Thammasat Fine Arts Student to Elevate Chiang Rai Ethnic Fabrics in Contemporary Fashion Showcase

Recently, Punyawee Chanthon, a student majoring in Textile and Fashion Design at the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, Thammasat University, demonstrated her potential as a fashion student by elevating ethnic fabrics through beautifully modern designs on the stage of Chiang Rai Fashion To The World, the ethnic costume design competition of Chiang Rai Province, organized by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Chiang Rai Office in collaboration with the Northern Tourism Federation of Chiang Rai Province and Wattanakul Group Co., Ltd.

Punyawee scored a triple win at the fashion competition, securing first place and two first runner-up awards for her stunning designs. The first prize is in the workwear category for the piece ‘Ngam’ (beauty), the first runner-up is in the casual wear category for the piece ‘Flow’, and the first runner-up is in the evening gown category for the piece ‘Khong’, inspired by a major river in Isaan.

Punyavee’s award-winning workwear, “Ngam,” beautifully blends the elegance of Chiang Rai’s Lue tie-dye fabric with Sakon Nakhon’s tie-dye textiles. The result is a contemporary and wearable design that showcases her skills in pattern cutting and sewing learned throughout her coursework. She said, “I personally have a strong passion for creating works that showcase culture, particularly Thai textiles, as a fashion student. I aspire to utilize the knowledge I have gained to develop creations that incorporate the ethnic fabrics of Chiang Rai, which embody cultural identity and uniqueness. This initiative aims to serve as a voice for the younger generation, enabling them to engage more deeply with ethnic textiles. Furthermore, the resulting works will serve as a model for local weavers of Chiang Rai’s ethnic fabrics, allowing them to expand their craft into a livelihood that generates income for their families and communities.”