Under the stained-glass dome of the historic 1901 Ballroom at Andaz London Liverpool Street, Sanyukta Shrestha presented her Spring/Summer 2026 collection, “The Newars, 1901.” The show, presented on 19 September 2025, was one of the most evocative moments of London Fashion Week’s evening schedule, weaving together threads of Nepalese heritage, Victorian opulence, and sustainable luxury.
From the moment the first model stepped onto the runway, it was clear this was more than fashion; it was storytelling. Shrestha reimagined what it might look like if a Newar woman from Kathmandu had walked into the heart of the British Empire at the dawn of the 20th century. The result was a striking dialogue between two worlds. Dramatic silhouettes echoed Edwardian grandeur, while intricate Nepalese craft lent each garment a sense of rooted identity.
The palette, deep reds, stark whites, rich blacks, and flashes of gold, set a tone of both regality and resilience. Standout pieces included the Kumari Gown, hand-embroidered with breathtaking precision; the Ranjana Coat, a tribute to Nepal’s traditional script reinterpreted in hand-printed textiles; and a series of luxury handbags made from biodegradable fruit leather, finished with hand-carved Vajra brass handles. Each look carried Shrestha’s hallmark: sustainability stitched into beauty.
Watching the show unfold in the opulent ballroom, originally part of the Great Eastern Hotel in 1901, felt like stepping inside Shrestha’s imagined cultural meeting point. The grandeur of Edwardian London amplified her narrative of East meeting West, past conversing with present.
Shrestha herself, a Nepalese-born British designer and long-standing pioneer of sustainable luxury, has built her career around eco-conscious design, Fair-Trade partnerships, and the preservation of ancestral skills. The show reaffirmed why she has received international recognition: she makes sustainability not just ethical, but aspirational.
The show didn’t just celebrate clothes, it celebrated craftsmanship, heritage, and identity. Shrestha’s vision proved that sustainability and storytelling can command the same grandeur as any couture house.
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