Queen Sirikit's Thai-French Fashion Diplomacy Explored in Paris Exhibition

Tomorrow, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris will unveil 'La Mode en Majesté: Royal Thai Dress from Tradition to Modernity,' featuring almost 200 garments from the late Queen Sirikit of Thailand's collection. This exhibition celebrates the 170th anniversary of the Treaty of Friendship between France and Thailand, although their diplomatic relationship began in 1686 when Louis XIV welcomed Siamese ambassadors. Queen Sirikit, who married King Bhumibol Adulyadej in Paris in 1950, utilized fashion as a diplomatic tool, working with designers like Pierre Balmain and Erik Mortensen to create a fusion of Thai silk and haute couture. The show, in partnership with the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles and the Sustainable Arts and Crafts Institute of Thailand, includes pieces by new designers. Her granddaughter, HRH Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya, shared insights with Vogue about her grandmother's influence on Thai textiles and her commitment to artisans through the SUPPORT Foundation. The princess is also set to debut her collection on the Paris runway next year.