Born in Thailand, raised in Omaha, and now New York-based, Thakoon Panichgul blends distinctly different influences into his designs—for Fall 2007 it was the legendary couturier Paul Poiret—imparting a feminine spirit to a youthful, sporty line. A two-time CFDA Fashion Award nominee and a runner-up in the 2006 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, Panichgul studied business at Boston University and worked in merchandising at J.Crew before launching his first ready-to-wear collection in September 2004.