Stella Jean and Mountain Partnership launch Bhutan ethical fashion collection

Milan, Italy – Fashion designer Stella Jean today launched a new collection at Milan Fashion Week designed in collaboration with women artisans and local designers in Bhutan’s Himalayas under an initiative led by Bhutan’s Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Employment (MOICE) and supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

Stella Jean’s spring-summer collection, entitled “Made in Italy meets the Kingdom of Bhutan”, is the first time that such a collaboration with Bhutanese artisans has been on display at Milan Fashion Week. The collection was created through the Fashion for Fragile Ecosystems initiative of the FAO-hosted Mountain Partnership Secretariat, which is funded by the Italian Development Cooperation.

Under the initiative, international fashion designers work hand in hand with local designers and artisans to co-design a contemporary collection in local fabrics and inspired by local traditions, knowledge and culture. The artisans receive training and financial support to innovate their products and access international fashion markets.

“This is a truly inspiring collaboration between Italian excellency and mountain communities that can create fashion products, support livelihoods and preserve the cultural heritage of Bhutan’s mountain regions,” said Zhimin Wu, Director of FAO’s Forestry Division.

The collection was presented at Milan’s Museo Diocesano, with representatives from the Royal Government of Bhutan and Bhutanese designers and artisans in attendance.

A long tradition of silk weaving

Haitian-Italian designer Stella Jean’s Bhutan collection was created in collaboration with women artisans from Goenpa Kabab mountain village in Lhuentse, high in the Bhutanese Himalayas, in partnership with MOICE and FAO.

Goenpa Kabab is a Buddhist, matriarchal community where women take great pride in weaving traditional silk Kishuthara and have historically served as royal weavers for Bhutan’s queens and princesses.

Jean’s collection is inspired by iconic silk Bhutanese national dress including the Kishuthara ceremonial robe and the Tögo jacket.

While Bhutanese traditional attire is well known and appreciated both within and outside the country, many women artisans face difficulties in developing contemporary designs that blend traditional patterns with modern fashion. They struggle to brand their products and reach wider markets, as access to digital tools, training and market opportunities remains challenging.

The Mountain Partnership initiative not only boosts local female entrepreneurship but also preserves traditional craftsmanship and promotes sustainable practices, opening new markets and ensuring an equitable wage for artisans.

Stella Jean is a Mountain Partnership goodwill ambassador, and this is her latest collection created through the Fashion for Fragile Ecosystems initiative following previous collaborations with artisans in Peru and Kyrgyzstan.