Ladakh's women designers bring Pashmina crafts to Lakme Fashion Week on Oct 18
Representative image: Weefplezier / Pixabay
UT Ladakh said on 13 October 2026 it will present women-led labels Zilzom and Namza Couture in 'The Fifth Season' at Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI on 18 October.
What Happened
Women designers and women-led craft enterprises from Ladakh will present a showcase called "The Fifth Season: A Fashion Story from Ladakh" at Lakme Fashion Week in partnership with the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) in New Delhi on Sunday, 18 October 2026, the Union Territory's Department of Industries and Commerce announced on 13 October. The show, at the Taj Palace at 5:30 pm, will be opened by designer Stanzin Palmo's label Zilzom and closed by Padma Yangchan's Namza Couture. Two women-led enterprises, Changra Ladakh and Charkha Ladakh, will also present work drawn from the region's wool and Pashmina traditions. The showcase is part of the Delhi edition of the fashion week, which runs from 13 to 18 October.
Key Facts
- Event: "The Fifth Season: A Fashion Story from Ladakh", presented by the Department of Industries and Commerce, UT Ladakh, with FDCI.
- Date and place: 18 October 2026, 5:30 pm, Taj Palace, New Delhi, during Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI (13 to 18 October).
- Designers: Stanzin Palmo (Zilzom) opens the show and Padma Yangchan (Namza Couture) closes it.
- Craft partners: Changra Ladakh, showing handwoven Pashmina and nomadic handicraft traditions, and Charkha Ladakh, showing handcrafted Himalayan woollen textiles.
- The collections draw on Ladakhi crafts and techniques including Pashmina, Nambu, Challi and Thigma.
- Fashion week organisers have described the October edition as including a Himalayan craftsmanship showcase with the Ladakh government.
Why It Matters
Ladakh's textiles are best known through Pashmina. A showcase led by Ladakhi designers and enterprises on one of India's main fashion platforms is an attempt to change that: to present Ladakh's crafts under Ladakhi names, with the people who make them in the spotlight.
The women-led angle is central. Both designers are women, and the two craft enterprises taking part are led by women. Putting women designers and entrepreneurs on a national runway gives them visibility with buyers, retailers and the media, which can translate into orders and better prices.
The showcase also reflects a wider push by Indian states and union territories to use fashion weeks as a marketing tool for regional crafts. Traditional techniques such as Nambu and Thigma need new markets to stay in use. A collection that adapts them for contemporary wear can help keep the skills alive.
For readers interested in sustainable fashion, the showcase centres on natural fibres and hand processes. Whether the showcase leads to lasting demand will depend on pricing, supply and how well the makers can reach buyers after the runway.
| | Detail | Information | |
|---|---|
| | Showcase | The Fifth Season: A Fashion Story from Ladakh | |
| | Date | 18 October 2026, 5:30 pm | |
| | Venue | Taj Palace, New Delhi | |
| | Designers | Stanzin Palmo (Zilzom), Padma Yangchan (Namza Couture) | |
| | Craft partners | Changra Ladakh, Charkha Ladakh | |
Impact
Short-term: Ladakhi designers and women-led craft groups get a national runway, media attention and contact with buyers during the final day of the fashion week.
Long-term: Regular exposure could build a market for Ladakh-branded textiles and help keep traditional techniques such as Nambu and Thigma in use.
Who is affected: Ladakhi women designers and artisans, Pashmina herders and weavers, fashion buyers and retailers, and shoppers interested in handmade, natural-fibre clothing.
Key Takeaway
Ladakh will present women-led labels Zilzom and Namza Couture and craft enterprises Changra Ladakh and Charkha Ladakh at Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI in Delhi on 18 October 2026, putting the region's Pashmina and wool crafts on a national runway.
Questions and Answers
What is "The Fifth Season" at Lakme Fashion Week 2026?
It is a showcase of Ladakh's textile crafts presented by the UT Ladakh Department of Industries and Commerce with FDCI, on 18 October 2026 at the Taj Palace, New Delhi.
Which designers are taking part?
Stanzin Palmo's label Zilzom opens the show and Padma Yangchan's Namza Couture closes it.
Which Ladakhi crafts will be shown?
Handwoven Pashmina, Himalayan woollen textiles and techniques such as Nambu, Challi and Thigma, through the designers and the enterprises Changra Ladakh and Charkha Ladakh.
When does Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI 2026 run?
The Delhi edition runs from 13 to 18 October 2026.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
Sourced and fact-checked by the Peepals Global Editorial Team
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