BRANKOPOPOVICBLOG: Skopje Fashion Weekend x United Fashion

Marija Kulušić

19th edition of Skopje Fashion Weekend x United Fashion

For several years now BPB has been supportive of Skopje Fashion Weekend, following the fashion scene from the former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia, recently renamed to North Macedonia. Against the background of the recent political history, tough economic situation and complex social structures, Skopje Fashion Weekend is a recurring fashion weekend that looks primarily ahead. Although I was in Skopje once before, this visit gave a small insight into the relatively small fashion scene of Macedonia.
What made this 19th edition special, is the cooperation with United Fashion, a project funded by Creative Europe. Thanks to this collaboration, the SFW organization has put together an international program with mainly young and emerging labels. In particular, there were many designers from the South East Europe and Ex-Yugoslavian region such as Marko Feher from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Marija Kulušić from Croatia and Sofija Urumović from Slovenia.
The programme contained fashion shows, showroom and an exhibition by Ivan Asen 22 avant-garde fashion collective from Bulgaria. The core of the 19th edition was the United Fashion SEE Showroom. Skopje Fashion Weekend took this opportunity and gathered designers and professionals from across Europe, making the short trip to Skopje worth the effort.

United Fashion is carried out by a cluster of European fashion support associations MAD Brussels (BE), Flanders DC (BE), ModaLisboa (PT), Baltic Fashion Federation (LV), Maison de Mode (FR), Fashion Weekend Skopje (MK), Fashion Council Germany (DE) and Not Just A Label (UK).
The aim of the project was to enhance the culture of fashion designers across Europe to be more business minded and at enhancing their competitiveness internationally, without limiting their creativity. United Fashion received the support from the Creative Europe programme of the European Union.
Through a number of international network events and transdisciplinary training workshops, over a four-year period, more than 150 fashion designers will have the opportunity to participate by showcasing their collection, getting to know and understanding several European markets, developing new skills in fashion tech, sustainable fashion, production, craftsmanship, and business models.

As members of the international association that is implementing the ‘United Fashion’ project, organizers of this year’s 19th edition of Fashion Weekend Skopje welcomed twenty-nine emerging labels from all over Europe. The main goal of the ‘United Fashion SEE Showroom’ project in Skopje is to promote fashion designers from Southeastern Europe (SEE) to international buyers and media representatives, as well as to connect designers from the European Union with Macedonian factories. For this purpose, activities included presentation of the SEE market by professionals in the industry, presentations from selected local manufacturers, visit to the factories and meetings between participating designers and local producers.

The list of participants featured in the showroom included Andra Handaric (Romania), Arthropoda (N.Macedonia), Chic Utility (Romania), Concepto (Romania), Cristina Real (Portugal), Diana Arno (Estonia), Dragana Mihajlovic (Serbia), Ece Özalp (Turkey), Evgenija Zafirovska (Slovenia), Faulhaber Products (Germany), Hanfaz (France), Kokoro (Montenegro), Ksenija Kotev (N.Macedonia), Lila Style House (Bulgaria), Lommer (Greece), Marija Kulusic (Croatia), Marko Feher (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Mateyaneira (Croatia), MLS – Marie Laurence Stevigny (Belgium), n.d.c. made by hand (Belgium), Oh Suzy! (France), One Wolf (Latvia), Red Juliet (Belgium), Rosica Mrsik (N.Macedonia), Senem Unal (Turkey), Tanja Christiani (Germany), The Mannequin Collection (Greece), Toos Franken (Belgium) and Vesa Gruda (Kosovo).

Below you can take a look at the impressions from the Skopje Fashion Weekend and some highlighs.
Most images are by BPB, several are in courtesy of SFW.

https://fashionweekendskopje.mk
https://www.united-fashion.eu