PARIS, Sep 29, 2007/ FW/ --- Once upon a time, the only fashion house that could afford the Paris Garnier Opera was Christian Dior, and to present a memorable Haute Couture collection. In this new millennium, a fairy tale princess was back in the same arena, only to show how much she wanted to become a world-famous designer, on the opening night of the Paris Ready-To-Wear Fashion Week.

In front of a tuxedoed and evening dressed audience, the City of Lights seemed to be longing for monarchy, for the time of a runway show, as the theatre originally built under the reign of Emperor Napoleon III, was the compulsory venue for the first prêt-à-porter collection by HRH Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana, the daughter of HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn and HRH Princess Srirat, who were both attending.

Veteran designer Kenzo Takada was also sitting first row with the crême de la crême of the diplomatic corps in France and of world famous fashion pundits.

The theme for the collection: “Presence of Past” was meant to reinterpret the refined Thai tradition costumes in a contemporary way, pertinent for world fashion trends. The designer said, when she announced her Paris fashion show, that it took her a full year to research the trends for the collection, which was nevertheless a tribute to the legendary elegance of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, Princess Sirivannavari’s grandmother.

The proposal she made seemed however far from pertinent to Western eyes: the Princess might have studied fashion very seriously, she might even have designed two collections, previously shown in Bangkok, she seemed to have also been inspired far too literally by some Yves Saint-Laurent mythic sleeves on jackets or Claude Montana’s signature ponytail hairstyles, to name but a few of the Paris legends of fashion design that HRH is probably fanatic about.

Of course, she tried to add to it a certain 21st century twist, together with a genuine touch of orientalism. The general atmosphere still looked obsolete, particularly as the presence of Kenzo, an Asian creative genius, was all the more highlighting the lack of originality in the designer’s conceptions.

It was sad to witness that princesses could do better promotion for their country’s craftsmen when they decide to wear their traditional artistry than when making their design dream come true. It was intriguing to observe that although no ready-to-wear designer needed to have a patron among the French traditional houses, Sirivannavari still found one, like new couture fashion houses have to. It was heartbreaking to read that the House of Balmain which agreed to play that role and thus re-gild its long gone couture lustre, took the opportunity of promoting on that occasion their newly commercialized hair extensions.

No wonder, the designer was not to be interviewed after the show. Royalty remains at its rank and cannot be questioned. Fashion just has to bow… and fairy tales do remain in the realm of imagination.

Sirivannavari

Sirivannavari

Sirivannavari

Sirivannavari

Sirivannavari

Sirivannavari

Sirivannavari