In just two seasons, the Mercedes-Benz Bucharest Fashion Week (MBBFW) has established itself as one of the most interesting events in the international young fashion scene. The Romanian event has built up an ambitious platform that is supported by important institutional partnerships-such as the Camera Nazionale Della Moda Italiana (CNMI)-the support from first-class sponsors such as Mercedes-Benz and a strong focus on creative talents from Eastern Europe.
This strategic combination is no coincidence: it is an answer to the growing importance of Romania as a production location for luxury brands-companies such as Louis Vuitton and Moncler shift parts of their production to the country-and in the interest of establishing an independent fashion ecosystem that is established with other regional capital such as Budapest or the conceptual FEERIC Fashion Week in To compete and stand in dialogue.
“Talent alone is not enough today: strategy and knowledge are crucial in order to be successful in this industry,” Roxana Voloseniuc – co -founder of the event together with the entrepreneur Mario Antico – recalls during a conference for young designers: inside, which was the start of the event. After the pandemic, both recognized the urgent need to create a space that helps to revive the fashion ecosystem in Romania after many of its key structures, from magazines to showrooms, have disappeared.
Today this reconstruction bears the first fruits. The second edition was able to welcome international buyers: inside – from Italy to Japan – influencers: inside and specialist media. Fashionunited traveled to Bucharest to pursue the development of the new fashion landscape in Eastern Europe up close, the main players: to get to know and find out why we should already pay them our attention.
Regional shop windows with global ambitions
The fashion week is under the direction of co -founder Voloseniuc, which curated the program of fashion shows. This in addition to her work as editor -in -chief of Elle Romania – the most influential publication in the country, since a large part of the competition has hired her work during the pandemic. The event brought more than 20 designers: inside from Romania, Ukraine, Poland, Hungary, Moldova and Italy.
Although the majority of the presentations took place in the National Art Museum of Bucharest, some brands – such as Almaz, Nissa, Vol or Manokhi – opt for an alternative place of presentation.
The national brand Manokhi organized a private event with Chiara Ferragni as a host. The brand, which specializes in handmade leather and strong aesthetics, is enthusiastic about international celebrities, has positioned itself in the luxury segment with a clear international orientation, but keeps its roots in Romania and is considered one of the most relevant contemporary brands in the country.
Reserved aesthetics, strong messages
In aesthetic terms, this edition relied on a puristic elegance and a confident image of women. Neutral tones such as white, black and beige, the catwalks dominated, with nightly accents in the form of shine, lingerie references and body-hugging silhouettes. Nevertheless, the lack of variety on the catwalk – a recurring topic of most presentations – losing some creations in effect because the variety of different body shapes was ignored.
In harmony with these neutral tones, the Moldavian designer Violette presented a theatrical and delicate collection with her label RXquette that oscillated between masculine and intimate. In the backstage area you could admire every stab of their elongated silhouettes: classically interpreted tailoring through transparency and manual details-embroidery, lace, veil-that outlined a strict, almost performative femininity. “Bucharest has a raw but honest energy,” said the designer, who now lives in Paris and chose this city as a launch pad due to its strong emotional connection to the local creative scene. “For our knitting goods we work with a small factory in Oradea, Transylvania. It is a family business that specializes in handmade clothing from natural fibers.”
At the fashion show of the Romanian brand M.Marquise, on the other hand, expansive hats – which vouched for attention in the front row – were integrated into a collection as simple as it were sophisticated.
Exciting colors
In contrast to this color reluctance, Ami Amalia allows the show. The audience stirred their collection of colorful and emotional knitwear thanks to an intimate and well -implemented narrative. “She managed to combine creativity and functionality in a timeless manner,” commented Risako Genno, buyer of the Japanese department store Hankyu, which highlighted the brand as one of its favorites.
“The Romanian creative scene is incredibly lively and full of potential. There is a clear feeling of individuality among the designers: inside and artists: and I find the combination of traditional influences and modern innovation particularly interesting. It is exciting to see how the local scene is developing and is recognized worldwide,” said the buyer about the event.
In the sense of these distinctive designs, Alessandra Sipa relied on provocation and punk aesthetics: transparency, lace and layering as well as a combative, vibrating attitude, as sharp as their torn stockings.
Design with message
In addition to the pure aesthetics, the MBBFW strengthens its positioning as a curated platform, which relies on designers: inside with a message, strong roots and critical vision. The expectations of the Ukrainian labels Kseniaschnaider and Litkovska were high, and both fell fairly to them.
Kseniaschnaider presented a collection that led Denim into new dimensions, both in the literal and figurative sense. With pants in exaggerated, almost sculptural silhouettes and jackets that question the traditional construction, the label confirmed its characteristic playful tone.
Litkovska, on the other hand, relied on a reserved and deeply conceptual collection in which cultural references interweave with a refined utilitarian aesthetics. Wide silhouettes, structured layering and newspaper prints as a symbol of social and political criticism shaped their designs.
“Find out more about politics, not just about fashion. Everything that happens affects your consumers: inside,” recalled designer Massimiliano Gioretti, representative of Polimoda, the young designers: inside at the opening event.
And although the fashion world is a bladder, we met a right -wing extremist demonstration when we arrived in Bucharest in response to the cancellation of the presidential election in December 2024.
Populist Călin Georgescu, who was disqualified due to alleged Russian influence and abuse of artificial intelligence, was the focus of a political crisis that holds the country in a climate of uncertainty.
New talents in sight
The next edition, which is planned for October, will strengthen its connections to Italy thanks to a new partnership with the renowned Institut Polimoda, which will promote the student exchange and mentoring programs as an academic partner.
In addition, Next Generation was presented, a training program that will start from April and includes three pillars: the Fashion Talent Award, a competition for young designers: inside with a jury of experts; the business accelerator that focuses on strategy and corporate management in the fashion industry; And the Sustainable Design Lab, an experimental room with a focus on sustainable design.
This article previously appeared on fashionunited.es and was used with the help of digital tools translated.
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