NEIFT took birth as a pioneer Fashion Institute in the year 2007 under the leadership of Vikram Rai Medhi, a fashion icon, in his own rights.

While creating the module, syllabus, various departments and subjects, the core team of NEIFT kept the cultural geographical ethos of the North East Region and the role of Handloom and Handicraft in the social fabrication of the tribal and non-tribal societies. Within a short period of time NEIFT left its footprints in the fashion industry a result of which was that when Ministry of Textiles, Government of India in the year 2009 for the very first time coined Handloom Week and Handicraft week, out of Various Institutes and Organisations across pan India, it was exclusively NEIFT which was chosen to organise, execute and promote the two prestigious weeks across the country. NEIFT also has the distinction of organising the Textile Introductory Events at the prestigious Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administrations (LBSNAA), Mussoorie for the Professional IAS officers before they join their respective posts.

NEIFT also has been single-handedly organising the Mega Festival, “Celebrating North East” for last 12 years at New Delhi, with the active support of Ministry of Textiles, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs, Ministry of MSME and various state governments of North East along with Central Government PSUs. Today, this Mega Festival has become a regular feature in Delhi’s Cultural Calendar.