Documenting Nepal's Evolving Youth Subcultures Through Photography and Styling

British-Nepalese photographer Tirtha Rabin Lawati and stylist Sam Thapa collaborated on a project titled 'Where We Meet' in 2025, documenting youth culture in Nepal. The work comprises two photographic series: 'Girls Skate Nepal,' focusing on young female skateboarders in Kathmandu, and 'Jamkabhet,' which explores underground music gatherings and youth communities. Lawati, who spent his childhood in East Nepal before moving to Britain, consciously avoided letting nostalgia influence his approach, aiming instead to record how youth culture was evolving from a diasporic perspective. Thapa, also of Nepalese descent raised primarily in the UK, sought to connect with contemporary youth activities in Nepal. Before their trip, Thapa contacted Girls Skate Nepal via Instagram, noting from social media that young people were challenging old ideologies. He styled the skaters with clothing from British Nepalese designers like Sushila Pun and Shakila Thebe, along with his own creations, archival pieces, and items sourced locally from designers such as Sweta Limbu. The portraits capture themes of joy, friendship, and rebellion, while also showing how traditions like wearing inherited jewelry or traditional hair accessories called Lacha Dori were integrated into personal styles. Lawati extended the project by documenting the skaters in their daily lives beyond skateboarding. Through these connections, they attended the Jamkhabet festival, featuring hardcore punk bands and diverse subcultures including BMX riders, B-Boy dancers, and food vendors. Thapa highlighted the festival as a harmonious space free from prejudice. Lawati noted a particularly meaningful image of three young men in studded denim vests, capturing an unexpected moment of unity, while Thapa emphasized a group shot of skaters as symbolic of a forward-thinking new generation in Nepal.