Dr. Manrutt Wongkaew

Dr. Manrutt (Manny) Wongkaew is a doctor of fashion and dance. His career trajectory spans research, creative practice, industry leadership, and pedagogical innovation, drawing from his interdisciplinary backgrounds in fashion, dance performance, and art psychotherapy.

In his industry leadership role, Dr. Wongkaew is celebrated for creating politically charged and emotionally resonant visual conceptual and commercial artworks. He has been featured in leading publications including Vogue.com, British GQ, Elle India, Fucking Young, Kaltblut, The Guardian and the Photographer’s Gallery’s official Instagram page. He has delivered a TEDx talk on the subject of resilience and was interviewed by the BBC for Queer Britain series.

Dr. Wongkaew actively engages with local communities and charitable organisations such as Tower Hamlet, Oxfam, East London Dance, and the V&A. He was also nominated and received Volunteer Recognition award at SMART recovery. His creative workshops engage a wide range of communities, including children in care, individuals with learning disabilities, and male offenders. Notable initiatives include a drag workshop at HMP Dovegate and the Finding Your Inner Diva workshop, delivered as part of the V&A’s Friday Late – Diva Disrupted programme. 

In academia, he serves as a Senior Lecturer in Fashion Styling and Production at London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London. His teaching and research investigate the role of art as a medium for emotional and social transformation. He is the author of the pedagogical framework, Healing Pedagogies, which advocates for affective learning and the therapeutic potential of art.

As a practising Buddhist from Bangkok, his positive energy, creativity, and compassion resonate with both colleagues and students. “Life in full colours” is both his motto and his guiding philosophy. His approach is not merely about fashion, but about using fashion as a medium to explore the full spectrum of human emotion.

Dr. Wongkaew holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Therapeutic Arts (with Distinction) from the Institute for Arts in Therapy and Education (IATE) and is a member of the Black, African and Asian Therapy Network (BAATN) UK. He is based between the UK and Thailand and welcomes collaborative opportunities that align with his values, visions, and areas of expertise.

"I am not here to break rules. I am here to push all boundaries if possible, or, to remove those boundaries that restrict personal growth and stifle creativity in the first place."

-Dr. Manrutt Wongkaew-