Modernizing Thai Traditional Garments’ Construction into Contemporary Context

Abstract

The research, "Modernizing Thai Traditional Garments’ Construction into Contemporary Context," aims to generate new knowledge in contemporary fashion design by using traditional Thai garment construction as core elements. The goal is to create designs that are relevant and applicable to today’s social and cultural contexts. The research consists of two main components. First is the documentary research on the Thai traditional attire history, as well as comparative studies from other Asian countries to explore the structural identity of Thai attire and gather relevant design concepts. The second is qualitative research through interviews. Participants include two groups: five experts in relevant fields and five target users aged between 25and 35years (one male and four females). For the latter group, photo samples were collected for further visual analysis. Findings from both documentary and qualitative research led to the formulation of a design theory for developing contemporary fashion rooted in traditional garments. This theory emphasizes the integration of two key elements, which are the identity of traditional national attire and the alignment with the contemporary context. This approach enabled the creation of wearable contemporary Thai garments. Evaluations through interviews with the participants confirmed that this theory is practically applicable. It demonstrates the potential to reinterpret and extend Thai garment identity into a modern setting. However, results may vary depending on different target audiences and the specific cultural context.