Siwangi Pradhan
Si
I believe that fashion is an excellent form of self-expression that goes beyond clothes and trends. It serves as a platform for people to express their emotions, celebrate their individuality, and be themselves. The potential for growth and cultural preservation makes Nepal’s fashion industry’s future a promising one. Combining traditional Nepali aesthetics with modern designs is expected to be a major trend as the business develops. Nepali designers are looking for novel methods to fuse traditional craftsmanship and luxurious textiles with contemporary sensibilities, creating a combination that appeals to both domestic and international markets.
Astik Sherchan
Pulchowk3
Fashion is what’s of the moment, not just in clothes and beauty-related things, but also in music, arts and entertainment. But the term fashion is mostly used in the context of what celebrities or influencers are wearing today, as that’s the most visible aspect of pop culture. A trend that’s in fashion right now can be out of fashion tomorrow. But all this is to really say, fashion is temporary, and doesn’t really speak to me personally. I don’t dress or design according to fashion trends or follow what celebrities are wearing. And I am more interested in style which is a reflection of personal taste.
My designs are an extension of my personality – the films I watch, books I read, and they don’t change from moment to moment but evolve slowly. I just like clothes that are beautiful and well-made regardless of which era or culture they belong to.
I don’t know what’s next in fashion but I like how young girls are starting to dress today in subtle colours and delicate embroidery for special events. No one wants to be dressed in the loudest and heaviest outfit at a party anymore. People still want to look special, but in a way that looks effortless and not too obvious. Although there are still some restrictions in terms of what’s acceptable in Nepali society for brides to wear, there are fewer rules and more freedom now than ever before. While a traditional red saree or lehenga will always be a timeless classic, I do hope the next generation of Nepali brides will be able to wear pretty much anything they want to.
I also hope social media’s obsession with brand names and logos goes away (it’s more important for young people who want to become designers to know the difference between chiffon and georgette than LV and Gucci) and that there is more awareness of fast fashion’s effect on pollution and climate change. I am not saying you shouldn’t wear mass-produced clothes and inorganic fabrics – I wear them because they are affordable – but that you should really love the clothes you buy and care for them so that they last and don’t need to be thrown away.
Manish Rai
Atelier
Fashion can vary from person to person. To me, fashion is all about trends and their cycle. It’s an expression of any individual to show who they are. We can relate fashion not only just to clothing, accessories or makeup but we can also relate it with lifestyle, music, food and more. I think the new generation in Nepal is becoming more experimental and more conscious regarding new trends. Street-style culture is becoming more popular nowadays. People are looking for comfort and style at the same time. We can see the growth of different stores which are selling Nepal-made garments and it’s getting popular. Back about six to seven years ago things were different as there were hardly any good brands that were selling Nepal-made garments. With the growth of new brands, we can expect that street-style fashion will grow in Nepal.
Pamisa Khatri
Strii Nepal
I did not venture into a boutique but instead opened an online startup named Strii Nepal. It is a home-grown label; made in Nepal. Expressing feelings has been the toughest for me since childhood. Once I discovered colours and patterns, I started displaying my emotions through clothing. For me, fashion is beyond mere trends, it is a powerful tool for self-expression. People walking down the street inspire me for my collections. Hence, fashion for me is unique.
In fashion for the coming years, I see everything. Mostly because it is hard to anticipate what is next in fashion. However, I do see a lot of colour palettes, patterns, and capsule styles. Similarly, I would love to see minimalistic designs, creative designs, and inclusivity.
Apart from these, the rise in sustainable practices such as thrifting will have an immense market.
Aakash Shrestha
Nepamode
Fashion itself is a vague and fluid term that basically denotes the colours and nuances of life, and how we perceive, play and portray them to give a certain image, perspective and schedule to our activities for human existence. It’s highly conjugative to and ever-evolving with major aspects of life like politics, culture, economy, any crisis, or one’s emotional status with time. Thus, fashion is a survival tactic in the form of clothes or accessories or cars or decors or how you smell or what you eat or stay or talk.
The very next thing in fashion, in my view, should be the high influence and use of AI in research, development, and showcase of fashion along with platforms like metaverse, making it more diverse, vast, digital as well as complex to be in the game. Also, consumers will be more attracted to thrifting basic to luxury outfits and approach sustainable fashion gradually.
