PARIS LAYOVER: A campaign highlighting Thailand’s national Chud Thai dress landed in Paris on Saturday at Le Meurice.
The half-day stop was part of a multiyear effort to see the country’s national dress added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, under the urging of Thai princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya.
The proposal, titled “Chud Thai: knowledge, craftsmanship and practices of the Thai national dress,” is slated for consideration at the 21st session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage hosted in Xiamen, China, between Nov. 30 and Dec. 5.
Nariratana Rajakanya told WWD ahead of the event that the project began as a personal undertaking, inspired by the wishes of her aunt, princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, Thailand’s Princess Royal and younger sister of King Vajiralongkorn.
Early events were small gatherings at ambassadorial residences, with dresses borrowed from her own wardrobe and members of the diplomatic entourage serving as models. The endeavor received the support of the Thai Ministry of Culture, with the government approving the nomination in 2024. There have since been showcases around Chud Thai in London, The Hague and Tokyo.
The Paris event included a runway showcase.
For the Thai royal, this cultural mission is also a tribute to a beloved family member: Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother, who passed away in October 2025 at the age of 93.
“It’s something that I can do for my grandmother — a last gift,” said Nariratana Rajakanya, in reference to the mid-December ceremonies that will conclude the one-year morning period of her death.
The late queen mother, who studied historical court dress with Thai historians and designers, was instrumental in the development of Chud Thai Phra Rajaniyom, as it is formally known. It includes eight foundational styles for women, each with their own names, and three for men.
As showcased in the “Royal Thai dress, from tradition to modernity” exhibition running until Nov. 1 at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Queen Sirikit made the ensembles an integral part of state visits with King Bhumibol Adulyadej from their first tour in 1960.
“My grandmother wanted everyone wearing these outfits to feel a deep sense of honor and pride in Thailand’s cultural heritage,” said her granddaughter Nariratana Rajakanya.
But the Thai royal, who is also the designer behind the Sirivannavari brand, insisted that while rooted in history, Chud Thai should feel “not fixed in time.”
The introduction of Chud Thai is credited with sparking a renaissance in the industries needed to create the silhouettes, such as silk weaving. Since COVID-19, there has even been a 200 percent boom in Thai silk trading.
The average age of weavers has gone down, and this younger cohort is “not scared to develop color combinations,” said Nariratana Rajakanya.
“We have to come full circle,” continued the royal and designer, who hopes to bring Thai fashion history, including the country’s traditions of dyeing and textile motifs, into the curricula of universities around the country — and perhaps abroad, too.
“It’s time for Thailand to be one of the spots of the fashion world,” she said. “I know many people love Thailand and it’s time they know we have artisans, craftsmanship and art, they should know how proud [of that] we are.”
