BRANKOPOPOVICBLOG: 39th Belgrade Fashion Week

Ivana Pilja

Few weeks ago I attended the 39th edition of Belgrade Fashion Week, which was in fact my very first visit to this dear city of mine where I spent 3 three years of my childhood.
Although familiar with Belgrade designers for many years now, it was a very pleasant experience to experience Belgrade within the context of the fashion week. Each edition BFW puts focus on another country, making Netherlands the guest country this time. For the occasion Dutch emerging brand FUTURA has been invited to show their AW2016 collection inspired by ankersmit textiles.
One of the main awards is the B Future contest for young designers. Professional jury panel awarded three young designers Katarina Đorđević, Nevena Ivanović and Tatjana Ostojić, providing them a place in the schedule of the next edition where they will show their new collections.
The BFW opening show was a special project by BFW Design Collective and Hemofarm Foundation dedicated to the donation for the heart transplantations. Around twenty designers where invited to design red based outfits for the benefit of the foundation. Favourite looks where from designers Marko Mitanovski, Vesna Kracanovic, Aleksandra Lalić and Sonja Jocic. Remarkable fact is that the program is mostly filled with young talents, such as the event called ‘Fashion Vignettes’ where various young designers like Marko Glavinić where given the stage to present their collections in style of an installation.

Belgrade’s one of the most successful talents, Ivana Pilja shared the stage with the Dutch LABEL FUTURA, treating the crowd with progressive designs. In the context of Netherlands as guest countr the project Exploring Inspirations, initiated by KC Grad was exhibited during the fashion week. For this project Dutch and Serbian designers collaborated with traditional Serbian craftsman. The result is a stunning example how local heritage can catch up with the time and points out exactly where potential lies within the Serbian fashion scene.

Photography: Đorđe Tomić