Princess Sirivannavari appointed WIPO fashion and design ambassador

Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya has accepted an invitation from the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) to serve as its ambassador for fashion and design, or “WIPO Ambassador for Fashion and Design”, in recognition of her internationally recognised talent and outstanding royal work.

The invitation was made by the Director General of WIPO in Geneva, Switzerland.

Daren Tang, Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organisation, said WIPO’s reason for inviting Her Royal Highness to take up the role was that it followed the success in August 2025, when WIPO presented Her Royal Highness with the WIPO Award for Creative Excellence.

The award honoured and recognised her royal work in using creativity and intellectual property to carry Thai heritage and craftsmanship into contemporary fashion, and her effective use of the intellectual property system.

Her Royal Highness has registered 541 items of intellectual property in her name, including 256 product designs, 227 copyright notifications and 58 trademarks.

Trademarks have been registered in 34 countries and jurisdictions, including the European Union, the United Kingdom, China, Japan, India and the United States, covering fashion, jewellery, leather goods, home décor and services.

These reflect her intention to use intellectual property as the foundation for sustainable creation.

Her Royal Highness’s work also includes collaborating with craftspeople and handicraft groups across Thailand to help communities develop traditional cultural heritage into products that can compete in contemporary markets, creating commercial opportunities and extending cultural identity.

The integration of cultural heritage, design and intellectual property is regarded as an inspiring model to follow.

Daren Tang said WIPO’s ambassador for fashion and design role would help extend Her Royal Highness’s work beyond Thailand, especially by supporting communities in other countries in discovering new creative potential in design, branding and the strategic use of intellectual property, leading to inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

On this occasion, Her Royal Highness opened a commemorative exhibition honouring and recognising her valuable royal work in creative excellence in intellectual property.

The Ministry of Commerce and WIPO jointly organised the exhibition under the theme “A journey of inspiration: strengthening community economies through intellectual property: design and creativity”, or “JOURNEY of INSPIRATION Empowering Community through Intellectual Property: Design and Creativity”, to honour Her Royal Highness and disseminate her talent in promoting creativity and preserving national arts and cultural values through intellectual property works, including copyright, designs and trademarks.

During the visit, Suphajee Suthumpun, Minister of Commerce, Daren Tang, Director General of WIPO, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce, the Director-General of the Department of Intellectual Property, Thailand’s ambassador and permanent representative to the World Trade Organization and WIPO, senior Ministry of Commerce executives, the Thai Permanent Mission and Ministry of Commerce officials in Geneva were present to receive Her Royal Highness at WIPO headquarters.

The exhibition is divided into several key zones, comprising:

• Zone 1, “Intellectual Inspirations”, presents the beginnings of Her Royal Highness’s inspiration, her creative approach and her vision for using art, design and intellectual property as mechanisms to create value for communities, society and the economy in a sustainable way.
• Zone 2, “WIPO Award”, displays the story of honours on the occasions when WIPO presented the “WIPO Global Leader Award” to His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great, Rama IX, in 2009; the “WIPO Award for Creative Excellence” to Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn in 2015; and the “WIPO Award for Creative Excellence” to Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya on Thursday (August 14, 2025). It also displays key events related to the presentations and a commemorative postage stamp honouring Her Royal Highness, featuring her portrait in Thai dress, combined with an image of the WIPO award and the royal monogram “S.R.” beneath the Phra Chula Mongkut coronet, on an orange-toned background of the royally bestowed “Sirirajapastraporn” fabric pattern.
• Zone 3, “Following the Legacy”, presents Her Royal Highness’s vision and determination to continue, preserve and build on the royal aspiration of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, The Queen Mother, in conserving the wisdom and heritage of Thai weaving and creating Thai handicrafts. Her Royal Highness bestowed the royal initiative “Pha Thai Sai Hai Sanook”, Make Thai Fabrics Fun to Wear, to promote the development of Thai wisdom, use Thai arts and crafts to create jobs, occupations and income for communities, and promote and encourage Thai fabrics to become modern and international.
• Zone 4, “Creative Assets”, compiles statistics on intellectual property works in various fields, reflecting Her Royal Highness’s ability in creativity, design and the use of intellectual property as a tool to add value and strengthen economic and social potential.
• Zone 5, “Intellectual Property”, displays 18 royally bestowed fabric patterns protected as intellectual property, including Mudmee fabric in Princess Sirivannavari’s S Motif, batik in Princess Sirivannavari’s Batik for the Princess Motif, batik in Princess Sirivannavari’s Thai Sea Motif, batik in Princess Sirivannavari’s Southern Forest Motif, Princess Sirivannavari’s Khit Motif, Princess Sirivannavari’s Dokrak Motif and Princess Sirivannavari’s SiriVajiraporn Motif. The royally bestowed patterns have been developed to generate income for more than 800,000 households in 77 provinces nationwide, with an economic value of more than THB200 billion.
• Zone 6, “Music”, displays works notified for copyright in music and songs composed by Her Royal Highness for fashion shows and musical performances by the Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra Foundation under Her Royal Highness’s patronage, or RBSO. The works reflect Her Royal Highness’s talent in music and composition, as well as the use of intellectual property to protect creative works in arts and culture.
• Zone 7, “Trademarks”, presents the registration of the “SIRIVANNAVARI” brand and various logos under protection in 34 countries and jurisdictions worldwide.
• Zone 8, “Design Patents”, displays product, clothing and jewellery designs under the SIRIVANNAVARI brand through mannequins and multimedia accompanying fashion shows. Her Royal Highness has created 541 protected intellectual property works, comprising 227 copyrighted works, 256 design patents and 58 trademarks.
• Zone 9, “Geographical Indication (GI)”, presents the development of Thai geographical indication products, including Bor Sang umbrellas and Chiang Mai celadon, through the application of design, creativity and intellectual property to increase value and create economic opportunities for local communities.
• Zone 10, “Shining Future”, presents Her Royal Highness’s vision for using intellectual property, creativity and innovation to strengthen communities, the economy and society, leading to inclusive growth and sustainable development.

In addition, the exhibition features demonstrations of weaving royally bestowed fabric patterns using the chok technique (a discontinuous supplementary-weft weaving method) by the Chai Maha weaving group of Ban Phon, Kalasin province, and the Hassadin weaving group of Ban Thep Udom, Surin province, reflecting Her Royal Highness’s role as an important force in promoting Thai craftspeople and young designers.

The commemorative exhibition for Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya, “JOURNEY of INSPIRATION Empowering Community through Intellectual Property: Design and Creativity”, is being held from May 28 to June 4.

It is open to the public from May 29 to June 4, 2026, from 9am to 5pm, at WIPO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.