From April 14 to 18, Riga Fashion Week (RFW), the most important event of the Baltic region's fashion industry, took place in the capital of Latvia. The week's program combined shows by leading designers, exhibitions, educational initiatives and a series of accompanying events dedicated to fashion, design and contemporary culture. During five days, Riga became the central platform for the professional community and a wider audience interested in fashion and visual culture, promoting the exchange of experience, the development of the industry and the strengthening of international ties.
The opening of "Riga Fashion Week" took place at Benjaminiu House, where a ceremonial welcome of the invited guests and the official start of the fashion week took place. During the opening, there was also an awarding of the stylists who created the shows in the last seasons, and an awarding of the photographers who created the main visual images of "RFW".
The main shows of the season took place in two venues - in the modern office complex "Verde" and in the cultural space "Hanzas Perons". 18 designers participated in the main shows of "RFW", among which the Latvian brands are "Anna Kruz", "BAÉ by Katya Shehurina", "Iveta Vecmane", "Katya Katya", "Natālija Jansone", "Studio MX", "Sviests by Sergey Hatanzeisky", "Una Berzina" and "Verens". Among the international participants: "Hannes Rüütel" (Estonia), "Laura Daili" and "Lilija Klim-Larionova" (Lithuania), "Paul Williams Atelier" (Great Britain / Nigeria) and "A.Cont" (Spain / Peru). Presentations of the collections "Novaliss" (Spain / Latvia), "Annaelizabete.Fashion" and "Lyuize" (Latvia) were held in the "Latvian Design Stories / Butterman" room.
A separate part of the program, which was related to the topic of sustainable fashion, took place in the "Treimane Studio" "pop-up" room. Namely, there was a presentation of the collection of the ecological brand of the same name, and in the evening - a party for all interested parties. The next day, the room became a place for practical workshops on making decorative accessories and bags.
Sustainability also became the subject of a separate discussion, "Sustainable Fashion: Niche or Future?" (in the program: "Sustainable Fashion: a Niche or the Future?") topic. During the discussion, the participants focused on issues of responsible production, material selection and the role of "green" practices in the development of the modern fashion industry.
The cultural program this time was marked by several exhibitions. The fashion photography exhibition "Asnate Smeltere. Continuity" was on view at the "Ola Foundation" premises. On the other hand, the exhibition "From Art Deco to the present. Design and craftsmanship in France" was available for viewing at the Latvian National Art Museum. Foreign journalists had a unique opportunity to see the exposition of the exhibition "Celebrity Outfits", which was opened to the general public at the end of April at the Riga Fashion Museum.
On the final day of the fashion week, Latvian designers had prepared special activities and offers in their stores and "showrooms".
Parties that have become an integral part of the "Riga Fashion Week" program were held this season at "Tribe Riga City Center" and "Pullman Riga Old Town". After the final show, guests were treated to an event in cooperation with "Sviests by Sergey Hatanzeisky", which continued until the morning at the official club "Coyote Fly" of Riga Fashion Week. It is located in the "ExPorto" complex on the banks of the Daugava. The week ended with a closed evening event and model award ceremony "ICON Cocktail & Hookah Lounge" in the aforementioned ExPorto complex.
Main partners of Riga Fashion Week: "Livland", State Cultural Capital Fund, Riga City Council, Latvian Investment and Development Agency and "Live Riga".
Follow Riga Fashion Week news on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and the official website www.rfw.lv.