Greek fashion at Thessaloniki trade show
Greek fashion is opening up to the world once again, with a number of local designers participating in «Fashion Forward International Thessaloniki» (Ffit) in September. Organized by Helexpo in collaboration with the Hellenic Fashion Designers’ Association, the fashion event is part of the 70th Thessaloniki International Fair and is scheduled to take place September 11-15. The next step The Thessaloniki fashion event follows the first edition of the Diners Athens Collections InStyle, a three-day milestone which took place at the Zappeion Hall in March. Organized by the Hellenic Fashion Designers’ Association under the auspices of the Municipality of Athens, the Diners Athens Collections InStyle became a landmark moment uniting the majority of Greek talent for the very first time. The second installment of the Athens Collections fashion week – this time featuring collections for spring/summer 2006 – is expected to take place in mid-October, with dates yet to be announced. Meanwhile, as the historic Thessaloniki fair prepares for a celebration on its 70th anniversary (September 9-18), the fashion motif will join other thematic sectors: decoration and interior design, digital sound, image and communication, four-wheel drive cars and global exchange (foreign participation complemented by the International Congress for External Trade and the ExpoParternariat). ‘Fashion Forward’ Set to unfold in a 2,000-square-meter pavilion, «Fashion Forward» aims to welcome representatives from international fashion houses as well as various Greek apparel companies. Foreign press together with local and international buyers are also expected to attend. A major part of «Fashion Forward» will be no fewer than 22 catwalk presentations, featuring Greek designs for the fall/winter 2005-2006 season. Participating in the fall event is a crop of seasoned as well as rising stars of the local fashion scene – all members of the Hellenic Fashion Designers’ Association. Michalis Aslanis, Makis Tselios, Loukia, Kathy Heyndels, Nikos-Takis, Daphne Valente, Christos Veloudakis, Orsalia Parthenis, Nicolas Mavropoulos, Mi-Ro, Liana Camba, Christoforos Kotentos, Constantinos, Nikolas, Simeoni, Andria, Pavlos Kyriakidis, Chara Lembessi, Katerina Alexandraki, Smaragdi, Yiannos Xenis, Lena Katsanidou and accessories designer Dimitris Dassios will join forces once more, to promote their trade. Capitalizing on the enormously successful March fashion week and the idea of newfound unity, the September event offers yet another opportunity for Greek fashion to spread its wings.
