A 19 year old designer wants to change Nepal’s sustainable fashion scene

Glance at the Instagram page of to you, one of the newest clothing brands to be launched in Nepal, one needs to understand that the style ethos of the brand is chic, light and stylish. In one of Vamas’s Instagram posts, Sneh Rana, a makeup artist, is seen wearing a white shirt paired with pants that are no less comfortable. The overall outfit screams comfort and style.

Vama is the brainchild of Vardaan Devkota. The goal for the brand, he says, is to create clothes that make people who wear them look absolutely gorgeous.

My goal is to create clothes that are both elegant and comfortable to wear. And I think I’ve made it with Vama, says Devkota.

Launched a week ago, to you, says Devkota, is a sustainable and ethical clothing brand.

The concept of slow and continuous fashion is nothing new in Nepal. Many sustainable brands have emerged in recent years, and there are also many shops selling used and vintage clothing in Nepal. But what makes Vama a little different from other brands in the same category is its founder and its purpose for the brand.

For starters, Devkota, who is just 19 years old, owns and operates the brand alone, making her one of the youngest designers to start her own sustainable clothing brand.

Designing clothes, says Devkota, always came naturally to him and that he has been designing clothes for himself for years. I’ve always loved being extra and for a very long time relied on fashion to express myself. I designed my own outfits for my bratabandha and even for my 19th birthday party, says Devkota.

When Devkota was young, she had just taken a small step into the world of fashion and her love of design was confined to her personal sphere. But after he started studying fashion and merchandising at the London College of Fashion, his understanding of fashion deepened and broadened and Devkota began looking for opportunities to turn his passion for design into a full-time profession.

What made Devkota take the leap and start Vama was the pandemic. Like any other industry, the fashion industry was also impacted when a pandemic gripped the world last year. As the world hunkered down indoors and many started working from home, the demand for comfortable clothing began to trend.

This huge shift in clothing demand planted the idea in Devkota’s head to create a fashion brand that meets today’s needs. During lockdown, we are all looking for loose clothing that is stylish yet comfortable to wear while staying at home. And that’s when I thought that I could use my skills in design to create a clothing brand that meets today’s needs, says Devkota.

After he did his market research, Devkota got a better idea of ​​how and what he wanted to create through his brand. He also wants his brand to be sustainable and leave as little carbon footprint as possible.

As a fashion student, I am aware of the fact that the fashion industry is a huge contributor to global warming and climate change. This industry accounts for almost 10 percent carbon emissions. Currently, sustainability and environmental friendliness are aspects that Vama focuses on, Devkota said.

Devkota says Vama uses high quality and sustainable fabrics such as organic fabrics like khadi, pure cotton and cotton linen, and all designs are made in Nepal. From manufacturing, distribution to promotion, the brand has strived to be sustainable, adds Devkota.

“I have tried my best to make the entire operation as sustainable and environmentally friendly as possible,” Devkota said.

According to him, brands are equally aware of the waste of their production. We only produce designs in small batches to minimize our waste, says Devkota.

After months of researching and working on design after design, Devkota launched the brand last week and released its first summer collection.

From wide pants and shirts to dresses, Vamas’ summer collection consists of seven types of clothing covering all sizes. All products are sewn by hand and all available designs can also be customized and worn in different styles, says Devkota.

But using high-quality materials and producing limited designs in a country obsessed with affordable fast fashion has its challenges.

Vamas outfits cost from Rs 3,500 to 6,500, with some extra fees for customized outfits. This means the brand caters to a niche market and is not accessible to most Nepalese.

I don’t want to falsely claim that my brand is affordable because it isn’t. Vama is a sustainable and ethical brand. We do not mass produce and use cheap fabrics. Our craftsmen are quite paid. All of these practices add to the cost, he said. As for our outfits, they are designed in such a way that you can wear them on every occasion from outings, dinner parties, Zoom meetings to weddings. With just a few good accessories and styles, you can wear the same outfit for different occasions.

Having spent the last few months working on Vama, Devkota says he is aware of the limitations of starting a clothing brand amid the pandemic.

There is a shortage of qualified manpower and that has hindered our ability to replenish as quickly as we would like. Likewise, the limited availability of fabric options also forced me to limit my designs, says Devkota. Nevertheless, I believe that the pandemic is a great business opportunity for Vama to grow as a sustainable brand. More and more people want to buy durable and manageable items, which provide a great environment for sustainable fashion to thrive.

And given that Vamas’ entire summer collection sold out in just three days of launch, Devkota’s gamble seems to have paid off.

He is currently working on his monsoon collection, which will be followed by a winter collection. If all goes according to plan, Devkota intends to launch an affordable and sustainable clothing line in the future.

The ultimate goal is to go international, Devkota said.