At the Museum of Fine Arts on Sunday evening the fashion show for the design competition Gombold újra! - Divat a magyar [Rethink/re-button! Magyar is the Mode] saw winning costumes combining punk, rock and features of Transdanubian Hungarian folk costume, skirts made using folk sewing techniques, and folk motifs brought to life with modern styling.
An official fashion ambassador for Hungary was also appointed. The government spokesperson called the event a celebration of fashion and creativity.
The competition was jointly organised by the Ministry of Public Administration and Justice (also responsible for the management of the national brand), Design Terminal non-profit organisation, and the Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design. The goal was the renewal of Hungarian fashion traditions and stimulation of the creative economy, thus encouraging Hungarian fashion designers entering the competition to put forward ideas using any element of traditional Hungarian clothing.
The competition was announced in February 2011 and attracted nearly 400 design concepts – which surpassed all expectations – of which 35 made it to the final of the fashion show held on 8 May as part of Europe Day.
Before the award ceremony the Minister of Public Administration and Justice Tibor Navracsics officially appointed internationally-recognised model Enikő Mihalik the fashion ambassador of Hungary.
The jury awarded first prize to Renáta Gyöngyösi’s collection entitled ‘Metallic-Folklore’; Szilárd Surányi’s work ‘BAIWERT’ took second place and Márta Náfrádi’s collection ‘Lavender’ came third.
The special WAMP Prize was awarded to The Beta Version (Zsófia Rainer-Micsinyei, Cecília Varga) with their collection called ‘Pixelfolk’, and fashion magazine Fashion Issue announced that they would publish a two-page feature on the collection ‘Pure White’ by Ádám Baranyai, Anett Evelin Gálvölgyi, Anna Zsófia Kormos and Zsolt Márton Miovácz.
The special feature of the event was when internationally-recognised model Enikő Mihalik was appointed as Hungary’s first official fashion ambassador, and now she can internationally promote our country’s richly talented young fashion scene all over the world.
The members of the jury were: Gábor Kopek, Rector of the Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design (jury chairman); Borbála Papp-Váry, Deputy Minister of State for Government Communication; László Baán, Director of the Budapest Museum of Fine Arts; Krisztina Maróy, Editor-in-chief of Glamour magazine; Péter Novák, actor and musician; Renáta Tolvay, 2010 winner of the TV talent show Megasztár; and Kati Zoób, fashion designer.
The audience prize will be awarded on the basis of votes cast by the public on the event’s Facebook fan page.
Government spokesperson Anna Nagy told kormany.hu that she loved many of the collections she had seen, and the evening proved that creative industries can be a real economic engine in Hungary, building momentum for the economy. This special competition aimed to call attention to this industry's economic potential and creative opportunities. The fashion show's success, as seen in the number of competitors and the unexpectedly high audience interest, will open the door to continuing the initiative.
Further information on the fashion show can be viewed on gomboldujra.hu and Facebook.
(kormany.hu)
