Kelsang Tsomo is a fashion designer and a stylist. Her brand is known as LAKAR, the Tibetan couture. Her designs are unique, yet contemporary. Her goal is to enrich and polish traditional Tibetan clothing, without losing their unique character.
Kelsang was born at Kollegal Dhondenling settlement, and studied at Central School for Tibetans, Kollegal, Central School for Tibetans, Shimla, and St. Teresa College, Mysore. At the age of 21 she started working as a social worker at Tibetan refugee settlement, Dhondenling, and continued there for nine years. She moved on to get her diploma in fashion designing from Vogue Fashion Institute, Bangalore. Following this she did her internship with Anna Singh, a fashion designer in Bollywood, and worked with a few Bollywood films.
In year 2007, Kelsang exhibited her designs for the first time in Gonpo Entertainment’s annual Losar show in Bylakuppe, South India. The following year she presented her work in Toronto, Canada, and Madison, US. In June 2009, she contributed designs to the Miss Tibet pageant. She also held a show in Gangtok in November 2009 at the Tibet Festival. She opened a LAKAR store at Majnu-ka-Tilla, Delhi in December 2009.
During her time working at Dhondenling, Kelsang became very close to the teachings of Tibetan Buddhism, where she learned how to live a meaningful life. Her teacher said, “Whatever you do in your life, your motivation counts.” She dedicates her works as LAKAR to the people inside and outside of Tibet.
