Handwoven Street Fashion – Bhutanese traditional wear as cultural expression

Lecture by Karma Tshering Wangchuk, fashion designer.

Abstract

Bhutan, a small kingdom in the Himalayas, is one of the few countries in the world with an official dress code. Despite this restriction, a new awareness of fashion has emerged over the past twenty years. This is largely due to the influence of the talented young Bhutanese designer and fashion illustrator, Karma Tshering Wangchuk, who has, under the tagline Bhutan Street Fashion, been using social media to engage Bhutanese in a discussion of the evolution of traditional culture and the expression of identity. Karma will explain the trends in fashion, handwoven textiles, the use of natural and chemical dyes, and the popularity of imported “fashion” and imported “copy” woven fabrics.

The role of social media has changed the discourse around the relationship between fashion and cultural expression, personal identity, and modernity. In addressing the need for sustainability in the fashion sector, the West is searching for a paradigm shift in which the customary way of thinking about fashion must change. With globalization and the proliferation of new media “fashion”, as a concept, has become a focus in many cultural contexts that before were oblivious. By addressing the issues that arise in the meeting of tradition and modernity, Bhutan has been creating its path towards sustainability in fashion.