Traditionally worn only during Teej, weddings, Dashain, Tihar, and other cultural ceremonies, the Lachha Dori and Chaubandi Choli are now associated with community and cultural identity.
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About 7 years ago, model Varsha Thapa wore a laccha dori up to her waist. Wearing the laccha in a different way gained international attention. International fashion magazine 'Vogue' introduced her as 'the Nepali model who brought ribbon-like braids into fashion in New York's street fashion'.
Thapa introduced the laccha dori as a modern garment, not just a traditional one. Which further strengthened the cultural value and identity of the laccha. Vogue had interviewed her about the laccha fashion. She had said, 'When I wear the laccha, I feel like an unbreakable, strong and powerful woman.'
Recently, laccha dori and chaubandi cholo have been emerging as popular fashion among the Nepali youth. The youth have started wearing laccha and chaubandi cholo not only with sarees or traditional wear but also with ordinary and everyday clothes. The youth are seeking their cultural identity by combining tradition and modernity, embracing tradition and modernity.
This fashion style has also given a powerful reinterpretation of femininity as traditionally defined. Writer Sakshi Kiran Bhattarai also says that this fashion has become a language of expression. She says, ‘This is not just fashion, but a process that inspires women to find new, different and personal styles. For me, it is a journey to build their own identity.’
Traditionally worn only on Teej, weddings, Dashain, Tihar and other cultural ceremonies, laccha dori and chaubandi cholo are now associated with community and cultural identity. Online media and social media have played a major role in spreading this fashion trend. They are incorporating tradition not as a compulsion, but as a conscious choice in their fashion.
Aryal, a student studying in the US, explains that the modern blend of tradition with tradition gives a sense of belonging no matter where she is in the world. She says, ‘I wear laksha as much as possible in my daily wear. Even when I am abroad, when I wear laksha, I feel connected to my land, home, and country. I feel like I am becoming a woman like my mother.’
Although this trend seems modern when you see it, it is deeply based on the cultural heritage that has been passed down for generations. As the new generation adopts it and gives it a new meaning, tradition is reconnected with clothing. Fashion designer Shrey Chochhe says that the new generation is adding the concept of modernity. She says, ‘The new generation is turning it into a new fashion style. For them, they have combined traditional and western styles. Bringing both fashion styles together is modernity.’
With the comeback of the laccha and choli, new uses have also emerged in the Nepali fashion industry. Traditional fabrics like dhaka and haku patasi are being transformed into comfortable, universal, and sustainable wear.
