31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Bangkok Post
EM DISTRICT Celebrates Thai Craftsmanship and Culture
Thailand's rich cultural heritage and exquisite craftsmanship—hallmarks of the nation's soft power on the global stage—are once again in the spotlight as EM DISTRICT (comprising EMPORIUM, EMQUARTIER, and EMSPHERE) collaborates with the Department of Cultural Promotion, Ministry of Culture; the SUPPORT Foundation under the patronage of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, The Queen Mother; and the Tourism Authority of Thailand to present 'EM DISTRICT Sense of Thai 2025.'
Now in its fourth consecutive year, the event commemorates the 73rd birthday anniversary of His Majesty the King and the 93rd birthday anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, The Queen Mother. It also pays tribute to Her Majesty's more than five decades of unwavering commitment to promoting Thai handicrafts—an initiative that has not only preserved national heritage but also generated employment and improved livelihoods across the country.
Onthira Bharksuwana, Senior Vice President of EM DISTRICT, explained: 'This annual event, jointly organised by EM DISTRICT in collaboration with both public and private sectors, honours Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, The Queen Mother, and sustains her legacy of promoting Thai handicrafts—particularly handwoven textiles that reflect the unique identities of regional communities. We also spotlight the royal initiatives of Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya, whose invaluable contributions to the preservation and modernisation of Thai textiles have earned global recognition. In honour of her efforts, UNESCO presented Her Royal Highness with a commemorative medal on 18 July 2025 at its Paris headquarters, recognising her commitment to cultural preservation, the fine arts, and advancing Thailand's creative industries.'
Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya graciously presided over the opening ceremony, where she attended 'The Symphony of Thai Textiles' fashion show featuring 14 of Thailand's leading fashion houses: SIRIVANNAVARI, TIRAPAN, THEATRE, ASAVA, ISSUE, CHAIGOLDLABEL, WISHARA-WISH, MILIN, VICKTEERUT, ARCHIVE026, TANDT, JANESUDA, LANDMEÉ, and IRADA.
Themed 'The Symphony of Thai Textiles', the show highlighted handwoven fabrics from the SUPPORT Foundation and various local communities. The designs ranged from royal motif-printed Thai silk to plaid and plain silk, presented in 42 contemporary outfits reflecting each designer's unique style.
For the show, Her Royal Highness personally designed an exclusive collection under her fashion house, SIRIVANNAVARI, titled Devotional Design. The collection showcases her vision of preserving traditional Thai textiles while infusing them with modern aesthetics. It features signature sculptural draping, hand-wrapping techniques, and voluminous silhouettes to highlight the elegance of the fabrics with minimal stitching.
The SIRIVANNAVARI collection included two standout pieces inspired by the brand's Spring/Summer 2023 collection. The first was a fuchsia silk mudmee off-shoulder gown, adorned with gathered details, ruffles, a high slit, asymmetrical hemline, and intricate embroidery. The second was a turquoise Thai silk mudmee gown paired with a French lace corset, featuring asymmetrical draping and elaborate bodice embroidery. Both ensembles used SUPPORT Foundation fabrics, reinforcing Her Royal Highness's dedication to heritage preservation.
Beyond the runway, the Thai Craft Market at EM MARKET Hall, G Floor, EMSPHERE offers visitors the opportunity to shop premium handicrafts, textiles, and agricultural products curated by the SUPPORT Foundation. A highlight is the limited-edition Thai silk featuring royal motifs, known as Siriraj Phastraphon, available to the public for the first time.
The 2025 collection features the following patterns:
Pud Tan (Cotton Rose Hibiscus)
The Heart of Pud Tan
Mayurasiri
Horse Motif
Kho Chao Fa Motif
Other featured items include contemporary mudmee silk with star, wave, and sky motifs, wool products from Mae Hong Son, artificial flowers inspired by Her Royal Highness's visit to Chiang Mai, and modern ceramic dinnerware.
Adding a playful touch, the Textile Museum presents Thai dessert-inspired 3D ice creams with flavours such as:
Chocolate-covered coconut (Grand Palace Gate pattern)
Chocolate-covered Chitralada milk tablet (Grand Palace Gate pattern)
Mangosteen, coconut cream, and mango (Wat Phra Kaew tile pattern)
Durian and Thai tea (elephant motif)
The event also features top-quality products from the SUPPORT Foundation and performances of the Khon masked dance, scheduled on weekends and public holidays (2–3 and 9–12 August) at 3:30 PM and 4:30 PM at EM MARKET Hall.
Following the fashion show, all 42 outfits will be displayed in the 'Symphony of Thai Textiles' exhibition at EM Station, M Floor, EMPORIUM (connected to BTS Phrom Phong), from 30 July to 13 August 2025. The exhibition aims to inspire continued interest in Thai textiles and sustainability.
Proceeds from sales of the Thai fabric collection featured at the event will be donated, via the Thai Red Cross Society, to support individuals affected by the situation at the Thai-Cambodian border.
Celebrate the splendour of Thai culture, craftsmanship, and creativity at EM DISTRICT Sense of Thai 2025, on view now through 13 August at EMSPHERE.
