Agency: Funded by DoMCIIP from the Economic Stimulus Plan (ESP), this will be a multiple day event with shows in Bumthang representing the past, Paro representing the present and Thimphu representing the future. Nu 10 million (mn) is for the 2024-25 fiscal year with more expected to be added later.
According to the organizers, BFW will serve as a national platform where designers, brands, buyers, media and influencers come together and get an opportunity to show their work to international names and brands. This will be a seminal and defining moment in Bhutan’s fashion industry and an attempt to institutionalize the whole industry, and connect it to global and regional markets.
However, a senior well known fashion designer in Bhutan and also one of the first to take her CDK GYENCHA brand outside Bhutan, Chandrika Tamang, alleged that the BFW was originally her idea that she shared as online presentations, written proposals and face-to-face meetings with the RTA Director all the way back from April 2024 onwards, and it is now being done with her ideas but with no credit given to her.
How Chandrika came up with the BFW idea
Chandrika’s husband went for his studies to Melbourne for a 2024-25 course. Chandrika also went along and opened her CDK fashion shop in Melbourne while she still maintained her fashion shop in Thimphu. She got good exposure and took part in a fashion show in Sydney called ‘Fabric of Multicultural in Australia,’ and in 2025 did the Melbourne Design Week exhibition.
“When I opened my outlet in Melbourne, I found it challenging to sell my designs as there was no name recognition of the Bhutanese fashion products, fashion industry and even Bhutanese fabric compared to other countries that had fashion weeks, and so I felt that we needed a fashion week like other countries that would give recognition to Bhutanese fashion products internationally,” she said.
Chandrika wanted to involve other Bhutanese designers and do something never done in Bhutan before, which is the Bhutan Fashion Week, as it would give exposure to Bhutanese designers and take Bhutanese fashion global, thus helping the entire industry.
Getting in touch with RTA Director and Proposal
Chandrika said, “I got in touch with the RTA Director, Ugyen Tenzin, via email on 26th April 2024 to ask if there is any space in the RTA calendar for a fashion show or an exhibition that year.”
The first written proposal on Bhutan Fashion Week sent on 14th May 2024 by Chandrika to the RTA Director
It proposed that Bhutan Fashion Week (BFW) be a platform for creativity, innovation, commerce, and networking within the fashion industry, while also influencing global fashion trends.
The objective of the fashion show was to provide a platform for emerging designers and brands to showcase their latest collections to buyers, media, influencers, and the public and get recognition on an international scale.
It said that BFW would allow designers to connect with buyers like retailers, tourists, fashionistas. Sustainability would be an important and key part of BFW.
She wanted to ensure networking and collaboration by bringing together designers, models, actors, singers, stylists, photographers, makeup artists, and journalists to connect, collaborate, and form partnerships during these events.
BFW aimed to contribute to the cultural and economic vitality of the country by attracting tourists, generating revenue for local businesses, and showcasing the creativity and innovation of the fashion industry.
Chandrika proposed this as an annual event in November, but she said she would be open to discuss about the specific month.
She laid out that invitations be extended to industry insiders, celebrities, influencers, buyers, journalists, and other key stakeholders.
Chandrika said CDK would be excited to share its passion for Bhutanese fashion and promote it worldwide, and she is positive that “this annual event will bring all of our fashion communities together and celebrate our authenticity in a wider way with opportunities to showcase their work nationally and internationally.”
The proposal projected to get in various partners like the media, international fashion experts, banks, etc.
Online presentation and Minutes of the Meeting
The RTA Director wrote back on 15th May 2024 thanking her for her commitment to Bhutanese textiles and fashion, and said they are open to discussing her proposal.
Based on the Director’s request Chandrika agreed to do an online presentation about BFW for RTA on Friday or 17th May at 3 pm Bhutan time which went on till 4 pm.
Chandrika said that in her presentation, she went into more detail in her narration of her proposal for the BFW and she presented the idea of presenting the show in the context of Where, When, Who and How.
The minutes of the meeting, of which Chandrika has a copy, says, “The meeting started with a brief introduction of the proposed Bhutan Fashion Week by CDK. The primary objective is to create a prominent event that highlights and promotes the talents of emerging designers and weavers in Bhutan.”
It then went on listing other points like importance of giving a platform to emerging designers and weavers, sustainability was identified as a crucial element, idea of making an annual event was discussed, the importance of providing a dedicated space for designers to showcase their work of art was highlighted.
It said a concept node needs to be developed and be presented to various funding agencies to secure financial support. The minutes said the next meeting was to be informed after the planning.