FEERIC FASHION WEEK, THE 15TH EDITION

It's great to hear that Feeric Fashion Week is taking a step forward towards sustainability and future innovation in international fashion. With the radical changes brought about by fast-fashion, returning to education in a fair and sustainable way is indeed a necessary step to maintain standards in the industry.

The FEERIC HUB project has reached out to over 200 universities, and more than 30 universities have responded positively since its first edition. Universities from Central and Eastern Europe, the Balkans, Central Asia, and North Africa will be participating, creating a platform for students around the world to showcase their talent and contribute to the future of fashion. In addition to promoting sustainability, Feeric Fashion Week is also the first fashion week to join the #FurFree initiative initiated by the Humane Society International.

This initiative aims to challenge the ban on fur farms in Europe and has gained support from over 1.7 million people and renowned brands such as Prada, Furla, Versace, Gucci, and many more. HOOLDRA, a brand launched at Feeric Fashion Week, has also joined this social initiative, further promoting ethical practices in the fashion industry. By embracing sustainability and supporting initiatives like #FurFree, Feeric Fashion Week is making a positive impact and setting an example for the fashion industry as a whole. It's encouraging to see the industry moving towards more responsible and ethical practices.

As an exciting start to Feeric Fashion Week, the festival opened with two days of lectures provided by industry professionals and experts in the field. Mira Postolache, MA Mentor and Lecturer at MOODART Fashion School of Communication Verona, shared her knowledge and insights. Landiana Cerciu, the Vice President of Feeric Fashion Week and Editor-in-Chief of MODIC Magazine, also provided valuable lectures. Donald Gjoka, the founder of COEVAL Magazine, contributed to the lectures as well, offering a very useful workshop in AI + Web3 to international fashion students.

Additionally, there was a workshop supported by Giovanni Ottonello, the global creative director of IED (Istituto Europeo di Design). This workshop offered a full scholarship for the IED Summer course in Fashion Brand Management, which will be held in IED Firenze in 2024. It's a fantastic opportunity for Gabriela Babos, one of the students from West University of Timisoara, who showcased their final collections at Feeric Fashion Week.

These lectures and the workshop provide valuable educational and professional development opportunities for the attendees, further emphasizing Feeric Fashion Week's commitment to education and innovation in the fashion industry. It's great to see the festival supporting students and offering them chances to enhance their skills and knowledge.

The fashion shows of the 15th edition of Feeric Fashion Week started on Thursday and we were mesmerised by the creativity and the innovative locations, so here is our selection:

AUREL VLAICU UNIVERSITY OF ARAD (ANA FARÎMA)

@uavarad/ @anaaaa.farima

The collection “Metamorphosis” is about the concept of human transformation throughout life. The stages of human development are series of phases through which man passes throughout his evolution, from birth to death. And all these 7 stages of life are transposed into outfit s, these being: prenatal stage, birth, childhood, adolescence, maturity, late maturity (old age) and death. More precisely, in each outfit is transposed a stage of life. This collection illustrates the evolution of humans, his experiences throughout life starting with the first breath of air, the development of senses , feelings, emotions, thoughts, fears and ending with the last breath. It is a collection about the psychology and philosophy of humans, how he works due to the surrounding factors, especially because of nature.

The key terms that describe this collection are: transformation, human nature connection, retrieval, experiences and feelings.

NEW BULGARIAN UNIVERSITY

@new_bulgarian_university/ @fashionxnbu @christinasavova @christina_kolodeeva @r.nikolova666 @mimito.b @baba.laaura @aiapetrov @mimito.b @viksy0_0 @atelier.veredia @viksy0_0

Designers: Nora Gotseva, Viktor Spasov, Maria Boneva, Nelina Stoycheva

The “Recycle/Upcycle” collection was created by second-year students of the Fashion Bachelor’s program at NBU as part of one of their semester assignments. The collection aims to transform, deconstruct, and breathe new life into old denim garments. The clothing in the collection is entirely made from upcycled denim and incorporates various techniques such as deconstruction, patchwork, hand dyeing, and others that highlight the designers’ thought processes and work. This creates a sense of incompleteness and uniqueness in each item of the collection. The students who worked on this collection are Nora Gotseva, Viktor Spasov, Maria Boneva, and Nelina Stoycheva.

Lead Designers: Christina Savova, Kristina Kolodeeva

Assistant Designers: Maria Boneva, Ralitsa Nikolova, Lora Prodanova, Ivayla Petrova, Nikol Ivanova

The “Ex Voto” collection by FASHION X NBU, a university fashion label at New Bulgarian University, showcases the creative collaboration between students and professors. It provides students with practical training and a simulated designer fashion house environment to hone their skills and understand industry challenges.

Inspired by votive gifts and the idea of contribution and grace, the “Ex Voto” collection presents contemporary fashion garments for 2024. It blends rustic style, street fashion, elegance, and classicism. The clothing and accessories feature a fresh perspective, combining retro elegance with sustainable materials. The standout “Contemporary Ex Votos – Spiritual Hand” pattern symbolizes the connection between the inner and outer worlds. Vibrant colors like purple, ultramarine, and sulfur yellow create striking and eccentric visuals, complemented by the calm elegance of the light ecru shade.

Lead Designer: Viktor Spasov

Assistant Designer: Stefan Radev

The “INDIVIDUALISTIC” collection is the work of designer Viktor Spasov and his brand Atelier VERÈDIA. “VERÉDIA” is the name of the fashion brand founded by Viktor in 2022 with the aim of creating innovative fashion, changing people’s view of fashion as a necessity. Each of the VERÉDIA models is handcrafted to perfection, strictly adhering to the taste and style of the Hollywood glamour of the last century. “VERÉDIA” is an imaginary being, the creature we all have inside want to bring to the surface. “VERÉDIA” gives freedom of expression, releasing the glamorous personality hidden in each of us. Still, it doesn’t hurt to look dazzling.

The outfits from the “INDIVIDUALISTIC” collection are inspired by the style of the 1950s, but modernized and adapted to today’s world. The idea is to give a “second chance” to the silhouettes, and for them to get a breath of fresh air from the 21st century. The inspiration is taken from several places, stories and people, starting from ancient Greek mythological tales, the Samodivi, the legendary forest nymphs, the twelve Labours of Heracles are presented as outfits. Elvira Mistress of the Dark, Anjelica Huston and Carolyn Jones as Morticia Addams, also some Disney villains such as Maleficent, Cruella de Vill and Ursula play a role in the inspiration behind the collection. The villains we love to hate but secretly dream of being.

WEST UNIVERSITY OF TIMISOARA. FACULTY OF ARTS AND DESIGN

@mdvtm.uvt @uvt_romania

The group collection is an eclectic selection of creations extracted from BA and MA projects of the fashion design graduates of Faculty of Arts and Design, West University of Timișoara

The collections approach a diversity of contemporary and trendy subjects in fashion with an underlay of sustainability: from the psychological and emotional need of belonging, to the importance of choices, elevation of a dear person who left this world, the value of the pure moments as an impact on the present, integration of eco-feminism moments in everyday fashion, the feminine power and vulnerability, to the satire of an unlucky day.

UNIVERSITY OF ARTS IN BELGRADE (KATARINA TANIVUKOVIC, TAMARA TOSKIC)

@savremeno_odevanje_fpu @univerzitet.umetnosti @fpu_beograd/ @tamaratoskic @katarinastanivukovic

Katarina Stanivukovic: The collection titled “24” explores the intersection of fashion and the performing arts, embodying avant-garde characteristics – challenging existing structures, breaking norms, and embracing open and non-committal forms. “24” in the collection symbolizes a personal connection, as it reflects the designer’s years at the moment of its creative inception – maturing, exploring personal desires, fears, dreams, and values, and undergoing internal transformations in this phase of life.

Tamara Toskic: The truce in the name of the collection implies the readiness for a truce on both sides and a call to disable the banal and extreme, both men’s and women’s struggle for equality. Based on that, the goal of the symbolism of the work is to present both sexes equally with all the advantages and disadvantages, both biological and traditional-cultural, in today’s era, with a unisex collection, and in this way establish some kind of truce and end the debates that unnecessarily leads to nonsense.

CRACOW SCHOOL OF ART AND FASHION DESIGN (ALICJA ZDRAL, KAROLINA SIEK)

@sapu_fashion_school

The theme of this years diploma showcase is innovation in fashion. See how young designers applied the theme to inspiratations, materials and new ways of constructing their own collections.

Alicja Zdral, Collection “ÆNTRO”: The theme of the collection is entropy and man set against the backdrop of Bauman’s liquid modernity. The designs were made mainly of natural fabrics as well as biofabrics in the form of kombucha leather and bioplastic from own experiments. They were subjected to the process of dyeing with plant-made dyes. The silhouettes combine the techniques of felting, draping and original design solutions.

Gabriela Nowak, Collection “F.W.T FutuREE Work Today”: A collection inspired by workwear in the context of modern architecture. Monochromatic silhouettes are full of streamlined shapes like buildings of the future. A futuristic collection created for young people who are not afraid to focus the eyes of others on themselves. A free, streetwear journey into the future. Unisex and oversize so it never restricts. You are not an ordinary person. You are a member of a futuristic world!

Ievgeniia Kumets, Collection “Secret garden”: The collection was created for a woman who is able to notice the beauty of nature, stop in the moment, feel herself its integral element. The main motifs of the collection are the shapes and colors of nature. The silhouettes combine techniques of crochet, fabric dying with further prints and 3D fabric plants. “If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden.” – Frances Hodgson Burn

Karolina Pabjanczyk, Collection “And Polish Movie is Simply… Boring”: Introducing “And Polish Movie is Simply… Boring”: Inspired by the captivatng Polish Poster School, this collection merges minimalistc and surrealistic elements. Deep tones, avant-garde cuts, and abstract paterns reflect the essence of Polish movie posters. Celebrate the fusion of fashion and film with this homage to art and design.

Karolina Siek, Collection “MENTAL SIDE”:The MENTAL SIDE collection, inspired by ADHD, confronts the problem of social ignorance and the resulting perception of the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, mainly as a childhood disorder, with the real, multidimensional structure of the phenomenon. The collection combines original construction solutions, machine embroidery technique and embroidery on hydrophobic foil and includes original handmade crochet accessories.

Klaudia Nytko, Collection “Quiet Weather”: “Quiet Weather” is a collection that was created as a reminiscence of my stay in Iceland where I left a piece of my heart. The completed models are fall memories of the island and the hope of returning. Thinking about the second circulation of textiles, for the most part, I made clothes from textiles and yarns from upcycling which made my my collection unique and interesting, just like Iceland – the thing that you can see only in one place and there will never be a second one like that.

Maciej Nodzenski, Collection “ANNIHILATION”:Inspired by the death of the coral reef, a reflection of everyday life, which loses its color, form, and intensity from day to day. Author’s own handmade prints and painted fabrics, quilting with PVC foil, textiles made by felting and self customized shoes. Whole collection was hand sewn by the designer.

GEORGE ENESCU NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF ARTS IASI (ALEXANDRU FEDIUC)

@alexandru.fediuc

The „Unidentified” collection is made by Alexandru Fediuc, a graduate of the „George Enescu” National University of Arts in Iasi. This collection is made as a manifesto, to draw attention to the fact that unidentified victims are not just a number, on the contrary, they have a past, friends and family. Physical identity and the individual’s presence in the material world end upon death. And still, the way that person influenced others and the mark they made can continue to exist.

HOOLDRA

@hooldra @hsiglobal

Feeric Fashion Week is the first fashion week in the world to join the #FurFree #FreeBlack initiative initiated by Humane Society International, and part of the #FurFreeRetailer programme. More than 1.7 million people have signed the petition to the European Commission calling for a ban on fur farms and the fur trade across Europe. World-renowned brands have joined the movement: Dolce&Gabanna, Prada, Furla, Versace, Gucci, and many more – over 1500 in total. Hooldra has also signed the document declaring itself a #FurFreeFashion Designer and #FurFreeRetailer partner, joining the movement to stop the killing of animals for fur. The Hooldra 2023 collection is created by emerging designers, students and graduates of art and design faculties in Romania. The collection proposes a sustainable vision of today’s fashion, an activist movement against the abusive consumerism that currently dominates the clothing industry. Starting from denim as a basic material, the collection proposes a multitude of creative visions and personal approaches under the unity of materiality. Besides the main aim to promote the reduction of material consumption, the HOOLDRA concept also challenges creativity and vision to create continuity in the clothing field using already existing, common resources to create innovative products.

UNIVERSITY OF ARTS AND DESIGN CLUJ-NAPOCA

@uadfashion

The group collection of BA and MA graduates from the 2023 promotion of Fashion Department, UAD, Cluj, represents a thorough analysis of several concepts, showing contemporary influences through dynamic forms, as well as a clarity of volumes and styles approached.

The clothing ensembles of BA students are made with various techniques for handling textile materials – manual embroidery or material perforations to play up the transparency and elegance of the outfits, turning them into unique pieces. Prototypes from the BA collections were made in the UADFASHION workshop.

BA Coordinators: Lect.univ.dr ALINA ANDREICA, Lect.univ.dr. ANCA-LUIZA ZAHARIA.

One of the articulated subjects from the group collection is sustainability and upcycling. Therefore, regarding the materials used by the MA graduates, sponsored by the Irina Schrotter brand, they made all the pieces presented from deadstock fabrics. This was a sponsored institutional partnership coordinated by IRINA SCHROTTER, together with her team.

MA Coordinator: Conf.univ.dr. LUCIAN BROSCĂȚEAN.

NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF ART BUCHAREST - UNARTE BUCHAREST

@unarte.bucuresti @unartemoda/ @ionutrazvan_ @son.mezon @dani.radu @danielradu.visuals @mariaacomisaru @amairaconcept @kkristina.a @biepetre @bianca.petre @elena.dana01 @danitpr @mihai_narciss

UNArte Group collection 2023 presented to the audience a representative collection that covers all important areas of study of the Bachelor’s and Master’s courses of the Fashion Department within the National University of Arts Bucharest.

The 17 graduates of the 2023 Fashion design investigate complementary fashion areas with an obvious balance from current clothing to the conceptual garments and pieces made in an interdisciplinary manner as a result of fashion meeting technology.

The artistic production and accessories from the UNArte Group collection 2023 are extracted from unique personal concepts, with heterogeneous artistic references, but all refer to universally valid themes such as space and form, texture and matter, natural or artificial, polarity or reality and its reflection.

The young designers understand that fashion is a suitable medium for their emotional and social messages to be transposed in various ways as in the form of contemporary solutions or clothes that cross poetic zones celebrating the artistic expressiveness of an absolute creative impulse.

UKRAINIAN FASHION EDUCATION GROUP

@ufeg.official

Ukrainian Fashion Education Group (UFEG) presented at Feeric Fashion Week a collection that survived the bombings.

Before the outbreak of war, the students created the concept of Cyber Angels, exploring the fusion of spirituality and technology in the 21st century man. Today, this collection takes on an even deeper meaning, as a confirmation that angels are not afraid of bombs.

Costumes and accessories that survived the bombing of the UFEG building have been given a new life and will be presented at Feeric Fashion Week in Sibiu.

How does the divine realm intertwine with the earthly realm? Who are we as humans in this digital age, where the virtual and physical worlds seamlessly merge and our digital identities transcend cyberspace? Can we transform our existence into a conscious act that not only does no harm to any other being, but also provides a life-giving force? These questions were defining for the designers of the UFEG group collection. And we strongly believe that the time for change has arrived. It is an opportunity for us to accept personal responsibility, to discover happiness, to exist together in different worlds, to express infinite love and to get a little closer to the angels…

Using state-of-the-art technologies, our graduates were able to not only create gorgeous art-inspired outfits, but also incorporate giant 3D masks that provide control over facial recognition, allowing wearers to maintain their unknown status but bypass facial recognition.

UNIVERSITY OF ZAGREB(ANTONIJA BRACANOVIĆ, DINO DUJIĆ, JAGODA KUKUL

@ttfzagreb/ @dino.dujic @__jk__design @antonija.bracanovic

Antonija Bracanović:The collection called The Future is Female “WWW2” was inspired by women from the 1940s who transforme from housewives into soldiers overnight. It is based on military clothing infused with feminine elements, featuring pastel tones of pink and mint. Throughout the collection, there are recurring elements such as ruffles and aprons, which symbolize the stereotypes imposed on women.

The design of the airplane model takes inspiration from the French bomber Flying Fortress B-17G, famously known as “The Pink Lady.” This particular aircraft is the sole survivor that actively participated in the Second World War. The inclusion of the airplane in the collection represents female bravery, adaptability, and equality.

Dino Dujić: Tainted Idyll collection interprets the national costume of Zagreb and brings it modern approach that is based on recognizable elements such as traditional silhouette and colors. The collection incorporates figurative invasion of corruption that took place during construction of the new cable car station that disrupted idyll of the region and as such is incorporated into a new version of national costume that tries to strike a balance between tradition and modernism.

Jagoda Kukulj: The collection is based on the internal and external struggle of a man when he feels the fear caused by an object, person or a situation. In a word, the collection follows duality, the relationship between two closely related phobias. Color palettes along with cuts and fashion figures portray a dramatic, restless atmosphere. Monophobia, as the fear of isolation and solitude, and agoraphobia, that is, the fear of open space and public places, collide in the form of this fashion collection.

FACULTY OF APPLIED ARTS, HELWAN UNIVERSITY

@the.neos.eg @cinco_eg

All the way from Cairo, Egypt, The Neos and Cinco groups Apparel and Technology design students from the Faculty of Applied Arts, Helwan University are presenting a ready to wear collection inspired by modern art, specifically the schools of Neo Expressionism & Expressionism.

Trends are a never ending cycle and we’re taking part of it with our vision and our style. The collection was inspired by paintings of several artists which were turned into new self made patterns and were printed on 100% cotton fabrics. Focusing on SS ’23 trends such as daring colors, the main idea was turning casual clothing into art worn on our skin.

FEERIC FASHION WEEK

@feericfashionweek

backstage photography DONALD GJOKA

@donaldgjoka

runway photography CORNEL PETRUS

@cornel_petrus

words MIRA WANDERLUST

@mirawanderlust