When Thangka meets streetwear, a slow-fashion experiment is born

An unlikely friendship blossomed between German art studies graduate Katharina Schanderl and Nepali artist Grishma Giri during a Thangka painting class in Nepal. Schanderl, initially in Nepal to learn the sacred art form, developed a deep appreciation for the country's culture and artistic heritage.

Their shared ideologies on art, sustainability, and fashion led them to launch Divine Pop, a brand that merges Nepal's spiritual roots with the vibrant, norm-challenging spirit of pop art. The brand's name reflects this fusion: 'Divine' from Nepal's cultural background and 'Pop' from the art form that inspires its colorful identity.

Divine Pop's collections draw inspiration from women, Hindu deities, and Nepal's rich cultural landscapes, reimagined through bold colors and mixed-media collages. Products include upcycled leather accessories like passport holders, featuring layered motifs of Himalayan landscapes and temples. Their graphic clothing, including streetwear t-shirts, showcases digitally painted South Asian women's portraiture infused with Nepali elements like marigold flowers, presenting wearable art with a maximalist collage aesthetic.

“

the beginning of a patient and therapeutic art journey for her