Balance of elegance

* 2007 in fashion: playful, provocative and brave

Lubomir Stoykov

Colorful, joyful, strange and sad, provocative and courageous was the fashion style during 2007. Hardly there is someone who is able to define the style, which dominated, because there isn’t a single fashion line, silhouette, shade, fabric etc.

Briefly there are four important tendencies. The first one includes strong interest toward aesthetic combination of styles, the mixture of old and new, cheap and expensive, familiar and unusual or the so called vintage. The second includes bolder penetration of nanotechnology in textile and design, thanks to which smart clothes (which possess varying qualities and almost unlimited functions and have really turned clothes into a second skin for men). The third – most people chose convenient, practical, casual clothes. The street style took its place in salons and galleries theatres and TV shows. The youth moment is stronger then ever. The forth tendency is also very impressive. It includes the demands for a corporate dress code, connected with the values of corporate culture – there are people who insist on uniforms in schools – as symbol of prestige, community and belonging to a style, spirit, and atmosphere.

During 2007 a lot of interesting and notable things has happened in Bulgaria and abroad. Which are the most important among them?

Rates and falls in our native design

The temporary Bulgarian fashion or the contemporary fashion design marked rates and falls in its growth. This dynamics wasn’t casual, because the development of the world fashion is more than ever marked by diversity, casualty, fast-transitional and non-rational. After the integration of Bulgaria in EU, Bulgarian fashion industry doesn’t have the right to complain of discrimination and heavy heritage from the socialist economy. Although a great part of the companies and designers were worked with old criteria and owns low communication culture. In individual and constructive plan some of the famous name in our design kept and strengthened their leading positions. Among them are Virginia Zdravkova and Albena Alexandrova, Evgenia Jivkova and Jana Jekova, Maria Nedkova and Natalie Genova, Yordanka Chernaeva, Svetla Dimitrova, Maria Micheva, Sofia Borisova and many others talented fashion designers. They continued to create new and interesting collections, which contain serious semantic, messages for change, finesse and behavioral challenges (Virginia Zdravkova with her collections “Silk touch” and “Lavazza”, Evgenia Jivkova and her collection “Perfect woman”, Albena Alexandrova and her collection “Chained in beauty”, Sofia Borisova with her collection “Allure” etc.). Strive to define elegancy and a new search of the challenging style characterized Mariela Gemisheva’s style (she successfully defended her thesis about the fashion performance and was pronounced doctor in The National Academy of Art), as well as Alexandra Milousheva’s style (Astella atelier), Veronica Vapirova (“Totally Erected”), Antoaneta Dolkina (“Toane”), Petia Dimitrova, Miroslava Shopova, Nina Todorova and other young designers. An ultimate success have achieved the new winners of the Academy for fashion’s “Golden needle” award. Among them are Albena Alexandrov (designer of the year), “Zebra” (fashion house of the year), Jana Jekova (entire contribution), Kiril Chakukov (fashion make-up), Angel Tcvetanov (fashion photography).
Development, good results and new admirers has achieved fashion houses and companies among which: “Irida”, “Miro”, “Markam”, “Agressia”, “Votan”, “Denyl”, “Apolo”, “Etere”, “Diel”, “Ariston S”, “Arda”, “Aries Unikat”, “Tani”, “Holiday Sona”, “Capaska”, “Lucille”, “Galinel”, “Battibaleno”, “Avin lady”, “Review”, “Iventi” and other. The secret of their success is set in the more precise work, actual design and flexible approach to the changing market conditions in our country, as well as in the searching of new and unusual forms for presenting the new collections.

In the world of the big names

We are sorry to note that in 2007 some big names left the world of fashion – literally and figuratively. One of the Italian kings of the elegant and sophisticated style died – the great Gianfranco Ferre. He was called the architect in fashion and left a great trace in the world empire of the luxury and beauty. As a sign of respect the offiacials on his native town – Legnano - called a square on his name. Ferre died but his label continues to live. Today Lars Nilson is its leading designer. Another bright name we have separated with – although figuratively – was Valentino who after 45-years of active work said good-bye to the world of fashion. The free place was taken by the young and extremely talented Fridia Giannini, who used to be a creative director of “Gucci”.

The refined and postmodern Hedi Slimane who was creating for a long time the men’s line of “Christian Dior” has decided to quit and to start dealing with new activities and “Vionnet” fashion house got a new designer – Marc Audibert. After years of experiments and participation in single projects another big name – Tom Ford started a giant offensive on the fashion market. After he opened a double-floored store on Madison Avenue in New York, the designer has decided to globalize his business by opening boutiques in Milano (in 2008), London (in 2009), Los Angeles and Hawaii (in 2010).

In business aspect 2007 was very controversial – successful for some people and sad for other. According some rumors “Prada” fashion house was established for sale and suddenly it turned out that Roberto Cavalli was not interested in money and profit but in the pure art, called fashion. That’s why he publicly announced that he looked for serious business partners. Another successful designer – Roland Mouret got a new label but also and new owners. Simon Fuller and Hervy Weinstein – two real giants in the world of multimedia and cinema stood behind his back. “Adidas” and “Diesel” gathered for future four-year collaboration. A denim clothing line named ”Adidas Originals Denim by Diesel” was the result from this collaboration.

Our attempt to point the important moment in 2007 in fashion will be incomplete if we do not pay attention to the achievements of some of the most beautiful women in the world. The amazing Julia Roberts together with Giorgio Armani created a unique bracelet and they became part of the world campaign against AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria. The scandal Kate Moss launched her second clothing line and the famous spice-girl and wife of David Beckham – Victoria Beckham declared that she would deal with fashion business. Another star from the galaxy of supermodels – Eva Herzigova visited Bulgaria and charmed the audience with her ease and eternal charm. The occasion for her visit was the opening of the “Chopard” boutique in Bulgaria.

The Bulgarian trace

Our native fashion entrepreneurs also have shown a good taste. During 2007 world famous labels entered our market thanks to skilled business ladies like Ilyana Alipieva, Victoria Gesheva, Anelia Petkova, Miroslava Tcaneva and other. The “Just Cavalli” line was officially presented in Sofia as well as the “Versace” and “Dolce and Gabbana” boutiques. The famous Slovenian designer Uros Belantic visited Bulgaria and his label “October” is already in our country. “Bridal Fashion” launched the chef-d’oeuvres of Elia Saab, Valentino Sposa and Manuel Mota in bridal and evening fashion – “Pronovias” and “My lady”. But the Bulgarian trace doesn’t include only the achievements in the fashion business through competent management of foreign brands in our country. Our designers have also shown their collections abroad. “Markam” fashion house presented its newest collection spring-summer 2008 in Dusseldorf and Salzburg. The Bulgarian duo “Bipone” (both Bilyana and Peter live in Vienna) is among the eleven finalists in the competition “11 Meter Mode”, dedicated to the world football championship. The competition took place simultaneously in Austria and Switzerland and the Bulgarian team was among the best. In Paris the haute-couture fashion house “On aura tout vu” where two Bulgarians (Livia Styanova and Yassen Samouilov) are part of the team, continued its successful presentations. maria Doychinova in who everyone trusts presented her collection “Identity” in “Gustaf Adolf” church in Vienna. She has received the flattering appreciation of the editor-in-chief of the Austrian “Vogue” magazine. Milka Alexandrova-Buchi presented Bulgaria in Vatican with a jewels collection and by demonstrating high class, reliability and aesthetical courage Drina Pashova proved that her education in Milan is not casual.

Different conditions – different results

This spontaneous look of the achievements of the Bulgarian fashion design in 2007 showed the different conditions in which our fashion stylists work. The challenges of the time, our one-year membership in the EU as well as the surprises, which fashion as a phenomenon, gives to us a whole new attitudes toward this industry, this type of work, together with the newest higher and merciless criteria for high quality, rivalry, adoption of the newest technologies and courage to look future in the eyes. The young designers are the one to raise the fashion on a higher level. That’s why the care for them while they are still students and then the stimuli are the real premise for achieving newer and bigger aesthetics cultural and business results in the sphere of fashion and fashion design.

Photos:

1. Virginia Zdravkova – “Lavazza” collection

Photographer: © Moni Franses

2. Evgenia Jivkova – “The perfect woman” collection.

Photographer: © Moni Franses

3. Gianfranco Ferre together with Ralitsa Baleva: a moment from his visit in Sofia, 1995.

Photographer: © Ani Petrova

4. Valentino in his villa in Toscana

Photographer: © Lord Snowdon

5. Eva Herzigova in Bulgaria

Source: © ”Chopard”

6. Maria Doychinova – “Identity” collection

Photographer: © Doychinoff / Mladen Penev

Read: 622 times                                                  © Fashion Lifestyle Magazine, issue 6, January 2008