DILBAR Fashion House was founded in April 2004, though its story begins earlier. The name and trademark of the House reflect the identity of its creative director and chief designer, Dilbar Ashimbayeva.
In 1990, Dilbar Ashimbayeva graduated with honors from the Moscow Textile Institute named after A. Kosygin (now the Russian State University of Design and Technology), majoring in Applied Arts.
From 1990 to 1992, she collaborated with the Kyrgyz State Association “Tulpar” as a designer of footwear, accessories, and leather apparel.
Since 1990, Ashimbayeva has been actively creating costumes for theater and film. Her most acclaimed work as a costume designer includes productions of Verdi’s Otello, Tchaikovsky’s The Queen of Spades, Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, as well as the ballets Le Corsaire by Adan and Spartacus by Khachaturian. All of these were staged at the A. Maldybaev Kyrgyz National Academic Opera and Ballet Theater.
In cinema, she has collaborated with directors specializing in historical epics. Ashimbayeva created costumes for the historical film Secret Melody, based on the works of Kyrgyz poet Aaly Tokombaev, and the epic The Universe of Manas by director Melis Ubukeev — a renowned Kyrgyz historian, ethnographer, and disciple of Lev Gumilyov.
Dilbar also designed costumes for the national projects Muras and the musical theater Ordo-Sakhna. Since such shows are a vital part of the Central Asian region’s thriving ethnographic tourism industry, Ashimbayeva is well known among numerous international organizations and foundations working in cultural exchange, tourism, and education.
From 1992 to 2000, she developed and launched a fashion knitwear line at the Tokmok Knitwear Association “Bereke.” Supported by the German Technical Cooperation Society (GTZ), Bereke entered the international market, participating in numerous European textile exhibitions in Dortmund, Leipzig, Salzburg, as well as tourism fairs in London (invited by the Kyrgyz Embassy) and Utrecht, Netherlands.
Starting in 1999, Ashimbayeva ventured into interior textile design. Her most notable works include the Kyrgyz-style textile interiors of the Hyatt Regency Bishkek Hotel, the Residence and Office of the World Bank in Kyrgyzstan, and the Central Asian Office of the World Bank in Almaty.
In 2000, she founded her own design bureau, “Kok-Art,” which soon became the predecessor of the DILBAR Fashion House.
In 2003, she participated in the international festival Vista 360 in Jackson Hole, Wyoming (USA), dedicated to Kyrgyzstan and supported by the Center for the Arts and Christy Walton (co-owner of the Walmart empire). There, she presented a deluxe ethnic women’s clothing collection titled Bishkek – New York.
On April 22, 2004, based on the “Kok-Art” design bureau, the Fashion House DILBAR was established. The new women’s clothing brand DILBAR was officially introduced in June 2004.
In June 2004, the Fashion House took part in the Contemporary Music Festival Marco Polo Suitcase, held in Freiburg (Germany) and Feldkirch (Austria).
In September 2004, DILBAR participated in fashion shows in Hanover (Germany), organized by the Honorary Consul of Lower Saxony in Kyrgyzstan.
From October 26–31, 2004, DILBAR Fashion House represented Kyrgyzstan for the first time at Moscow Fashion Week, becoming a regular participant of this prestigious fashion industry forum.
In June 2005, the House took part in the Kazakhstan Haute Couture Week, presenting its Spring-Summer 2005 collection.
In August 2005, the team participated in the launch of the international project ROYAL KHAN TOURS (developing the creative concept and overseeing materials and promotional products for a unique VIP yurt camp).
From October 26–31, 2005, DILBAR showcased its Spring-Summer 2006 collection at Moscow Fashion Week.
In spring 2006, DILBAR designers developed the uniform design for Air Astana, Kazakhstan’s national airline. The first samples were presented in November 2006.
Since March 2006, DILBAR has been a permanent participant of Kazakhstan Fashion Week and Haute Couture Week in Almaty.
In June 2009, the Fall-Winter 2010 collection “Dreams of Kashmir” was unveiled at the 10th anniversary celebrations of BPN in Aarau, Switzerland.
In March 2010, the Spring-Summer 2010 collection “The Camp Moves On” was presented at the Hyatt Regency Bishkek.
In 2010, the Fashion House developed the concept and created the official uniforms for the Kyrgyz Pavilion at the EXPO 2010 World Exhibition in Shanghai.
In November 2010, the Spring-Summer 2011 collection “Casablanca” was presented at the Gapar Aitiev Kyrgyz National Museum of Fine Arts.
On March 18, 2011, the Fall-Winter 2011–2012 Kyrgyz collection “And the Day Lasts Longer Than a Century...” was shown.
The Spring-Summer 2012 collection “Bird of Simurgh” was presented on November 4, 2011, at the "Old Town" teahouse.
On April 7, 2012, at the Mol Bulak Kyrgyzstan Fashion Week 2012 (held at the Chingiz Aitmatov Russian Drama Theater), DILBAR debuted a capsule collection "DILBARLIVE" (pre-fall 2012). For the first time in the brand’s history, the collection included a men’s line.
In July 2012, by order of the National Olympic Committee and the State Agency for Physical Culture and Sports under the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic, the official parade uniform for the XXX Olympic Games in London was tailored.
DILBAR also works closely with the Russian national figure skating team, with Dilbar Ashimbayeva designing their costumes.
In August 2012, decorative pillows were sewn for the Hyatt Regency Bishkek Hotel.
On May 24, 2013, DILBAR presented its new Fall-Winter 2013–2014 collection “Pamuk Ipek.”
Dilbar has long been a key supplier of elite gifts for official state visits and receptions, working closely with the Presidential Administration.
In October 2013, DILBAR received a special order to create a national costume for the Manneken Pis statue, presented as a gift by Kyrgyzstan’s First Lady, Raya Atambayeva, during an official visit to Brussels.
In December 2013, the collection “Mood for Love” was presented at the Hyatt Regency Bishkek.
In 2016, DILBAR created national costumes for airport staff at Manas International Airport, to be worn during visits by heads of state.
In the same year, costumes were designed for the film “Sayakbay.”
Also in 2016, DILBAR produced official parade uniforms for the Olympic Games in Brazil, commissioned by the National Olympic Committee and the State Agency for Physical Culture and Sports of Kyrgyzstan.
In December 2016, the collection “Running on Waves” was presented at the new American University of Central Asia (AUCA) campus.
In 2019, DILBAR designed costumes for performances by the Mayor’s Orchestra, the Opera and Ballet Choir, and the folk ensemble “Kambarkan.”
Since November 2019, the Fashion House has been developing uniforms for the airline Avia Traffic.
Throughout its journey, Fashion House DILBAR has built a solid production base. It creates two luxury collections each season and regularly develops designs for bags, accessories, interior décor, and textile interiors.
The philosophy of DILBAR is the fusion of tradition, culture, and identity of the peoples of the Silk Road, conveyed through the language of European style.
The distinctive feature of the DILBAR brand is its ethno-chic style, produced in limited editions. It features exclusive fabrics—handwoven Indian saris and Margilan silks, bespoke tailoring, complex silhouettes, and of course, hand embroidery that gives even the simplest items a sense of uniqueness, craftsmanship, and the warmth of human hands.