Mizoram designer Hannah Khiangte wins ELLE Fashion Voice of the Year 2026

Mizoram fashion designer Hannah Khiangte has been honoured with the ELLE Fashion Voice of the Year 2026 award at the ELLE Style Awards held in New Delhi on September 22.

Khiangte, known for bringing the traditional Mizo handwoven textile puan into contemporary fashion while retaining its cultural identity, dedicated the recognition to the Zo community and the wider Northeast.

In a social media post, she expressed gratitude to ELLE India, her family, creative team and supporters, saying the award was a reminder that the stories, culture and creative work of the region deserve to be seen and celebrated.

Khiangte has emerged as a prominent name in Indian fashion for presenting Mizo traditional textiles in a contemporary context without diluting their traditional significance.

Founded in 2013, her label has worked closely with artisans and weavers in Mizoram to reinterpret traditional textiles through modern silhouettes. Her work has received attention from leading fashion publications, including Vogue India, Grazia India and GQ India.

Her designs have also been worn by prominent personalities, including Kareena Kapoor Khan and Kriti Sanon, bringing Mizo textiles to wider national and international audiences.

Vogue India has previously highlighted Khiangte’s efforts to bring Mizo puan into contemporary fashion, particularly her collaborations with women artisans and her distinctive combination of traditional Mizo motifs with modern tailoring.

The ELLE recognition adds to her growing profile as a designer working to take Mizoram’s textile traditions beyond their regional context while preserving the cultural identity embedded in the craft.