Bangladeshi designer Shaibal Saha participated in the Amazing Thailand Global Thai Silk Exhibition, showcasing a garment combining Thai silk with local Bangladeshi fabric as part of an international initiative celebrating cultural identities through fashion.
Organised by the Tourism Authority of Thailand in collaboration with the Association of Thai Silk & Culture Promotions, the exhibition brought together creative visions from designers representing more than 100 countries. The initiative was held in connection with Thailand hosting the 2026 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group.
For the exhibition, Saha created a dress comprising 50% Thai silk and 50% local Bangladeshi fabric, reflecting the craftsmanship and cultural heritage of both countries.
The exhibition ran from October 11 to 18, 2026, at Siam Paragon in Bangkok, with the official opening ceremony held on October 12. The Amazing Thailand Grand Fashion Show was also scheduled for October 16 at Hyatt Regency Bangkok Sukhumvit, presenting Thai silk through the creative perspectives and cultural identities of designers from different countries.
The project invited designers from more than 100 countries to create new garments using Thai silk, incorporating their respective national identities, cultures and traditions. The Association of Thai Silk & Culture Promotions sent Thai silk to its international network of designers and provided more than 500 metres of black Thai silk for the creation of contemporary garments.
According to the association, the choice of black silk was connected to a period of mourning and remembrance of the royal contributions of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother and Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha Narendiradebyavati Kromluangrajasarinisiribajra Mahavajrarajadhita.
Edward Kitti, founder of the Association of Thai Silk & Culture Promotions, said Thailand’s hosting of the international meetings, with more than 15,000 participants from 191 countries, including members of the international media, provided an opportunity to showcase Thai culture, traditions and silk to the world.
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The initiative builds on the association’s experience organising Thai silk activities during Thailand’s hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings in 2022. At that time, the association provided Thai silk to designers from APEC member economies, who created garments combining the material with local textiles to represent their countries’ identities and cultures.
Those creations were subsequently presented to APEC leaders and received a positive response, generating interest among leaders from several economies in designs combining Thai silk, local materials and distinctive cultural elements.
The association said the current project goes beyond garment creation by providing a platform for designers to learn about Thai craftsmanship, explore the origins and cultural significance of Thai silk, and interpret its stories through their own designs. The initiative aims to strengthen cultural exchange and create opportunities for Thai silk on the international fashion stage.
At the conclusion of the 2026 IMF–World Bank Annual Meetings, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva reportedly told the international press that she had arrived in Thailand as head of the IMF and was leaving as an ambassador for Thai silk, highlighting international appreciation for the material’s quality, craftsmanship and cultural value.
The Association of Thai Silk & Culture Promotions said it was honoured to welcome Saha as Bangladesh’s representative and sought media support to promote his contribution in Bangladesh and highlight the cultural exchange between the two countries.