The organizing committee of Belarus Fashion Week believes that it is young non-commercial designers who should become the driving force behind the Belarusian national fashion.
The New Names BFW competition for young designers every season allows Belarusian experts to meet a dozen talented novice designers. Participants of the competition have the opportunity to demonstrate a thematic capsule collection on the podium of Belarus Fashion Week, and the winner gets the most important thing - an internship at the country's leading enterprise.
In the coming season, the Organizing Committee of the Belarus Fashion Week project invites the designers participating in the New Names of Fashion Week in Belarus competition to emphasize in their collections the theme of the ninth season of the Fashion Week: “I Love BFW! I Love Belarus!"
Information based on the facts of world fashion: Fashionistas all over the world flaunt in floral wreaths a la "Ukrainian peasant", looking for necklaces in African style and wear wide obi belts "originally" from Japan. Scandinavian designs on sweaters already seem like familiar classics. The patterns of Pavloposad shawls have also long been loved by fashionistas. Fringe, originally an element of the Indian costume, today adorns bags, jackets and dresses, and tiered skirts in the Indian style have perfectly taken root in countries far from India.
Unfortunately, we cannot name a single such hit from Belarus. Although the history of the national costume has a huge number of interesting elements, you rarely find natural linen, ornamental motifs, and cross-stitching on Belarusian fashionistas. However, how elegant and stylish such details can look in modern outfits. Today we are able to change the situation together!
In the next season, Belarus Fashion Week will be held under the motto “I love BFW, I Love Belarus!” - and this will affect the New Names competition in the first place. The organizing committee of the Belarusian Fashion Week would like to invite the participating designers to include in their collections things inspired by some motive of Belarusian culture. It can be a combination of national colors. Image of cornflower, stork or patterns of Slutsk belts. The towers of the Mir Castle or the building of the Opera and Ballet Theater. Anything, BUT certainly passed through the prism of design vision and imagination, taking into account modern trends and the needs of the target audience.
We would not like to transfer literal quotes to the catwalk and onto the streets, we do not set the task of creating exclusively folklore collections - there is no need for this. The selection criteria for collections at the New Names competition have always been and remain novelty and creativity. But the folk costume and everything connected with it is the history of the country, city, people. And you need to know your history, and even more - to be proud of it. If we ourselves do not begin to love our own, then how can we expect the rest of the world to want to wear "madeinBelarus"?
That is why Belarus needs a new and fashionable product, which would combine the functionality of clothing that meets the requirements of today's life, and national motives - but in a modern way. It is very important to create things in which any person, and not just a lover of Belarusian folklore or ethnic style, could go out into the street without hesitation and thought. Things that will organically fit into the style of a modern city dweller.
The organizing committee of Belarus Fashion Week believes that it is young non-commercial designers who should become the driving force behind the Belarusian national fashion and create things that will say “I love Belarus!” Without words.
Text and photos: BFW Press Center (Elena Loseva)
