THE WARDROBE: Jim Thompson x THAI tap ‘new cool’ with elephant pant-inspired comfort wear for business class
Thai Airways International (THAI) and Jim Thompson have extended their partnership into a third season, unveiling a 2026 in-flight collection that draws inspiration from the ubiquitous tourist “elephant pant,” reframing and elevating the billowy pant’s vibes into a premium business class perk.
The collaboration introduces "The Elephant Series," a line of Royal Silk Class comfort wear set to launch on European routes in February 2026.
Moving away from traditional pajamas, the collection features a long-sleeve top and pants incorporating Jim Thompson’s signature Origami Elephant motif. The design strategy explicitly targets the "street-to-seat" concept, capitalizing on the global popularity of Thai elephant trousers while upgrading the fabric and cut for premium travelers.
Kittiphong Sansomboon, THAI’s chief commercial officer, noted that the product development was driven by crew observations regarding passenger behavior and item waste.
“Our stewards and stewardesses observed that what is hot or not is shown from what the passengers leave behind. What is ‘hot’ needs to be pretty cool,” Kittiphong quipped.
Wit Kitchathorn, THAI’s director of customer and marketing, emphasized the shift from strictly functional sleepwear to versatile apparel.
He described the collection not as sleepwear, but as stylish comfort wear – “something that passengers can wear straight off the plane.”
The partnership also refreshes the carrier's amenity kits.
Starting January 20, 2026, THAI will roll out 14 new designs on international flights exceeding three and a half hours.
The kits feature prints such as “House on the Klong” and “Stamp Siam” and utilize biodegradable materials to align with the airline's sustainability mandates.
The alliance first formalized in late 2023 with the launch of exclusive amenity kits, marking the first large-scale collaboration between the national carrier and the silk brand. Since then, the project has evolved from soft goods supply to a broader strategic branding exercise.
Frank Cancelloni, group CEO at Jim Thompson, framed the alliance as a corporate “marriage” rather than a temporary marketing stunt, pointing to the brand's archive of over 10,000 prints as a deep resource for future product cycles.
Beyond the amenity kits and loungewear, Cancelloni outlined a roadmap for deeper commercial integration, specifically targeting retail and onboard entertainment.
“We're also looking at in-flight duty-free. Some Jim Thompson available for in-flight would be the perfect collaboration [as well as] in-flight videos,” Cancelloni said.
Cancelloni affirmed the longevity of the strategy, suggesting the current "Elephant Series" is just one phase of a multi-year plan.
He hinted at more to come, saying, “There's a lot of things in the pipeline; it's not just a short collaboration, but a long-term partnership with Thai Airways.”