• 
• 

Published on November 19, 2007

The fate of the Thailand Creative and Design Centre might be worthy of a referendum on the ballots next month if the election weren't already so convoluted. As it is, it's a sideline soap opera, albeit with royal trimmings.

Slammed for "extravagant" spending, the idea factory is to be merged by government decree with the National Discovery Museum Institute. The new "Institute of Discovery and Creative Learning" will likely be housed near Chulalongkorn University, a long way from the current convenient perch atop the Emporium mall.

Among those who are unhappy about the change is Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana, whose fashion designs are the subject of an exhibition at the Design Centre today through January 20.

Ahead of the show she lamented the centre's proposed move to less handy premises.

In its two years at the Emporium the centre has delivered several world-class exhibitions that Bangkok wouldn't otherwise have seen. They covered topics as diverse as domestic culture in the Arab world, China's "shopping revolution", the wild ways of British couturier Vivienne Westwood and a wonderful study of Isaan.

And now, for its last show at the Sukhumvit Road location, it gives Thais a chance to see how the Princess dazzled the sophisticated highbrows at Paris Fashion Week in September, when the press dubbed her the "modern royal".

And there is much more as well.

"Presence of the Past: Love, Contradiction and Fashion" features the Princess' debut collection, and it is, she says, a far better indication of what she's "really like" than what Thais see among the nightly television broadcasts on the royal family.

Just 20 years old, Princess Sirivannavari is mature enough to recognise and acknowledge the "contradictions" in her life - half palace and half pop, courtliness versus street smarts, traditional Siamese craftsmanship melded with trendy styling and, most movingly, public duty in harmony with private passion.

In her fashion design she admits to a familiar but never quite resolved dilemma: "We've inherited a lot of beautiful culture from our ancestors, but how can I make it more modern, to fit the times, without destroying its beauty?"

So the exhibition includes a 19th-century court lady's gown, simple with its pha thaeb wrapped around the bosom and chong kraben pantaloons.

And there is the embroidered sabai shoulder sash that the Princess wore when she was nine, its length matching her height. This was the direct inspiration for the 39 outfits she designed for Paris.

A huge portrait of Her Majesty the Queen wearing a beautiful Balmain gown is tagged with the message "Royal Muse". It dominates a section of the show called "Being Siwilai", meaning "civilised", which commemorates the cross-pollination that followed, Thai silk finding its way into the creations of Dior, Adele Simpson, Pauline Trigere and Valentino.

In the section called "Being Sirivannavari" is a gilded cage, and nearby both a model of a pure white peacock - the emblem for the Princess' collection - and one of her first creations, a

peacock-style dress with a long, layered train.

The emblem was chosen, she says, because it "represents an elegant femininity, but within that elegance is a heightened sense of self-protection".

There is another area where her sketches, paintings and

writings are displayed. "I always want the emotion to be clear," she has commented. "If it's sad, it's totally sad, or it can be so tormenting that it actually becomes fulfilling."

Thanks to the Thailand Creative and Design Centre, visitors can enjoy a glimpse of royalty that's as honest as it is rare.

Five questions for a Princess

Tell us about the inspiration for this exhibition.

I wanted to show other Thai designers and the public the process of creating a fashion collection, right from the start - the designing, sketching, the way I put myself into it, as well as the travelling, the backstage work and the scheduling.

Which part of the show do you like most?

Personally, I like "Being Sirivannavari", but the highlight could be anywhere, depending on your own taste. There's a lot of important information about fashion and its history and development. I know Thais don't like to read a lot of text, so I've kept the description tags clear and simple.

What have you been doing since Paris Fashion Week?

There's always a lot to do. A lot of the plans and jobs I've been tackling since the beginning of the year are gradually coming together, like designing a wristwatch and doing this exhibition. And my collection for men is in production, getting ready for a launch next March.

How do you like working on men's clothing?

It's challenging, difficult to make it look smart and at the same time casual.

I've done a lot of research about lifestyle and every look from head to toe. My idol is my father [His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn].

What would you recommend to other designers trying to combine Thai tradition with modern fashion?

We have a beautiful culture and tradition that we should be proud of, and not only in fashion. Thinking outside the box is good, as long as the ideas don't become extreme. I meant to be modern and fashionable while balancing the ideas with the Thai lifestyle. Some young people these days seem to forget about the balance.

Kupluthai Pungkanon

 The Nation