Beyond Thainess

_ Analysis of textile design culture in Thailand
_ Tension between local traditions and globalization
_ Awarded the Wilhelm Braun-Feldweg Prize 2019
_ With a foreword by Mateo Kries, Director of the Vitra Design Museum

Does a national design culture exist? Is it a mere invention? Or a construction motivated primarily by economic policy and tourism? And what role does exchange, confrontation with external influences, and the further development of tradition play in the development of regional strategies?

Using Thailand as an example and the development of textile and fashion design there, the author vividly and objectively presents the specific context of history, politics, and culture. Personal relationships allow her to offer almost participant observation and a rich description. The focus is on the significance of textile design traditions, their revitalization through foreign trade contacts with countries like America and Europe, as well as changes in self-perception via design. This seemingly distant example can be read as an example of constructions of regionalized design that have emerged elsewhere under different circumstances and at different times.