Tell us about the history of the brand?

Sanyukta Shrestha is a pioneer for sustainable luxury in bridalwear that leads by example, giving back to the community, promoting a green future, and supporting female empowerment in Nepal since 1998. This year, in addition to her many sustainable and vegan collections, the designer saw fit to reflect her longstanding beliefs in a modern luxury collection, that not only fights against animal cruelty, but it also looks chic and is equally affordable. Not only is this collection the brand’s most unique and affordable sustainable collection by far—made with luxurious sustainable, vegan materials—it also highlights positivity and strength as a way of describing the progressive vision of achieving a sustainable bridal fashion industry.

Can you talk about the brand’s relationship with the UK bridal market?

Recognised by the media as “the dawn of the sustainable movement” and “the Greta of the wedding world”, the Nepalese born designer Sanyukta Shrestha has redefined the UK bridal market with her innovative creations, and was amongst the first to introduce sustainability to the bridal industry with the launch of her eco-bridal collection in 2011.

Can you tell us five interesting facts about the brand?

1. One of the pioneers for sustainable bridal fashion in the world.
2. Sanyukta Shrestha’s sustainable couture gown is preserved in Fashion Museum, Bath, since 2012 as a unique piece of art.
3. Sanyukta’s fashion journey started when she was 17 years old, when she began as an official designer representing Nepal in the ’Miss Nepal’ and ’Miss Asia Pacific’ beauty pageants.
4. She also won the ’Best Designer Award’ for the first ever design she created!
5. The brand has been working with underprivileged women for over a decade, promoting their extraordinary skills of weaving fibre to fabric, supporting women empowerment and promoting sustainability.

What inspired the current collection?

This collection is ’a celebration of love, between humans, the Earth and the animals’, providing an option where bridal dresses can effortlessly fit into a woman’s sustainable wardrobe and provide her with options to reuse after the wedding. The campaign was created at the designer’s own private woodland, conceptualised in Narnia’s whimsical world that depicts the deep connection and harmony between humans, nature, and animals. Retailing from £900, the whole collection is created without any animal products and features 22 unique ethical wedding dresses that are handmade in Nepal, using skin soothing hand-spun and hand-loomed bamboo, nourishing organic cotton, upcycled, and recycled luxe silky vegan materials.

“We are so delighted to showcase our 2022 Vegan collection at HBS,” says Sanyukta, “ which was designed to fulfil the increasing demand for sustainable wedding dresses from millennial-brides. In our current world, people are not only becoming fashion-conscious, but starting to embrace sustainability as a norm. As a sustainable brand, our new vegan collection provides an array of affordable, desirable, luxurious bridal options that does not cost the Earth, nor the pocket. Most importantly, especially after the chaos from the pandemic, to be able to give back to our community through this collection and spread kindness to the world, means more than ever.”

What design trends have emerged from the collection (silhouettes, materials, embellishments)?

Between the rise of veganism and the millennial generation embracing activism, so many more brides are environmentally inclined. We believe vegan-friendly gowns with versatile and re-wearable options will be a big trend: we are confident that affordable sustainable wedding dresses will be more in demand than ever before, due to their luxury and health benefits from organic skin soothing fabrics.

How can retailers get in touch to order from your latest collection?

You can contact us at info@sanyuktashrestha.com. We will also be showcasing our collections at the Harrogate Bridal Show, stand Q41.