“King Power Thai Power” Brings Leicester City FC’s 2024 Souvenir Collection to Life Using Traditional Woven Fabrics from Thailand’s Nan Province—Honouring Thai Culture with the ‘NORTHERN WILD, NORTHERN LIFE’ Collection
Under the KING POWER THAI POWER CSR initiative, King Power Group, in collaboration with Leicester City FC, Multiply by Eight Co., Ltd., and the Ban Chiang Rai Career Development Community Enterprise from Nan Province, proudly unveils the NORTHERN WILD, NORTHERN LIFE COLLECTION. This unique 2024 Leicester City FC souvenir collection captures the vibrancy of northern Thailand’s mountainous landscapes and the intricate beauty of Nan’s distinctive hand-woven fabrics—a time-honoured craft cherished for over a century. Preserved by the Ban Chiang Rai Career Development Community Enterprise in Du Tai, Meung, Nan Province, this exquisite craftsmanship is now set to captivate a global audience. The collection will officially launch on 19 November 2024.
The NORTHERN WILD, NORTHERN LIFE COLLECTION seamlessly merges Nan’s cultural heritage with world-class sportswear, presenting an innovative blend of traditional craftsmanship and fashion-forward sports apparel inspired by the hunting sport aesthetic. Developed by King Power Group’s fashion consultancy, Multiply by Eight, and Ban Chiang Rai’s artisans, this collection features a symbolic pattern depicting foxes in pursuit of a football, resonating with LCFC’s motto, “Foxes Never Quit,” a tribute to resilience, strength, and the quest for victory. Utilising a four-heddle weaving technique, artisans have integrated the signature fishbone and Ta Kong patterns unique to Nan into the collection, which comes in four symbolic colours: blue for flowing streams, grey for family unity, white for the purity of love, and green for abundance. This collection includes ten carefully crafted items: limited-edition jackets (with only 500 pieces worldwide), blue and navy round-neck T-shirts, bucket hats, caps, balloon pillows, rectangular bag keychains, round bag keychains, tote bags, and messenger bags. By weaving together the richness of Thai culture with modern design, this collection offers a stylish, globally appealing range of clothing and accessories.
Mr. Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, King Power Group CEO and Leicester City FC chairman, explained that the KING POWER THAI POWER initiative is dedicated to empowering Thai “Community Power.” He stated, “We believe in the power of possibility—where dedication and unity drive success. Every year, King Power partners with a local community, supporting traditional crafts and creating designs that resonate with today’s consumers and the international market. The NORTHERN WILD, NORTHERN LIFE collection, our seventh annual collection, results from the combined efforts of Thai artisans and the King Power and LCFC design teams, bringing together traditional skills with modern, practical applications. Our commitment to sustainability is embedded in this project, which supports career development for local communities and strengthens the local economy.”
Ms Puangtong Suthijinda, sales secretary of Ban Chiang Rai Career Development Community Enterprise highlighted the intricate nature of the weaving process, which has been passed down through generations. She said, “The weaving required for King Power is both complex and specialised, adding unique value to the Ta Kong fabric crafts. This collection marks the first time our enterprise has woven four distinct colours—blue, grey, white, and green—in both warp and weft, alongside a new small-notch fishbone pattern. Completing this collection took us four months.
Our community is immensely proud to showcase Nan’s craftsmanship to a wider audience and access greater marketing opportunities worldwide.” For those interested in this exclusive collection, the products will be available from 19 November 2024 at the Foxes Fanstore in Leicester, UK, online at shop.lcfc.com, in all King Power locations, through www.kingpower.com, and on Facebook at Leicestershop_th.
