Selected fashion brands taking part in the HFDA’s Fashion Development Mentoring can now prove themselves on the international platform

The Hungarian Fashion & Design Agency’s first Fashion Development Mentoring has successfully been completed, which provided the necessary knowledge and support the partaking fashion brands needed to gain stability in Hungary. Six of the programme’s graduate mentees have already been selected to participate in the joint international mentoring programme of the Hungarian Fashion and Design Agency (HFDA) and Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana (CNMI) starting in April and will be among the designers who will be able to acquire essential knowledge for international success via online consultations. Meanwhile, applications are now open for HFDA’s upcoming Fashion Development Mentoring.

The first Fashion Development Mentoring has come to an end, with ten talented designers receiving the opportunity to benefit from the support and help of experts. The renowned industry experts supported the brands in acquiring business, strategic and marketing knowledge on how to build and develop a successful brand. The experts mentored participants through workshops and one-to-one meetings, who are now able to build and expand their business with the right knowledge. The completion of the programme contributed towards helping brands become economically stable and successful.

Six of the programme’s graduates - ZIA, MERO, Alma Vetlényi, NINI, Kata Szegedi, THEFOUR - have been selected to take part in the HFDA - CNMI Mentoring Programme, advised by Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana to further develop their business which will prepare them for the challenges of cross-border markets. While the Fashion Development Mentoring focuses on gaining knowledge that are necessary for stable domestic operations, the international programme helps participants on how to promote their presence in foreign markets, contributing to increase their export activities and by doing so, strengthening the country's image.

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The mentees selected by Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana are the following:

The mentees will complete the programme at the end of 2021, after which they will be able to showcase the potential of their collections on the international market. Due to the precautions surrounding the virus situation, both the workshops and one-to-one meetings have started online. The further steps of the programme – such as factory visits and further professional consultations - will be continued by the mentored brands only after taking into consideration the current virus situation.

Considering professional aspects, the mentors will decide on which brands are the ones ready for their first big international appearance: the selected designers will represent Hungary at the following Milan Fashion Week event. This will include taking part in a permanent exhibition and being part of a fashion show, where they can present their collection to the profession, including buyers and journalists. This opportunity can pave the way for international sales opportunities.

“We are very pleased that Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana found six brands participating in the Fashion Development Mentoring that have met the standards required to be selected to take part in the HFDA - CNMI Mentoring Programme. This points rightly to the success of the training programme managed by Hungarian experts, which provided an excellent basis for international mentoring and shows that the participants received all the necessary knowledge needed to consider expanding abroad after stabilizing their business domestically.” – stated Zsófia Bata-Jakab, CEO of the Hungarian Fashion & Design Agency.

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About the Hungarian Fashion and Design Agency

The Hungarian Fashion and Design Agency (HFDA) was founded in 2018 as a subsidiary of the Hungarian Tourism Agency, focusing on two main sectors, the industries of Fashion and Design. The main goal of the agency is to promote the Hungarian Fashion and Design Industry internationally, and by doing so strengthening the country’s image. In addition, its most important tasks include increasing export, strengthening and developing domestic production, and developing and safeguarding traditional creative and professional knowledge. As an integrative organisation, a main goal of the Agency is to achieve effective professional coordination between domestic and international players of the fashion and design field, which is essential for long-term success.