal is keeping foot traffic from migrating to larger neighbouring complexes.

Exclusivity rules test tenant margins

For independent labels like Maison Keeps and 3rd Sense, physical retail drives up overhead through staffing, fit-outs and custom production runs. Yet a ground- or first-floor lease in the Siam interchange district provides high footfall. It draws younger domestic shoppers and regional tourists that digital channels cannot match.

Inventory management poses the main challenge. Carrying dedicated stock for a single branch ties up working capital. Smaller designers must maintain fast sell-through rates to justify prime-district rents against rivals in less restrictive centres.

Competing along the Rama 1 corridor

Siam Piwat also operates Siam Discovery and Iconsiam, and holds a stake in Siam Paragon. It has spent years positioning Siam Center against retail rivals Central Pattana and The Mall Group. Competition along Rama 1 Road and Ploenchit Road is tight as operators chase discretionary spend.

Just over a kilometre to the east, Central Pattana’s renovated Central Chidlom department store is hosting its Time and Treasures luxury watch exhibition. The show runs from September 2 to October 11, displaying limited pieces priced up to US$15,000.