New York? Yes
Milan? Most definitely
Paris? Oui Oui
Prague? Um...
I don't exactly think Prague when I think of Fashion Week, and a lot of the fashion you'll see in Prague is...questionable. But we do produce some of the most drop dead gorgeous women in the world so it would only make sense that we have a Fashion Weekend. Prague is such a beautiful city in itself, now turn Pařížská street into a runway and you have fashion bliss!
I'm a HUGE fan of designer Tatiana Kovaříková and wish her (and all the other designers) a fabulous show!
Here's an article from The Prague Post:
Preview: Fashion Weekend
Two-day event brings high fashion to the masses
Posted: September 21, 2011
By Cat Contiguglia - Staff Writer
Czech and Slovak designers are taking to the runway in the second annual Prague Fashion Weekend, a two-day event that brings the region's high fashion, literally, to the city streets.
"We wanted to do some kind of fashion week, but we thought it could be better. We wanted to do something special; we could have had it closed off from the public, but we wanted to use the background of Pařížská street," said Lucie Maliníková, one of the organizers from Czechoslovak Models s.r.o., the driving force behind the event.
"It's great to have a fashion event in my town, where I'm from," said Pavlína Němcová, a former top model who became an international face, wearing designs for names like Nina Ricci at the height of her career before going on to become an actress. Němcová is now working to promote the event.
Prague Fashion Weekend isn't the only high-style fashion event in Prague, which has hosted Prague Fashion Week since 2002, a festival similar to events in Berlin and Paris in venues that require invitations. What sets Prague Fashion Weekend apart is its accessibility.
"It's a very good thing that the fashion business is coming to Prague, and in a way that normal people can see what fashion is all about," Němcová said.
The theme of this year's event will be "Fashion Has the Future," Maliníková said, and will revolve around how fashion will look in 2050. Shows will take place three to four times throughout the day, with models wearing collections from about 17 different designers and a dozen foreign brands. The shows will take place out in the open on Pařížská street, where many of the city's most exclusive fashion boutiques are situated. The street will be closed to cars, and a runway will stretch down much of its length.
"We think it's important the event is open to the public because these shows are really close to the people and they watch them on television, and it is kind of mysterious for them," Maliníková said. "Czech and Slovak designers are not so expensive that some people couldn't buy their designs, which is the reason we want to show them to the public. It's important to support the designers."
On Saturday, around 17 designers will be presented during the event, the majority of which are Slovak and Czech, including Klára Vytisková, who has gained notoriety for her band Toxique and design pieces known for their "untypical combinations."
"There are very talented people here, and really appreciated designers coming out of the Czech Republic who are making real work in the fashion world," Němcová said. "Big fashion events were never really a part of Prague, because it is such a small city, but now Prague is one of the world's major cities, so I'm glad this show is here."
Also present will be E.daniely, a brand by designers Daniela Flejšarová and Eva Janoušková with high-end and casual lines that have been worn by the likes of First Lady Lívia Klausová and Alena Šeredová, a model and former contestant in the Miss World competition.
Rather than detracting from the quality, the openness of the Prague Fashion Weekend makes for a "high-caliber" event with "quality that can compete abroad and in universal fashion weekends," said designer Zuzana Bottková, whose work, which will also be featured, ranges from leisure to business and social events and are trademarked by contrasting draping and the use of detailing, like hand painting on textile.
"Usually, fashion shows are exclusive and closed to the public, and the same VIP guests are repeated over and over again. When a show is outdoors, more people can see with their own eyes the fashion collections and feel the atmosphere," she said. "This is definitely a great experience for the audience and also for designers."
After the main show on Saturday, a show of around 80 outfits from internationally renowned Nina Ricci's winter and fall collection will take place, marking the designer's debut in the Czech Republic.
Sunday's shows will be dedicated to high end international brands, like Bogner, Airfield, Roberto Cavalli and Magic Child.
Both days will kick off with shows featuring nine young Czech and Slovak designers, competing for a 100,000 Kč prize from a jury of their peers, representatives from modeling agencies and Lenka Fabiánová, editor-in-chief of Marie Claire in the Czech Republic. The winner, who will be guaranteed a slot in next year's Fashion Weekend, will be announced Sunday, and will present another show at the end of the day.
Last year, Prague Fashion Weekend attracted around 15,000 people, according to Maliníková, who expects even more guests at this year's event.
Event Details
When: Saturday & Sunday, Sept. 24th & 25th from 1 pm
Where: Pařížská Street, Prague 1
Cost: FREE!
Featured designers: Zuzana Bottková, Brice Mensah, Miroslava Talavašková, Gianni Di Leo, Hana Sedláčková, Eva Beránková, Zuzana Veselá, Taňa Havlíčková, Mimi Lan, Hana Havelková, E.daniely, Jaroslava Procházková, Beata Rajská, Martina Nevařilová, Tatiana Kovaříková, Ivana Follová
Click here to be directed to Prague Fashion Weekend website
