Cover Gulf Kanawut (Kanawut Traipipattanapong) commands global attention as one of Asia’s foremost luxury brand ambassadors in 2026 (Photo: Claudio Lavenia/Getty Images)
Gulf Kanawut (Kanawut Traipipattanapong) commands global attention as one of Asia’s foremost luxury brand ambassadors in 2026 (Photo: Claudio Lavenia/Getty Images)
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From prestige skincare to Japanese sneaker culture, Gulf Kanawut’s 2026 brand ties reflect the growing global reach of his ambassadorship
Kanawut Traipipattanapong, known to fans simply as Gulf, has quietly become one of the region’s most visible brand ambassadors. The Thai actor and model moves easily between industries, from appearances at Milan Fashion Week to fronting Korean skincare campaigns, with collaborations that span fashion, beauty and lifestyle.
Part of his reach is sustained by a devoted global fanbase, whose coordinated online support often amplifies his campaigns across markets. In 2026, Gulf Kanawut’s growing portfolio of partnerships reflects both his cross-border appeal and the rising influence of Thai talent in the luxury space. Here are the collaborations shaping his year.
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Gucci: Gulf makes history as the Thai face redefining luxury ambassadorship
Since his appointment as Gucci’s first Thai male brand ambassador in March 2024, Gulf Kanawut has become an increasingly visible presence for the house across Asia. Initially signed under the creative direction of Sabato De Sarno, Gulf’s role now continues into a new chapter for the brand under artistic director Demna Gvasalia, whose debut “Primavera” collection revisits Gucci’s archives through a more provocative interpretation of the house’s signature look.
At the Gucci Fall/Winter 2026 Milan Fashion Week show in February 2026, Gulf’s appearance in a black crop top and baggy trousers drew considerable attention online, becoming one of the most widely shared moments of the event. Much of that momentum was amplified by his dedicated fanbase, whose coordinated social media activity boosts the visibility of his appearances.
His Gucci partnership has expanded beyond front-row attendance. Gulf’s approach to dressing for the brand, as seen in his social media posts, mirrors Demna’s emphasis on the body and streamlined minimalism, suggesting a collaboration that extends beyond conventional celebrity endorsement. For Gucci, the relationship also reflects the growing importance of Southeast Asia within the brand’s global audience.
Onitsuka Tiger: embodying the aesthetics of ma
Appointed brand ambassador in July 2025 alongside Thai star Baifern Pimchanok, Gulf Kanawut is central to Onitsuka Tiger’s 60th-anniversary campaign of the Mexico 66 sneaker. At the Autumn/Winter 2026 Milan show in February, themed “The Aesthetics of Ma”, he embodied the collection’s philosophy of meaningful in-between spaces—a mid-ground aesthetic that exists between formal and casual, statement and staple.
His endorsement of the reimagined Mexico 66 Square trainer—reinterpreted in slim, flat-focused silhouettes with lizard-print and floral finishes—gave the milestone anniversary a globally resonant energy. Paired at front-row events with other Asian celebrities, Gulf and Baifern form a trans-national Asian style axis that speaks to multiple markets simultaneously, reinforcing Onitsuka Tiger’s ambitions as a cultural force well beyond sportswear.
Sulwhasoo: storytelling beauty across Thailand and Korea
As the Face of Sulwhasoo Thailand, Gulf Kanawut anchored the brand’s 2026 Lunar New Year campaign around the Year of the Fire Horse, spotlighting the flagship First Care Activating Serum VI as a symbol of strength and new beginnings.
Above Gulf Kanawut offers audiences a look into the philosophy behind Sulwhasoo products
But Gulf’s role extended far beyond a single campaign image. Through a series of vlogs filmed in Korea—exploring the history of ginseng and the storied House of Sulwhasoo Bukchon—he served as a storyteller, offering audiences a rare window into the craft and philosophy behind the products. His #SulwhasooRebloom work furthers that narrative, targeting a younger, multi-hyphenate demographic that seeks a holistic beauty ritual rooted in tradition and contemporary science rather than simply a product to buy.
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Oishi Green Tea: grounded, omnipresent and distinctly Thai
While Gulf’s luxury portfolio commands international headlines, his partnership with Oishi Green Tea is a quietly essential part of his brand strategy. The collaboration—running under the #OishiClubXGulfKanawut banner and timed around the Japan Expo Thailand 2026, the largest Japanese cultural event in Asia—keeps his identity firmly rooted in the domestic market, ensuring his face remains a familiar presence across convenience stores and public spaces throughout Thailand.
It’s a deliberate two-tier approach: local omnipresence through beloved mass-market partnerships, global prestige through high fashion. This carefully maintained equilibrium is what makes Kanawut Traipipattanapong so bankable—he is equally at home on a Milan runway and on a Thai billboard, without either diminishing the other.
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After more than a decade in lifestyle media, Clifford has mastered the art of writing seriously about things that are fun—and writing fun things about people who take themselves very seriously. At Tatler Asia, he helped steer its flagship lists, Tatler’s Most Influential and Asia’s Most Stylish. And today, he leads T-Labs, Tatler Asia’s content innovation hub, where he continues the noble pursuit of lifestyle storytelling, spinning stories on wealth, entertainment, necessary style, Hallyu, Hollywood, beauty and more for audiences across Asia.
