Emotions, Yearnings, and Attire: Artistic Devices from Lilit Taleng Phai in Contemporary Fashion Design

Abstract

This academic article aims to study the clothing design of ISSUE’s “Flower Poem Collection 2011” and “Men’s Fashion Week 2011 in 
Singapore” collections. The designer indicated that the design was inspired by Thai literature “Lilit Taleng Phai,” authored by Supreme Patriarch Prince Paramanujitajinorasa. The study analyzed the literary text of Lilit Taleng Phai to identify its values and distinctive characteristics, then analyzed the 
connections with fashion design to identify which values and distinctive features appearing in the literature were used as inspiration for clothing design, and presented the findings through descriptive analysis. The analysis reveals that the costume design of ISSUE fashion house’s “Flower Poem Collection” at Siam Paragon Bangkok International Fashion Week 2011 and “Men's 
Fashion Week Collection 2011 in Singapore” incorporated inspiration from Lilit Taleng Phai literature in the following ways: 1) Men’s clothing design can be categorized as follows: 1.1) Incorporating traditional beliefs about Sak Yant tattoos by printing the tattoo patterns onto fabrics that fit closely to the body, creating the illusion of real tattoos. 1.2) Designing by adapting traditional attire elements, that is, using Rad, Chai Kraeng, and Chai Wai into contemporary suits. 1.3) Designing based on military uniforms, reflecting the main characters in the literary work Lilit Taleng Phai. Meanwhile, women’s clothing design can be categorized as follows: 2.1) Designing with floral 
patterns that appear in the lament verses in the Nirat-style passages. 
2.2) Designing with woven patterns that correspond to the emotional 
interweaving between the Crown Prince of Burma and his beloved in his reminiscences. 2.3) Designing the finale costume in the style of war elephant regalia, corresponding to the concluding scene of the elephant battle 
between King Naresuan and the Burmese Crown Prince. For both men’s and women’s clothing, the designer selected the same color palette – earthy tones, that is, brown, green, and gray – which evoke a sense of closeness to nature. These colors connect directly to the natural settings depicted in Lilit Taleng Phai.