IMPHAL/UKHRUL: Manipur’s handloom and textile traditions are set to take centre stage in Milan, Italy, as fashion designer Robert Naorem presents a collection showcasing the state’s textiles and craftsmanship at an international fashion event on September 20, 2026.
The showcase, held at the Meliá Milano Hotel, is part of a major fashion event featuring 27 shows by designers from across the world. Naorem’s presentation features 22 models walking the runway in creations inspired by and crafted from textiles produced in Manipur.
The Milan presentation also marks 10 years since the official launch of Robert Naorem’s label, commemorating a decade of work focused on bringing Manipur’s handloom, textiles and craftsmanship to wider audiences.
Organised in collaboration with the Department of Sericulture, Government of Manipur, with support from Manipur chief minister Y. Khemchand Singh, the showcase brings together traditional Manipuri textiles and contemporary fashion design. The collection has been conceptualised and created by Naorem, with the focus remaining on textiles produced in the state.
The event is being organised by Prasanna and New Stars and brings together designers and fashion professionals from several parts of the world, including London, Germany, Italy and Kazakhstan.
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Naorem has been selected to open the sequence of shows, placing Manipur’s textile traditions at the beginning of the international presentation.
For Naorem, Milan is not an unfamiliar setting. The Italian fashion capital has previously served as a platform for his work, allowing him to present Manipuri textiles and design traditions to audiences beyond India.
The significance of the Milan showcase extends beyond a single fashion presentation. For Manipur’s handloom and textile sector, international fashion platforms offer an opportunity to present traditional fabrics not only as cultural heritage, but as materials capable of adapting to contemporary design and global fashion.
While exhibitions and trade fairs remain important avenues for promoting traditional textiles, the runway offers a different form of engagement. It places the fabrics within a contemporary creative context and allows designers, textile practitioners, fashion professionals and international audiences to experience their possibilities through clothing and design.
The showcase is expected to bring together fashion personalities, industry professionals and an international audience, creating opportunities for greater visibility and potential collaboration around Manipuri textiles and craftsmanship.
Through the Milan presentation, Naorem seeks to further the international exposure of Manipur’s handloom and textile traditions while highlighting their contemporary potential.
The showcase comes as another step in his continuing effort to place Manipur’s textiles, craftsmanship and design identity on international fashion platforms.
This feature is based on information provided to Ukhrul Times by the organisers/public relations representatives of the event. The information has been reproduced for editorial consideration and does not constitute independent verification by Ukhrul Times.
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