Watch out what you dream, since dreams may come true

Under this popular heading Nadya Valeva, chairperson of the National Fashion Chamber and publisher of the ten-lingual fashion magazine Studio Nadin Style, opened the first evening of the Second National Contest for young stylists and designers of the Republic of Bulgaria. This praiseworthy enterprise winged the young Bulgarian artists, who want to make their mark, possess the drive to attain the highest peaks and in many respects even outdo well-established names in fashion life.

In the course of two evenings, around the swimming-pool of the Boryana Hotel in the amazingly beautiful seaside resort Albena, 32 finalists showed their collections in several categories: high fashion, overcoats and leather articles, evening gowns, sport-elegant youth wear, underwear and swimming suits, men\'s wear, children\'s wear, textiles, etc. It was a trial for the jury to single out the best, because all youths had worked with so much talent, enthusiasm and desire that hardly anyone deserved to drop out. Yet, in a hight competition, though having gained only a slight edge, the best came to the front to win the big and prestigious awards.

The first prize in the category of high fashion went to the 25-year-old Silvia Pavlova from Sofia, a graduate student in scenography at New Bulgarian University. She is going to represent Bulgaria at the International Fashion Festival in Rome in the spring of 2006. With the exclusive cooperation of Mrs. Ana-Maria Gyuzeleva, this participation will be publicized in numerous Italian newspapers.

Four other contestants were entitled to prestigious participations in Italy by Mr. Gabriele Parente, special member of the jury and representative of a consultancy studio on international economic relations. The 20-year-old Aralia Rusimova from Sofia will gain European experience on a one-week apprenticeship in an Italian fashion house for Pret-a-Porter. Guest designers and participants in the fashion forum Moda Movie in Calabria in June 2006 will be the 25-year-old Lyudmila Aristotelova from Burgas, the 23-year-old Alexandra Markova and the 25-year-old Rositsa Ilieva from Sofia. A one-month training in Paris, in the studio of Jean Paul Gautier and “Hermes” will be provided for the winner in the category for overcoats and leather articles – the 17-year-old Evgeni Petkov from Botevgrad, a student at the Textiles and Design Vocational School in Vratsa.

A number of other luring prizes were given during the closing evening of the contest in Karibi Bar, so the young artists felt recognized and satisfied with their own self and did not fear the fulfillment of their dreams in the least. On the contrary, with the placid confidence of their tender age they demonstrated that their dreams must be pursued in a new world which belongs to them. The world of the future.