Princess Sirivannavari visits Legacy exhibition honouring Thai textile heritage

Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya visited the Legacy exhibition at ICONSIAM in Bangkok. The exhibition pays tribute to Thai textile craftsmanship and the communities that uphold this heritage. The exhibition's theme is Promoting the Art of Thai Wisdom: Reinterpreting Traditional Craftsmanship for Today.

Guests greeted the Princess upon her arrival, including officials and the Thananon Charnvirakul, spouse of Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. The Legacy exhibition was established to honor the late Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother, who initiated efforts to preserve Thai textile heritage. The exhibition's title, Legacy: Creative Continuity and Creativity, reflects the Princess's belief that heritage is a dynamic value, not a static relic of the past.

Craft is continually passed down, reinterpreted, and imbued with new meaning by each generation while maintaining its roots. The exhibition's centerpiece was a fashion show called The Walk of Woven Identities. The show showcased designs from ten model weaving communities across Thailand. Each piece of clothing displayed the unique techniques and identities of its respective area, reimagined through modern design.

Models, artists, and public figures walked the runway to present Thai textiles as an essential part of the nation's cultural capital. The exhibition aims to support farmers, artisans, and local businesses and generate income for the communities that produce the cloth. Additionally, the exhibition seeks to establish export routes for Thai textiles while ensuring traditional knowledge remains actively utilized, rather than relegated to a museum.