"The fabric is handspun and handwoven."
Pakistani designer Omar Mansoor brought Punjab’s textile heritage to the global stage at New York Fashion Week.
His Spring/Summer 2027 collection, titled The Living Loom, was presented on Broadway and placed handwoven khaddar at its very heart.
The collection explored the relationship between traditional craftsmanship and contemporary fashion.
Sharply tailored jackets, coat dresses, A-line silhouettes and elongated column dresses all drew from khaddar.
The khaddar used in the collection was woven by artisans in the Punjab city of Kamalia using handspun thread and traditional looms.
Its subtle variations in texture and weave were deliberately left intact, making the fabric’s natural character an integral part.
Omar Mansoor spoke about the origins and inspiration behind the collection and what khaddar means to him.
He said: “The collection started with khaddar.
“It is a tribute to the ancient tradition of handwoven fabric and to the artisans who have kept this craft alive for generations.
“I wanted to bring that tradition into a modern wardrobe without losing its true character.”
He also paid direct tribute to the skilled artisans whose labour makes the fabric what it is.
“The artisans of Kamalia, Punjab, were a big inspiration for me.
“The fabric is handspun and handwoven, using handspun thread, so every piece has its own character.”
A restrained palette of ivory and black runs through the collection, with silhouettes that rely on clean lines, proportion and construction.
Triangular forms appear as a recurring motif throughout, drawing on the simple geometric language found in Indus Valley artefacts and ancient pottery.
Mansoor explained: “I was also inspired by the simple geometric forms found in Indus Valley artefacts, which became part of the shapes in the collection.”
In an industry increasingly defined by rapid production and uniformity, Mansoor wanted to highlight the time, skill and human labour behind the material.
“I wanted people to look at the clothes and feel the human hand behind them.”
“Today, so much is made very quickly and very uniformly.”
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“I wanted to celebrate something made slowly, with care, where every small difference in the fabric has meaning.”
He further elaborated on what makes khaddar special and why those so-called imperfections are precisely what give the cloth its value and soul.
“Khaddar was the heart of the collection. It is made with handspun thread and handwoven on traditional looms.
“I wanted to keep the natural texture and small irregularities of the fabric visible.
“For me, those details are not imperfections. They are what make the cloth special.”
He added: “The narrative is distilled to its source. It begins with the cloth. And before the cloth, the loom.”
Omar Mansoor’s show was part of the broader New York Fashion Week calendar on September 10, 2026, as the city hosted its Spring/Summer 2027 shows.
