Aware of the value of Thai silk and hilltribe textiles, which are considered part of the country's cultural heritage and need to be conserved, Central Group of Companies and the Tiang Chirathivat Foundation have collaborated with the Bangkok-based Accademia Italiana Fashion & Design Institute to come up with a project to promote and give a new look to the flood-damaged silk fabrics and cotton handwoven hilltribe textiles of the Foundation for the Promotion of Supplementary Occupations and Related Techniques (Support) under the royal patronage of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit.
From left, Francesco Cappuccio, Dr Vincenzo Giubba, Sudhitham Chirathivat, Thanpuying Pharani Mahanonda, Somkamol Vejjajiva and Wantanee Chirathivat.
The project aims to turn these fabrics and textiles into fashionable ensembles designed by the institute's young students. The finished outfits will then be distributed at La Rinascente, a leading department store in Italy under Central Group's management.
To introduce the project to the public, Central Group and Accademia Italiana recently held the "Accademia Italiana for Thailand & Central Group" event at Zense, CentralWorld.
The highlight of the event was a fashion presentation featuring 12 outfits designed by the students to showcase their design talents and creativity. The institute also presented a potential dress design made from the restored Thai silk fabric as inspiration for young designers.
Sudhitham Chirathivat, executive director of Central Group, said that one of the Tiang Chirathivat Foundation's objectives is to support and promote Thai arts and culture.
This collaboration aims to do that with Thai silk and handwoven cotton textiles in the international fashion industry through the skills of young designers of the internationally recognised fashion institute.
"This project is a solid platform for Thailand to showcase and promote Thai textiles, one of our precious heritages, in the international arena. The silk from the Support Foundation used in this collaboration was damaged by the great flood in 2011. They have been carefully restored in both colour and texture and can be used to make any product," said Sudhitham. "We chose to work with the Accademia Italiana because the institute has a very high standard in teaching fashion and design.
Wantanee Chirathivat, left, senior vice-president Corporate Image, and Somkamol Vejjajiva, general manager Corporate Image, Central Group.
"With the creativity of the institute's new generation of designers, we can turn these restored silk and cotton fabrics into fashionable outfits. Ten designs that pass to the final round will be produced and distributed at La Rinascente."
According to Sudhitham, the Tiang Chirathivat Foundation has also initiated a project to create a sustainable profession for rural villagers who make their living from weaving textiles. The pioneer project operates in the remote Om Koi district in Chiang Mai province, covering 20 villages and involving 17,208 weavers.
"When the villagers have a sustainable profession, which generates more household income, it will eliminate poverty-driven problems. They can put their children in school, have a house of their own, and a better quality of life. This will result in the improvement of an overall economy in the community in the long run.
"Together with the Tiang Chirathivat Foundation, the Central Group of Companies support them by using our business as an outlet to sell their products and do social activities with them. We are a strong Thai company, so we have to utilise our strengths to benefit society by helping them develop sustainable jobs and a stable community," said Sudhitham.
Vincenzo Giubba, director of the Bangkok-based Accademia Italiana, said that the institute plays an important role in this project.
"Our institute is delighted to be a part of this project, and there will be a contest for our students to create new designs using the restored flood-damaged silk from HM the Queen's foundation to create contemporary fashion items that blend Thai heritage with modern design harmoniously.
"All the designs will be presented in the final runway show before the end of the academic year in May 2014. From 20 contestants, only 10 will make it to the final round, and these designs will be produced and distributed at a leading department store in Italy, which is an influential country for the fashion industry."
Accademia Italiana Fashion & Design Institute was established in 2007, and it is the only fashion institute in Southeast Asia to be accredited by Accademia Italiana in Italy and Wales University in the UK. The objective of the institute is to share design-related knowledge from Italy with the rest of the world.
"At present, design has reached a phenomenal point, and this is due to each designer's creativity," said Vincenzo Giubba.
"The selected works from this project will serve as a good starting point for potential students to become fashion designers on the world stage."
