Bhutan Fashion Week 2025: A Celebration of Creativity and Heritage
Bhutan Fashion Week 2025 concluded with a grand finale at the Royal Textile Academy, graced by His Royal Highness Prince Ugyen Jigme Wangchuck. Bringing together 20 designers, models, and artisans, the event celebrated Bhutan’s textile heritage while paving the way for a sustainable and globally recognised fashion future.
Bhutan Fashion Week (BFW) 2025 was held from 27 October to 1 November, opening with a heartfelt tribute — a visual expression of Bhutan’s identity and spirit. The exhibition showcased timeless photographs of Bhutan’s people and landscapes, contributed by friends from Denmark who lived in the country between 1980 and 2000. Open to the public, the launch was followed by a series of engaging panel discussions at the Royal Textile Academy.
On 29 October, the spotlight shifted to Paro, where the town’s main street transformed into a vibrant open-air runway. Despite the drizzle and chill in the air, Bhutanese designers and models infused the scene with colour, rhythm, and life. Traditional Bhutanese houses framed the improvised red-carpet runway as models glided past, their garments glowing against the rustic façades — a striking contrast of heritage and modernity.
A New Generation of Designers
Of the 20 participating designers, nine showcased their collections in Paro. Among them was 22-year-old Ida Ghaley, one of the youngest designers at the event, whose work stood out for its focus on sustainability and cultural fusion. “It’s been such a wonderful experience to be around so many creative designers,” she said. “The relationship we have all built with each other has been beautiful.”
Born to a Bhutanese father and Danish mother, Ida shared that for years she felt the global fashion industry did not align with her values. “I always thought the design industry wasn’t for me because it was all about fast fashion and changing trends,” she said. “Now that upcycling and sustainability are becoming so important, I finally feel I have a place.”
Her collection, Culture Leading Through Upcycling, reimagined Bhutanese garments for a new life. “My collection is about using Bhutanese garments and showing how sustainable they are by giving them another life,” she said. “Even after they have been worn as a kira, you can turn them into beautiful trousers or shirts. It is about showing that our clothing can live on and on, through different lifetimes.”
Weaving Tradition into Modern Life
Veteran designer Dorothy Gurung, Founder of Druk Fashion House, reflected on how far Bhutan’s fashion industry had come. “I am very happy to be part of this event,” she said. “We have had small fashion shows before, but this is different. It’s the first time designers like us are getting a real platform to showcase our talent and skills.”
Her admiration for Bhutan’s handwoven fabrics shaped her collection. “A client from the US once told me she had bought a kira long ago and now used it as a wall hanging because she didn’t know what else to do with it,” she said. “I asked her to bring it back the next year. I turned that kira into several outfits, casual and formal, and she was so happy. That’s when I realised how much potential our textiles have.”
Her latest work continued that mission. “People often stop wearing their kiras after a while and leave them in a corner,” she said. “I thought, why not create something that can be worn anywhere, even abroad? Bhutanese textiles are beautiful, and they deserve to be part of our daily lives.”
Dorothy also spoke about how BFW could inspire a new generation. “Before, there were few designers and almost no market,” she said. “Now, people understand the importance of fashion. This event will inspire young designers, especially those who’ve studied but never had the opportunity to work in the field. BFW gives them hope and direction.”
A Story of Healing and Rebirth
Another highlight came from Gaymit Sada Lepcha, Founder of She Bhutan. Established in 2013, her brand pioneered contemporary yathra jackets. Her collection for BFW, She: The Rewoven Self, was deeply personal. “It’s inspired by a Japanese philosophy called Kintsugi, where broken ceramics are repaired with gold,” she explained. “My collection reflects that idea. It’s about healing and transformation, both for me as a designer and for my brand, which had to close during the pandemic. This is a comeback.”
For Gaymit, BFW symbolised renewal. “It’s a big platform for designers like me to collaborate and showcase our work,” she said. “It will inspire many young designers, especially women, to step forward knowing that there’s a space that supports and celebrates them.”
The Grand Finale at the Royal Textile Academy
The curtain closed on BFW 2025 with a spectacular finale at the Royal Textile Academy (RTA) in Thimphu, graced by His Royal Highness Prince Ugyen Jigme Wangchuck. Eleven designers presented their creations at the RTA, while nine had earlier exhibited theirs in Paro. Each collection told a unique story of art, culture, and creativity, signalling Bhutan’s readiness to join the global fashion conversation.
Complementing the runway shows were workshops, panel discussions, and exhibitions led by international experts such as Rafique Sayed, Vipul Bhagat, Manish Chauhan, and Pia Sutaria, who provided hands-on training in styling, photography, and performance. Outdoor shoots were held in Thimphu and Paro with top Indian photographers for archival and promotional use.
Photo credit: Bhutan Fashion Week
The Exhibition: Fashion Meets Sustainability
Following the shows, the RTA hosted a three-month exhibition featuring all 20 designers’ collections. His Royal Highness inaugurated the exhibition, which provided a platform for designers to promote and sell their creations. “I think that both this exhibition and Bhutan Fashion Week help our designs a lot,” said Ida Ghaley. “All the Bhutanese designers are able to display their beautiful work, their talent and I think that’s very precious. It is a very big hand to give because in other countries fashion industry is very difficult to get into so giving the Bhutanese local designers this hand is giving them an opportunity to go more international and showcase their work around the world.”
Dorothy Gurung echoed that sentiment. “Bfw have really came up with a good idea. They not only focused on the runway or fashion shows, but then they focused on how to help all the designers to sell their products, so this is a very good platform. At the same time, designers are very excited to sell what they have worked for.”
Anuja Nepal, Assistant Collection Manager at the RTA, shared how the exhibition supported the community. “The main reason we have this kind of exhibition is that most of the designers are home-based; most of them don’t own a studio, so they don’t have a proper place to sell their products, which is very challenging for them. I feel like when we conduct this type of exhibition, we are providing them a safe space for their products to be sold,” she said.
The collections ranged from Nu 1,000 to Nu 60,000, offering accessibility and variety for every visitor.
Bhutan’s Fashion Future
Organised by the Department of Media, Creative Industry and Intellectual Property (DoMCIIP) under the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Employment, and the Royal Textile Academy, BFW 2025 was funded through the Government of India’s Economic Stimulus Programme.
Beyond the glamour, the week-long event aimed to strengthen Bhutan’s creative economy by fostering collaboration among artisans, designers, and institutions. It celebrated the nation’s rich textile traditions while paving the way for innovation and sustainability.
As the lights dimmed on Bhutan Fashion Week 2025, one thing became clear — this was just the beginning of Bhutan’s fashion story, a journey deeply rooted in heritage yet boldly stepping into the future.
