Kamolwan “Kukkik” Saensopha
Fashion & Textile · Craft & Making
Phrae · January 2026
Kamolwan “Kukkik” Saensopha is the Phrae-based founder of Kamon Indigo, a fashion and textile studio known for contemporary clothing dyed with natural pigments rooted in local mo hom traditions. Trained in fashion, she returned to her hometown to study indigo, plant dyes and hand processes in depth, developing a practice that combines natural color, insect-inspired wax patterns and everyday silhouettes with a distinctly youthful sensibility. Her work has also been featured in local design collaborations in Phrae, reflecting her broader role in reimagining regional craft for new audiences.
Instagram ↗Photographs and story, step by step
On my last trip to Phrae, I visited several creatives. Kamon was one of them. After a short bike ride on the outskirts of town, she welcomed me into her beautiful studio, which she also shares with her family. Originally from Phrae, Kamon returned home after her studies to continue her research on Ton Hom, the plant used to make indigo dye. She did not return alone. Her life partner joined her, and together they chose a life closer to nature, embracing a slower pace that gives Kamon the space her practice needs.
The first thing you notice when entering her studio is the omnipresence of insects. Beetles, butterflies, and moths appear everywhere, in her patterns, designs, and objects. Insects are a central source of inspiration for Kamon, so much so that she fulfilled a childhood dream by building her own butterfly house. A few years ago, she started sharing short videos of her lifestyle on Instagram. Simply edited and unpretentious, the channel went viral last year, showing moments of everyday life: playing with her children, practising her craft, raising butterflies.
Kamon feels that the connection between her work, made from natural fibres and dyes, and the nature she shares online is what resonates with people. While we talked, one of her collaborators, Nim, was sewing garments nearby. A tailor by trade, Nim helped expand Kamon’s relationship with clothing, reinforcing the idea that there is no right or wrong way to dress, only what feels true. Kamon then walked me through her process, from Mo Hom, the traditional indigo dyeing technique of Phrae, to creating patterns using beeswax.
After I photographed her in the butterfly house, she showed me remnants left by her moths and one of her designs, a beetle-shaped backpack, which she casually slipped onto her back. Kamon often describes her practice as fragile, like an insect, something that must constantly adapt in order to survive. She is well supported in this process, surrounded by her partner Satang and their two children. As I was about to leave, her daughter shyly offered me a soft “Sawasdee Kha”. Her name was Indigo.