Estonian design on display: DC Fashion Week hosts talent from Tallinn for first time for the first time at DC Fashion Week 20.09.2016
An outstanding delegation of 22 Estonian design brands arrive in Washington on Tuesday 20th Sept. to will participate at in the DC Fashion Week festival through Sept. 25th.
Designers will create a joint pop-up exhibition of fashion and design brands at the Estonian embassy, show their clothes and accessories on the runway during Fashion Week and meet with buyers and media.
Other events during the week include screening of the film Out of Fashion, a detailed creative documentary about fashion designer Reet Aus and her striving to upcycle industrial clothing scraps from Bangladesh into her own label, exploring and fighting against ‘fast fashion’ along the way, and a reading by American writer and editor Michael Dumiak from Woods and the Sea, an upcoming book about Estonian designers.
The aim of bringing Estonian fashion and design to Washington is to introduce Estonian strong Estonian brands toin the US, to exploreto create long-lasting cooperation possibilities partnerships and to develop e-commerce inof the sector.
Estonian designers produce world-class work and are poised to emerge on the big global stage. According to Ms. Liisa Oviir, Estonian Minister of Entrepreneurship Liisa Oviir is impressed by the , the potential for of Estonian design is high. „“OSo far only a few Estonian designers have managed to enter the demanding,— but very interesting— US market. However Estonian design is worth introducing. Once on stage our brands will speak for themselves, and I hope very much that this high-level fashion event will bring some mutually beneficial agreements”,” said minister Oviir said.
DC Fashion Week program will include a show of Estonian clothes and accessories, the designers will have meetings with media and buyers and at the Embassy of Estonia will be a joint pop-up exhibition of our fashion and design brands.
— The fashion show “EFBA presents: The Best of Estonian Fashion Design“ will be shown at the DC Fashion Week within the framework ofduring the International Couture Collections Show on September, 25 at the Carnegie Library. It will bring on stage over 100 looks, all styled to match.
“In Compiling the show, we were imagining the lifestyle of a successful American Washington design consumer and decided to include a broad variety of design brands:, starting from denim style, with the message of reuse, to everyday clothing, suitable for business meetings, to designs for evening receptions and galas,” says explained Ms. Oksana Tandit of the Estonian Fashion Brands Association. Tandit and Evelin Ojamets from the association organized the show.
„“The Estonian Designers Union has been introducinged Estonian design in foreign markets for years. Our competitiveness The competitiveness of our design is apparenthas been confirmed at different design aweeks and fashion fairs., Mmany of our designers have their representatives abroad. This encourages us to look to new markets. We hope that Estonian Design Days in Washington DC will open the door for us to one of the biggest and most important markets in the world”,” said told Ms. Ilona Gurjanova, head of Estonian Designers Union.
“„Estonian fashion should be seen on catwalks around the world. We have already proven ourselves in Europe, where for instance the Monton brand is sold successfully in department stores. US fashion market is difficult, but we believe we have something unique to offer—our very own design style and very good quality. We would also like to promote our online shop Andmorefashion.com, which already today delivers fashion to customers in more than 44 countries,“ said Ms. Maire Milder, head of retail concepts and branding atin Baltika, a Tallinn-based clothing manufacturer.
Designers appearing in Washington this week are: Represented in the project are: Ülle Pohjanheimo, Riina Põldroos, Reet Aus, Tiina Talumees, Kristina Viirpalu, Oksana Tandit, Monton, Baltman, Ivo Nikkolo, Gvido, Birgit Skolimowski, Tanel Veenre, Kadri Kruus, Uncle Paul, Elmet Treier, Stella Soomlais, Andres Labi, Karl Annus, Piret Loog, Mare Kelpman, New Vintage by Kriss, Estonian Design House.
— Schedule of DC Fashion Week and participants: http://www.dcfashionweek.org/
— Out of Fashion will be screened on Wednesday, 21st Sept. at 15.00 at West End Cinema, 2301 M Street NW, Washington DC
— Readings from Woods and the Sea will be Friday, 21st Sept. at 18.00 at Estonian Embassy, 2131 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington DC
Additional information:
Kairi Saar-Isop
Embassy of Estonia
202 5880101
kairi.saar@mfa.ee
