Thailand's young prime minister is rewriting the fashion rules

From luxury brands to traditional designs, Thailand's youngest Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is using fashion smartly.

- From Chanel and Louis Vuitton to Dior and Gucci, the 37-year-old Thai prime minister - and billionaire heiress - has a special affection for luxury brands, but she knows better than to flaunt the brands and logos.

- She also avoided flashy jewelry and opted for classic accessories like a diamond-free Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watch and a Van Cleef & Arpels Alhambra necklace.

Ngoại giao thời trang: Thủ tướng trẻ của Thái Lan đang viết lại các quy tắc thời trang

Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra brings a new fashion style to his cabinet.

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has united the whole of Thailand behind her by bringing a new, youthful, more modern perspective and a new energy to her cabinet, which is mainly dressed in suits and traditional Thai chut.

At 37, Ms. Shinawatra made history as the youngest Prime Minister – and the second woman – to hold the position. She comes from a political family, is the youngest daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra (from 2001 to 2006) and the granddaughter of the 28th Prime Minister (and Thailand’s first female Prime Minister) Yingluck Shinawatra.

Before entering public life, Ms. Shinawatra worked in the private sector, as a shareholder in the real estate company founded by her father, SC Asset Corporation. She is a director of the Thaicom Foundation, which is linked to her family’s reported $2.1 billion fortune.

Not only has her career taken a turn since taking over as leader of the Pheu Thai Party in 2023, her style has also changed to match her current public image.

The development of Paetongtarn Shinawatra's style

Ms Paetongtarn Shinawatra likes to wear tailored jackets at public events. Photo: @ingshin21/Instagram

Ms. Shinawatra's style tends to be more conservative and classic. Despite trends like crop tops and tight dresses, Ms. Shinawatra always maintains a classy and understated look. However, she combines her personal taste with brands that are designed to be more casual and appropriate for a public servant.

One of her favorite pieces is the blazer, which has a solid, structured look. However, she's not afraid to experiment a little, playing with patterns and colors to liven up a formal look.

Mrs. Paetongtarn Shinawatra often wears red velvet jackets, such as a satin jacket.

While she loves designer brands, she tends to avoid large logos and monograms in public appearances. And when she does wear a designer item, she opts for pieces with more understated details, like a white Gucci coat.

The “It” bag for the “It” girl

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has a particular fondness for mini bags, like this one from Chanel.

Photo: @ingshin21/Instagram

When it comes to handbags, it seems the Prime Minister is a Chanel girl at heart, with a particular fondness for the mini. During a winter break earlier this year, the mother-of-two was spotted wearing a chic winter outfit complete with a Chanel Duma backpack, one of the brand’s most coveted designs in recent years.

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra loves Chanel clothes and accessories. Photo: @ingshin21/Instagram

In another post, she was seen pairing a canary yellow top and white cropped pants with a beige Chanel underarm chain shoulder bag for a Y2K feel. She also carried a Chanel 22 mini bag with pearl and chain detailing.

Paetongtarn Shinawatra is still fashionable even in a baseball cap. Photo: @ingshin21/Instagram

That doesn't mean she's forsaken style when it comes to her mini bag. On a recent trip to Paris, Shinawatra paired a Loro Piana Extra Pocket backpack with a Dior jacket, leather pants, and a Chanel baseball cap.

Not a quiet luxury

Prime Minister Shinawatra isn't shy about showing off her love of bold designs when off duty, though she tends to keep her accessories minimal — you'll rarely see her flaunting huge gemstones or high-end jewelry.

However, she prefers to accessorize her look with luxury watches, often skipping flashy jewelry and instead opting for classic models like the unmissable Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, sans diamonds, pictured above…

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra keeps his jewelry classy and classic. Photo: @ingshin21/Instagram

…as well as Van Cleef & Arpels' mother-of-pearl four-leaf clover Alhambra design…

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra rotates his luxury watch collection. Photo: @ingshin21/Instagram

…and also the most popular model – the quartz-powered Elegante by independent watchmaker FP Journe.

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra shakes up tradition with change.

Paetongtarn Shinawatra has chosen traditional Thai attire after becoming Prime Minister, but still puts her own twist on it. Photo: @ingshin21/Instagram

Since taking office as Prime Minister, Ms Shinawatra has often been seen in public wearing traditional Thai attire, including silk dresses and elaborate suits. She likes to add a personal touch to these outfits by adding contemporary pieces to her outfits. A prime example is her look above, which combines a traditional Ruean Ton blouse and straight skirt with a matching Gucci Jackie mini handbag.