Bulgarian Fashion Forum brought a new glamour in Sheraton

For the first time in its history, the Bulgarian Fashion Forum, traditionally held in a series of evenings, tried to fit in a single pre-spring event, organized on March 21, 2004, and hosted by the Serdika Hall of the elite Sheraton Hotel in downtown Sofia. Some 60 fashion houses and designers from Bulgaria participated with representative series of garments that shape the image of the Bulgarian sense of beauty and elegance.

Sofia Mayor’s daughter, Iva Sofiyanska, who was the face of the show last year, this time staged as the event’s announcer, a role, which she shared with her TV colleague Niki Iliev, who stood out in his suit specially designed by Agressia Fashion House. Iva looked like a fairytale princess, clad in her garments authored by Odetta Fashion House. Ivan Chalukov, Bulgarian Fashion Forum Honorary Chair and general sponsor, was as usual surrounded by beautiful models and grateful designers, who thanks to the activities and the sponsorship of this untiring advocate of Bulgarian beauty and talent, have had the opportunity through the years to showcase their talent in that unique for Bulgaria event.

The forum was held in two parts, the second of which definitely staked on the challenges. After the formal attire and the “heavy artillery” in the beginning, which demonstrated the talent of well-recognized designers such as Donka Lazarcheva, Elena Moskvichova, Djina Nick, Veneta Vasileva, Milena Velyova, Milka Aleksandrova–Buchi, Irina Sardareva, etc., came the reviews of the young generation of fashion design students from the class of Marinella Gemisheva and the half-naked journalists Patricia and Ani, clad in the special hand-painted lingerie of the sisters Ani and Krassy Stefanovi, the two young KAV Studio designers. They added a puff of youthful frivolity and extravagant provocation. The non-conformists from Vampila Studio, behind which stand the well-known names of Kristina and Konstantin, staged a real show. With big wigs and “garments” made of metal nets, they strolled with a live python on the catwalk and demonstrated bravery and non-conformism, which stirred the young audience.

A single evening is not enough to present the rich diversity of Bulgarian fashion, however, the enthusiasm of its participants and their will to demonstrate the ambition to go ahead and not give up, despite the years of hardship Bulgaria has been witnessing, were more than enough. Naturally, there is still more to be desired from the Bulgarian designers but their will to work and create beauty could well match up with even the foremost representatives of the fashion world.

Neli Kostadinova