Tag Archives: Chud Thai

Royal Family of Thailand

Princess Sirivannavari of Thailand Reviews Final Preparations Ahead of La Mode en Majesté Exhibition Opening at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris

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  • Photos courtesy of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs/Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles
  • Photo courtesy of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs/Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles
  • Photo courtesy of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs/Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles
  • Photo courtesy of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs/Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles
  • Photo courtesy of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs/Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles
  • Photo courtesy of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs/Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles
  • Photo courtesy of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs/Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles

Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari of Thailand has arrived in Paris ahead of the official opening of the exhibition La Mode en Majesté: Royal Thai Dress From Tradition to Modernity at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs.

As patron of the exhibition, the Princess joined members of the curatorial and organizational teams to review final preparations prior to the exhibition’s opening on May 13th.

The exhibition, which runs through November 1st, 2026, explores the evolution of Thai royal dress and textile traditions from historical court attire to contemporary interpretations of national costume and couture design.

Organized through a collaboration between the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles, the Support Arts and Crafts International Centre of Thailand, and the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, the exhibition forms part of celebrations marking both the 340th anniversary of relations between the Kingdom of Thailand and the French Republic and the 170th anniversary of formal diplomatic ties between the two countries.

More than 200 garments and related objects are expected to be displayed, including royal attire associated with the late Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother of Thailand, alongside contemporary interpretations of traditional Thai dress.

The exhibition also examines the longstanding relationship between members of the royal family of Thailand and French haute couture, including designs created by the French fashion house Balmain for the late Queen Sirikit, with embroidery by Maison Lesage.

Princess Sirivannavari has played an active role in preparations for the exhibition. Earlier this year, the Princess conducted research within the Balmain archives in Paris as part of the curatorial development process.

The exhibition additionally aligns with Thailand’s ongoing effort to secure UNESCO recognition for Chut Thai, also spelled Chud Thai, the royally endorsed Thai national costume, as part of the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Royal Family of Thailand

Princess Sirivannavari of Thailand to Deliver a Lecture on Thai Traditional Dress and Cultural Heritage in the Netherlands

  • Portrait courtesy of the office of H.R.H. Princess Sirivannavari of Thailand

This morning, it was announced that Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya of Thailand is scheduled to undertake a series of cultural engagements from April 9th to 10th, 2026, in Den Haag, Netherlands, centered on the international presentation of Thai national costume and textile heritage.

At Hotel Des Indes, the Princess will deliver a lecture titled The Evolution of Thai Traditional Dress and Thai Textiles on April 9th, as part of an academic forum focused on Thai royal costume and the transmission of related knowledge. The lecture will be accompanied by presentations illustrating the eight recognized forms of Chud Thai, placing their development within the broader historical context of Thai design and craftsmanship.

The following day, the Princess will preside over the opening of the exhibition Chud Thai: Knowledge, Craftsmanship and Practices of the Thai National Costume, organized by the Ministry of Culture of the Kingdom of Thailand. The exhibition brings together both ceremonial and contemporary interpretations of Thai dress, including pieces from the Princess’s own collection, alongside works by master artisans representing key textile traditions such as Mudmee, Prae Wa, and Yok brocade, as well as weaving practices associated with the Kingdom of Thailand’s highland communities. Demonstrations of traditional techniques will also form part of the program.

The lecture and exhibition form part of a broader state-supported initiative to promote Thai cultural heritage internationally. The program builds on the long-standing efforts of the late Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother of Thailand, to preserve and promote Thai national dress, while reflecting the Princess’s continued role in bringing Thai textiles to a global audience.

The initiative also aligns with the Kingdom of Thailand’s ongoing efforts to secure inscription of Chud Thai on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, with consideration expected in 2026. In this context, the Thai national costume is presented not only as a historical tradition but as a living cultural form that continues to evolve.