Sanyukta Shrestha SS26 brought Victorian drama and Newar heritage to London Fashion Week

As part of London Fashion Week, Sanyukta Shrestha unveiled her SS26 collection, The Newars, 1901, inside the historic 1901 Ballroom at Andaz London on 19 September 2025. The presentation fused Victorian grandeur with the sacred artistry of Nepal’s Kathmandu Valley, framing a story of identity, resilience and heritage through luxuriously crafted silhouettes.

Rather than staging a period pastiche, Sanyukta Shrestha treated the turn of the 20th century as a meeting point between cultures. A deliberate palette of red, white, black and gold set the tone for dramatic proportions and ceremonial detail. Key highlights included the hand-embroidered Kumari Gown and the hand-printed Ranjana Coat, each piece reading as living archive: modern couture animated by centuries-old symbolism.

Accessories extended the narrative with sustainability at their core. A new line of luxury handbags was crafted from biodegradable fruit leather (agro-waste) and responsibly sourced surplus leathers, then finished with hand-carved brass Vajra handles—transforming each bag into a piece of “personal armour.” Hair and styling amplified the imagined dialogue of eras: Victorian braids interwoven with traditional Newari silk tassels that referenced life force and ancestral connection.

Material choices underscored the designer’s ethical approach. Hand-spun hemp and bamboo appeared alongside natural fibers, produced with Fair-Trade-certified artisans in Nepal to promote a circular economy and preserve ancestral skills. Zero-waste principles and a transparent supply chain reinforced a philosophy of luxury grounded in responsibility rather than excess.

The industry response matched the ambition. Editors, buyers and cultural figures praised the collection’s confident blend of high romanticism and Nepali heritage, noting how the show positioned South Asian craft as part of the global conversation rather than an exception to it. Following the runway, The Newars, 1901 opened to the public at Andaz London from 19–22 September, with a digital presentation premiering on the official London Fashion Week Main Schedule on 22 September.

With SS26, Sanyukta Shrestha reaffirmed her standing as a pioneer of sustainable luxury: couture techniques executed with compassion, heritage treated as a living language, and modern women dressed in protection, pride and poetry.