Exhibition "Fashion and Textile 2013" Coming to Riga in April

From 19 to 21 April at the International Exhibition Centre in Riga, the 18th international textile, clothing, leather goods and manufacturing equipment exhibition "Fashion and Textile 2013" will take place, offering a wide-ranging exposition, fashion shows, a conference and a business networking exchange, as well as the latest spring/summer season collections and the young fashion designers competition "Habitus Baltija 2013".

"Fashion and Textile 2013" will bring together the most prominent fashion industry professionals, manufacturers and traders, as well as a broad range of end consumers. The exhibition has become an international communication and networking platform for professionals in the Baltic states, Scandinavia, Russia and the CIS countries, contributing to the development of the fashion and textile industry, as evidenced by the event's growing popularity each year among both participants and professional visitors.

Wide-Ranging Exposition from Latvian and International Companies

This year the exhibition will feature Latvian and international manufacturers and traders offering a broad range of clothing, home textiles, underwear, leather goods, accessories, manufacturing equipment and sewing supplies.

 "Taste Latvia" Stand

The exhibition will be complemented by collections from more than 30 of Latvia's most acclaimed and well-known designers, displayed at the "Taste Latvia" concept store stand, delighting every exhibition visitor. At the "Taste Latvia" stand, visitors can discover homegrown brands including Natālija Jansone, Anna Led, Aleksandrs Pavlovs, Baiba Ripa, Keita, Narciss, QooQoo, Zaneta Auzina, Ars Tela, Cinnamons, Irina Kosakova, Taste, Sanda Ezeriņa, One Wolf, Blank Blank and Reinis Ratnieks. Classic and contemporary accessories such as necklaces, bracelets, belts, bags and hats will be offered by Christiana Laure, Felt Style, Miesai, Patte, Baltu Rotas and 3 Wind Knots. There will also be a wide selection of clothing and accessories for children, both for everyday and special occasions, with collections from Zaza Couter, Denēze, Paade Mode, Leny Tomy Factory, Colorlicious, Beekid, Petra.lv and Beekid.

London Fashion Incubator "Fashion Enter"

The London fashion incubator "Fashion Enter" will participate in the exhibition with its own stand, offering consultations about the opportunities available to young designers through the incubator. At the stand, anyone interested can meet "Fashion Enter" director Jenny Holloway and discuss collaboration opportunities, ask any questions about running a fashion brand in London with "FashionCapital" portal editor-in-chief Jenny Satoni, and discover the offerings of talented new London designers. The incubator's services have been used by British designers and brands such as Jean-Pierre Braganza, Goat London, PPQ, Christian Blanken, Bora Aksu, Tramp in Disguise, Zoe Boomer, Hemyca, Masato and others.

Uzbekistan National Stand

Light industry products from Uzbekistan will be presented by companies of the state joint-stock company "Uzbekyengilsanoat", which will offer at the national stand cotton, wool and silk yarns, woven and knitted fabrics, cotton and silk products - shirts, underwear, socks, production raw materials and equipment.

Turkmenistan National Stand

The "Fashion and Textile 2013" exposition will also be complemented by a 90 m² Turkmenistan national stand, represented by the Turkmenistan Ministry of Textile Industry, the state joint-stock company "Turkmenhaly" and the Union of Producers and Entrepreneurs of Turkmenistan, offering high-quality textile products - wool yarn carpets, fabrics and yarn from natural raw materials, various technical and non-woven cotton goods and finished textile products.

Conference "Fashion and Design: Trends and Prospects"

On 19 April at the International Exhibition Centre at Ķīpsala, Riga, during the "Fashion and Textile 2013" exhibition, an international conference "Fashion and Design: Trends and Prospects" will take place, bringing together the best fashion experts, stylists, designers, manufacturer representatives and other fashion industry professionals.

"Fashion and Design: Trends and Prospects" participants will be able to learn about the latest trends in clothing design, consumer purchasing habits, the London fashion incubator's support for young entrepreneurs and other industry-relevant topics. There will also be an opportunity to hear business success stories, meet colleagues and internationally recognised fashion professionals, receive expert consultations and have a wonderful time.

The conference will feature both local and international speakers - Baltika group retail director in Latvia Maruta Ērgle, fashion journalist Ljuba Popova (Italy), NICE Fashion magazine editor Tune Skordal Tubiasone (Norway), Fashion Enter representative Jenny Holloway (United Kingdom) and other lecturers who have been working in the fashion business for many years. 

Business Networking Platform

The exhibition organisers offer interested entrepreneurs, manufacturers, traders and designers an exclusive opportunity for business networking and new collaboration projects - a B2B contact exchange, which before the exhibition offers the chance to connect with potential partners and prepare a high-quality individual meeting schedule, while during the exhibition days - to meet in person at the Business Centre, discuss collaboration opportunities and gain new business contacts. Currently 68 companies, manufacturers, suppliers and consultants from 17 countries are registered in the contact exchange.

Creative Young Fashion Designer Collections at the "Habitus Baltija 2013" Competition

On 20 April, at the 13th young fashion designers competition "Habitus Baltija 2013", young fashion artists from Latvia and abroad will present their costume collections, including students from ESMOD School of Fashion in Paris. "Habitus Baltija" participants will compete for a significant prize fund, one of which is a summer course at the Academy of Arts and Design NABA (Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti) in Milan. The competition "Habitus Baltija" is the only official fashion event included in the event programme of Riga as European Capital of Culture 2014. 

The exhibition "Fashion and Textile 2013" is organised by International Exhibition Organising Company BT1 in collaboration with the Latvian Investment and Development Agency, the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Latvian Light Industry Enterprises Association and the "Diplomatic Economic Club".