MFW – Closing web news After Budapest, Hungarian fashion brands debuted in Milan

Hungarian designers targeted the Italian fashion citadel at the end of February, where seven Hungarian brands presented the pieces of their newest 2022/23 autumn-winter collections. The participants of the joint International Mentoring Programme of the Hungarian Fashion & Design Agency (HFDA) and the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana (CNMI) displayed their pieces at one of the most significant fashion week at three different venues. The Milan Fashion Week is one of the essential starting points for conquering international markets since many resellers, distributors, and wholesalers visit the event besides the international profession and renowned press representatives.

The participants of the joint International Mentoring Programme of the Hungarian Fashion & Design Agency and the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana – ABODI, CUKOVY, Elysian, KATA SZEGEDI, NINI, THEFOUR and ZSIGMOND – were given the opportunity to present the pieces of their 2022/23 autumn-winter collections between the 22–28^th of February in Milan. The Milan Fashion Week is a special occasion in the international fashion calendar: not only is it one of the most famous international fashion events, but it is the biggest one. The event attracts more than 20 thousand visitors each season, including international resellers, distributors, and wholesalers.

At the accentuated fashion event of the Italian fashion capital, Hungarian brands appeared at three locations; thus, they presented the domestic fashion’s unique pieces on various occasions and in different forms. The unified presentation strengthened this since they were exhibited under the HFDA’s umbrella brand for the seventh time now. The Budapest Select proved its worth again, just like in previous seasons: it made the designers’ works easily identifiable and attractive by emphasising the strengths of contemporary Hungarian fashion.

Four brands – ABODI, Elysian, Kata Szegedi and THEFOUR – proved their talents at the Budapest Select Collective Fashion Show’s catwalk on the 26^th of February, but the Fashion HUB exhibition space was also filled with Hungarian designer pieces during the Milan Fashion Week. At the exhibition, in addition to the four Hungarian designers presenting at the fashion show, three designers appeared  – CUKOVY, NINI and ZSIGMOND – thus, altogether, seven Hungarian brands’ pieces could be viewed. The exhibition provided an insight into an outstanding selection of contemporary Hungarian fashion since international guests could explore menswear and unique bags besides women’s clothing. In addition, CUKOVY held their individual presentation on the 25^th of February, for which they had previously won the Buyers Award, symbolising the highest professional esteem.

The Hungarian talents and their pieces proved their worth each time: international visitors arrived at the Fashion HUB exhibition space all week long, and almost 250 viewers watched the Budapest Select Collective Fashion Show live. Besides the catwalks, the auditorium was filled with famous professionals such as Sara Sozzani Maino, leader of Vogue Talents; Carlo Capasa, leader of the CNMI; and Suzy Menkes, journalist and fashion critic. From the renowned international press representatives, colleagues of Vogue Italia, Elle Italia, WWD, Grazie, Diva, Pambianco, MF Fashion, and Fashion Chanel arrived to get to know Hungarian pieces first-hand.

The Milano Fashion Week is a unique opportunity for Hungarian brands to enter the international markets, which has been demonstrated again. Various resellers, distributors, and wholesalers also visited the fashion show and the Fashion HUB’s venue. Among others, the Italian MDM7 Showroom and the Japanese Marubeni were represented. Furthermore, orders were placed for the Hungarian talents’ creations in the Budapest Central European Showroom in the building of the ADI Design Museum as well, which further expanded the brands’ sales possibilities.