📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Mr.ちゅらさん
Entertainment
Miss Universe India 2026 costume draws on Manipur's historic polo tradition
✍️ India Today NE
🗓 22 Aug 2026, 10:10 AM
👁 20
The outfit for Miss Universe India 2026 will feature design elements inspired by Manipur’s centuries‑old polo culture.
The upcoming Miss Universe India 2026 pageant will showcase a national costume that pays tribute to Manipur’s rich polo legacy. Designers have tapped into the state’s traditional sport, Sagol Kangjei, to craft a garment that blends contemporary fashion with historic motifs.
Manipur is widely recognised as the birthplace of modern polo, a game that has been played on its plains for centuries. The sport’s iconic wooden mallets, vibrant horse‑saddles and traditional attire have become cultural symbols that the designers aim to reinterpret on the global stage.
The creative team, led by a noted Indian fashion house, consulted local artisans and polo historians to ensure authenticity. Elements such as embroidered horsehair tassels, hand‑woven khadi fabrics in the region’s signature colours, and stylised depictions of the polo field are incorporated into the costume.
The ensemble is set to debut during the national competition’s cultural showcase, highlighting Manipur’s contribution to India’s sporting heritage while promoting regional craftsmanship to a worldwide audience.
Manipur is widely recognised as the birthplace of modern polo, a game that has been played on its plains for centuries. The sport’s iconic wooden mallets, vibrant horse‑saddles and traditional attire have become cultural symbols that the designers aim to reinterpret on the global stage.
The creative team, led by a noted Indian fashion house, consulted local artisans and polo historians to ensure authenticity. Elements such as embroidered horsehair tassels, hand‑woven khadi fabrics in the region’s signature colours, and stylised depictions of the polo field are incorporated into the costume.
The ensemble is set to debut during the national competition’s cultural showcase, highlighting Manipur’s contribution to India’s sporting heritage while promoting regional craftsmanship to a worldwide audience.