The Business Behind the Look: How Shambhu Puri Turned His Styling Career into a Brand

Kathmandu . Few names have bridged creativity and entrepreneurship as naturally as Shambhu Puri, widely known as Shamvu. From designing simple outfits in a neighborhood living room to leading costume direction for Nepal’s biggest films and reality shows, his journey has never been a straight line. It has been a story of grabbing opportunities, creating new ones, and building a career through sheer resilience and belief.

Puri’s early path didn’t begin in studios or glossy magazines. It began at home — stitching suits, wedding gowns, and casual outfits for friends, neighbors, and relatives. Those small, personal requests became his training ground, teaching him fit, proportion, communication, and client trust long before the cameras ever turned his way. As word spread, so did his confidence. Networking came naturally, not because he had industry contacts, but because he approached every project with authenticity and respect.

Soon, his willingness to say yes — not only to opportunities, but to challenges — pulled him into Nepal’s creative industry. What started with community clients quickly transitioned to styling assignments for print campaigns, music videos, and commercial shoots. And as he pushed himself harder, the industry began opening its doors wider.

Over the next few years, Puri became a familiar presence on professional sets. He styled for feature films like December Falls and Ganapati, created dynamic looks for brand and TV commercials, and worked behind the scenes on Nepal’s most energetic reality shows, from Himalaya Roadies to The Poet Idol. His work soon appeared on magazine covers, billboards, and national campaigns — a testament to how far a single spark of passion can go when matched with discipline.

While his styling career gained momentum, something else was quietly growing: a sense of ownership over his creative identity. In 2020, he launched Sam Sui Clothing, not as a fashion outlet for mass production, but as a personal milestone — a label that symbolized the voice he had built through years of hands-on experience in film, fashion, and media. Even though most of his time was consumed by costume designing and styling for the entertainment industry, Sam Sui served as a reminder that he was no longer just participating in the industry — he was helping shape it.

“I always believed that if you stay consistent long enough, the industry begins to trust you,” he says. And it did. Working closely with some of Nepal’s biggest names — Priyanka Karki, Richa Sharma, Aayushman Desh Raj Joshi, Aaryan Sigdel, Anmol KC, among many others — taught him the delicate balance between creativity and responsibility. Managing assistants, interns, budgets, sponsors, and last-minute emergencies became part of his everyday workflow.

Through it all, one skill became the foundation of his success: networking. Not the glamorous social kind, but the real, human kind — being reliable, being kind, being professional, and showing up even when exhausted. Puri built his career without shortcuts, solely on a reputation for delivering under pressure.

“Fashion is not just beauty — it’s structure and strategy,” he says. “Once you treat it like a business, your creativity starts paying you back.”

His rise reflects something young Nepali creatives often forget: you can build a future here. You can earn, grow, and make your mark without leaving the country — if you pair talent with discipline and direction.

“I always tell the younger ones: Nepal is full of talent. What we need is discipline, direction, and belief,” Puri says. His journey from designing for neighbors to styling Nepal’s stars stands as proof that passion, when carried with purpose, can become a profession — and a legacy.