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Published on October 16, 2007

Thai fashionistas attending the opening of Elle Fashion Week tonight will be able to admire Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana's stunning spring/summer 2008 collection, which made its debut last month at Paris Fashion Week.

Attendees will also see models show off about 40 outfits showcased at L'Opera Garnier, and witness a runway presentation of 15 designs from the Princess's S'Homme menswear line.

In Paris, the semi-couture fashion show "Presence of the Past" demonstrated exquisite Thai craftsmanship but with modern and funky twists. A new era of Thainess strutted the catwalk, emphasising the beauty of traditional royal fashions.

Saksit Pisalasupongs and Phisit Jongnarangsin, directors of Tube Gallery and members the team responsible for the fashions shown in Paris, credit Princess Sirivannavari's hard work and determination for the smart and eye-catching designs in the new menswear collection. Among the ways they envisage S'Homme man, is as a cool guy, perhaps a foreigner who's come to Thailand for a relaxed vacation, leaving his cares behind.

The collection features a complete wardrobe for the fashion-conscious working man, from day to night, and from vacation to formal meeting. The key colours are bright red, caramel brown, grey and black, with the focus on mixing and matching for all occasions. Short and long fitted pants, biker jackets and tuxedos, and luxurious shirts with modern details are some of the highlights.

Saksit says this is the fourth time that Tube Gallery has assisted with the Princess' fashion collection going back to her first designs, for the "Red Hobby" collection, while at Chitralada School.

"We were fortunate to be granted an audience with Princess Sirivannavari six years ago. At that time she wasn't so interested in fashion but already very fond of art. As Phisit is an alumnus of Chulalongkorn University [the Princess is studying at the same university], he introduced her to training that was available in all aspects of the arts, such as painting, graphics and jewellery design."

"We are proud and impressed to see how much the Princess has developed as a fashion designer. As well as being a gifted designer, she's full of determination. She is no longer inexperienced: Her creativity is well-balanced and she has a good understanding of the whole picture and functions of designs," notes Saksit.

Princess Sirivannavari uses Thai silk for about 70 per cent of the collection and has adapted traditional costume into trendy silhouettes, reveals Phisit.

For example, there's her adaptation of the jong kraben (pantaloon-style trousers) that are worn as formal suits - sleek and skinny ensembles with hand embroidery - and as shorts.

All outfits are made with the highest quality materials, such as hand-woven Thai silk and jersey, creating sophisticated lines and featuring elegant details. Embroidery and prints maintain traditional Thai decoration and the governing motif is the peacock, the signature of the brand.

As for the accessories, oversize bags and classic leather shoes are rethought to give an energetic and relaxed look.

"The Princess has done a lot of research," says Phisit. "She's full of energy, enthusiasm, and always eager to learn new things."

Both Phisit and Saksit believe Princess Sirivannavari is encouraging many young designers to spread their creative wings, reinterpret Thai silk in a more modern context and take pride in their country's cultural heritage and local wisdom.

 Kupluthai Pungkanon

 The Nation