Matanzas Present at the 2026 Global Thai Silk Exhibition
Cuba is once again present in Thailand, this time thanks to Matanzas designer and artisan Alexander Rodríguez Castellanos, whose Cuban robe made of Thai silk was selected along with another 100 designs to be exhibited during the 2026 Global Thai Silk Exhibition.
«It is an immense honor for me and a satisfaction to have been selected among the one hundred designers participating in the Global Thai Silk Exhibition, within the framework of the annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund and the International Financial Bank.
«On this occasion, Cuba’s participation, represented in my design work made in Thai silk, is inspired by the Cuban robe. It was exhibited at the Siam Paragon convention center in the city of Bangkok, as part of the collateral activities of the International Monetary Bank’s annual meeting.»
The Cuban robe displays the elegance of Cuban dress, raising the strong national heritage in an interesting fusion with Thai textile excellence. This combination highlights the cultural symbiosis between both nations while proposing a dialogue between the novel and the traditional, the beauty that distinguishes Cuban women and the innovation of the artists of the archipelago.
«It is an exhibition that gathers the work of one hundred designers from all over the world who are included in the program and in the dossier-catalog of the World Silk Organization.
«From Thailand, this entire process of promotion, dissemination, and diffusion of Thai textile heritage is carried out, expanding toward other countries with the purpose of promoting silk.
«The reinterpretation of the Cuban robe had as its fundamental inspiration to recreate the identity of our country’s dress in a most beautiful piece made with Thai silk that, moreover, recreates the iconic garment that has characterized Cuban women — that is, the Cuban robe, reinterpreted in its most contemporary format.»
After its exhibition during the Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, which took place in Bangkok between October 11 and 18, the garments will be exhibited in several Thai cities, showing the world how Thai silk can dialogue with the essence of the Caribbean.
The Global Thai Silk Exhibition, organized by the Association for the Promotion of Thai Silk and Culture, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture of Thailand, constitutes one of the most relevant cultural events of the year, while consolidating itself as an unprecedented platform for the promotion of Thai silk and cultural exchange.
«It is a wonderful experience that honors my career as a textile designer, and of course I feel very happy that our country has been represented at this important event of international design and fashion.»
Alexander Rodríguez, who has been at other exhibitions of this nature in that country, was selected to represent Cuba again. His design combines 50 percent Thai silk with 50 percent local fibers from Cuba, thus paying homage to the cultural heritage, creativity, and artisanal mastery of both nations.
The display of the Cuban robe in different settings, alongside creators from the five continents, becomes a homage and an opportunity to show Cuban work in fashion design at the international level once again. The national presence, in this context, has a greater connotation by bringing the island’s identity to a forum of global scope.
