The Launch of the European JOB Bank and DESIGNERS Exchange

European Fashion Council celebrated five year anniversary from its establishment

European Fashion Rise contest – a career booster for young stylists and designers

EFC Press / May 19, 2012
Plovdiv, Bulgaria, EU

The 5th anniversary of the establishment of European Fashion Council on May 19 was celebrated with liturgical prayer for success in the Roman Catholic cathedral “St.Ludvig” for the six member states of the EFC (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Hungary, Malta, Netherlands) and with Eastern Orthodox ceremony at the Headquarters of the organization in Bulgaria for the member states Armenia, Bulgaria, Serbia, Romania, Ukraine. For the member states with Protestant faith (Iceland, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Norway, Sweden), a prayer service for achievement and progress was scheduled in the largest Protestant church in South East Europe located in Plovdiv and also a Muslim prayer in “Dzhumaya” Mosque in Plovdiv was made for Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina as Muslim-majority countries.

Welcome address, the Ambassador of Russia H.E. POTAPOV to EFC

With those prayers for God’s Blessing, were launched series of events, for the beginning of the implementation of the EFC Program “Fashion Europe”, to mark the fifth anniversary of its establishment.

EFC founders 2007, Plovdiv, Bulgaria

19 representative fashion NGOs in each European member state, achieved the goal, for which this Council was established – to put fashion and fashion design in the European economic and cultural calendar. Admirations to:

Austrian Association for the Advancement Designs with Managers Mr. Wolfgang LANDEGER and Mrs. Claudia LUCAS; Modo Bruxellae, Belgium with President Mrs. Sonja NOEL; the National Fashion Chamber of Bulgaria with President Ms. Nadya VALEVA; the National Fashion Chamber of Czech Republic with President Mrs. Julia HENDRYCHOVA; Denmark Fashion Tomorrow management with Director Mrs. Anne Marie MONDRUP; Estonian Fashion Council with President Mrs. Anu KIKAS; the National Fashion League Hungary with President Mrs. Gabriella WALEK-MANYI; Baltic Fashion Federation with President Ms. Elena STRAHOVA; Association of the Malta Fashion Awards with President Mr. Adrian J. MIZZI; Europa Regina Organization of the Netherlands with Director Frank VERSPOOR; Dr. Eng. Carmen GHITULEASA, General Director of The Research-Development National Institute for Textile and Leather of Romania and also former Director Mrs. Emilia VISILEANU; NOBLE Trust & NOBLE Fashion Awards Association of Sweden with President Sir Mats PEETERSSON; the European Economic Area member states by Iceland Fashion Week Organization with President Mrs. Kolla ADALSTEINSDOTTIR; Oslo Fashion Week organization with Director Mr. Pal VASBOTTEN and associative EFC member states by Albanian Fashion Designers Association with President Mrs. Diana SOKOLAJ; Armenian Fashion Council with Executive Vice President Mrs. Armine TADVEOSYAN; Sarajevo Fashion Week SFW Studio Fashion Organization with President Mrs. Amela RADAN; the National Fashion Chamber of Serbia with President Mrs. Svetlana HORVAT and Ukrainian Fashion Council with President Mrs. Iryna DANYLEVSKA.

Working moment of preparing of the EFC founding status

“Fool is anyone who sees in fashion only the fashion”, said the great Balzac. In his welcome address, the Ambassador of Russia H.E .POTAPOV, with the attendance of Cultural Attaché of the Russian Embassy, recalled that famous quote guidance to the founders in the “Hyndlian” House-Museum in the Ancient town of Plovdiv, Bulgaria in front of the attending Ambassadors of Estonia, Norway, representatives from Plovdiv Municipality and guests. In the recent history of Europe, namely the European Fashion Council proved the fashion to be an innovative policy, which provides through its public force cultural, economic and educational prosperity, international relations, humanitarian and charitable activities, and participate successfully in the preparation and implementation of various EU’s sector policies.

The first of them are the Dutch project for online European JOB BANK and the Bulgarian project for traditional and annual European DESIGNERS EXCHANGE as the most important for the future of the creative fashion industry. They will be presented on July 03-04, 2012 in Budapest, Hungary as part of the first semi- final of European Fashion Rise contest for young stylists and designers, whose European semi- finals and finals will be under the patronage of Mr. Laszlo Andor, Member of the European Commission.

The 20th European finalists of the contest will present their conceptual project in an Open FASHION EXHIBITION, as a part of the First European Fashion Rise contest with Designers Exchange, where all young European designers aged between 15 and 30 years seeking their way to work as fashion designers, may participate for free and be permanently included in the European Job Bank. Through this Exchange the EFC supported by Mr. Andor, will give a unique opportunity not only for young artists, but also for owners and managers of fashion houses and studios for direct meetings with young artists and to discover and engage assistant designers, fashion designers and stylists with the most fresh ideas for creating fashion collections. Registrations will be made from May 20, 2012 to June 20, 2012 through a registration form which you can receive from e-mail: exchange@europeanfashioncouncil.eu and for media accreditations to e-mail: press@europeanfashioncouncil.eu

The most attractive part of the First European Fashion Rise contest for young stylists and designers are the semi-finals on August 03-04, 2012 with fashion shows by the finalists from 20 European countries including Cyprus as host and Presidency of the Council of the EU during this period. The big finale is on August 06, 2012, when not only the first winner and the most talented young fashion designer in Europe will be selected, but also the fifth anniversary of EFC will be marked, on the date, when the legal registration according to European legislation was made.

The fifth anniversary of European Fashion Council celebration will continue in the autumn with a Grand Premiere of the EFC member states’ biggest names and fashion labels presented as Charity Gala Dinner with fashion show in Strasbourg and Brussels for Members of the European Parliament, Diplomatic Corps and EU Institutions.