Kathmandu, June 16 -- Around this time of the year, Khusbu Dangol would have been a busy person. As the owner and designer of Oodni The Boutique, a brand that revolutionised bridal outfits in Nepal, Dangol, with her staff, would have been busy with some of the last weddings of the season, making sure brides looked beautiful in Oodni's exquisite creations.

This year, however, things were quiet. Because of the nationwide lockdown, Oodni has been shuttered for the past two months and business has been at an all-time low. "Our sales this year were less than half of previous year's wedding season," says Dangol.

The current pandemic has hurt all sectors financially, and the fashion industry is no exception. And although Nepal is not seen as a...