The first-ever Bhutan Fashion Week brings 21 local designers to the global spotlight, opening doors to trade and export.
Bhutan is set to make fashion history towards the end of October with the launch of the first-ever Bhutan Fashion Week, an event that brings together 21 local designers and positions their work before an international audience. More than a cultural showcase, the event is being hailed as a strategic opportunity for economic growth and export diversification in the Kingdom.
Supported by the Department of Media and Creative Industry and Intellectual Property (DOMCIIP), Bhutan Fashion Week will feature contemporary, fusion, and traditional collections, providing Bhutanese designers with a professional platform to connect with buyers, stakeholders, and global industry leaders. The event highlights Bhutan’s ambition to expand its creative industries beyond local borders and tap into international markets.
Fashion entrepreneurs say the event could be transformative for their businesses. Gaymith Lepcha, designer and owner of SHE Bhutan, describes the week as a “very big platform” that will allow designers to directly engage with international industries. “This will help boost our businesses by creating networks that were previously out of reach,” Lepcha explained.
For smaller players in the sector, the opportunity is equally significant. Wangpe Tashi, founder of Wangpe Style, shared that the event represents more than just exposure. “As a designer from a small country, this is our chance to share unique designs that carry Bhutan’s cultural significance and to present them to the international market,” he said.
The Bhutanese fashion industry, while still nascent, is increasingly being recognized as a promising driver of creative exports. By blending tradition with innovation, local designers are developing products that resonate with global audiences seeking authenticity and sustainability. Industry observers believe Bhutan Fashion Week could serve as a launchpad for these products to reach new markets, boosting exports while preserving cultural identity.
The event also signals Bhutan’s commitment to expanding its creative economy—a sector that can complement tourism and diversify sources of income. With international buyers, media, and fashion stakeholders expected to attend, Bhutan Fashion Week underscores the country’s potential to position fashion as both an art form and a business.
As the countdown to October begins, anticipation is high that the runway will do more than showcase fabrics and stitches—it could stitch Bhutan into the fabric of the global fashion economy.
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