Minsk hosts the XXXIII National festival-competition of photo and fashion “Melnitsa mody – 2024”. It is scheduled to run across 3 days from June 3 to 5 with more than 100 institutions of learning participating.

Fifty best collections will reach the finale. In the meantime, today there are previews, educational seminars and lectures in the field of fashion and clothing design, and exhibition of photos from Belarusian and international experts. Professionals from Russia and Kazakhstan were invited as guests of the most fashionable event in the country.

Such a marvelous opportunity for aspiring artists, stylists, hairdressers, designers, make-up artists, fashion designers to show their talent through creativity is provided by the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Culture, National Centre for Artistic Creativity of Children and Youth, Minsk City Executive Committee and Bellegprom. The organizers of the festival-competition are confident that “Melnitsa mody” is a good beginning for young creators.

According to the director of the National Center for Artistic Creativity for Children and Youth, Nadezhda Vasilchenko: “Melnitsa mody” will be interesting and creative and, most importantly, it will be attractive to our youth, because its task and goal is to develop the taste of young people and, through collections, reflect their love for Belarus and understanding of their origins. We show that knowledge of our traditions and original culture is the starting point and idea of collections for designers, and we hope that thanks to this we will also increase the recognition of Belarusians on the international catwalk.”

The day before, the audience award was won by a student of the Vitebsk State Technological University, Daria Namitsyna, with her work “Tsudounaya namitka”. This is an ancient women's headdress. As the author admitted, she was inspired to create the photo by symbolism with sacred meaning. It is noteworthy that in each region the namitka had its own ornament and shape. “The patterns that we used in the photographs are stored in the VSTU museum at the Department of Design and Fashion. My idea came to fruition quite quickly, because my supervisor, my classmate and my mother helped me,” shared the contestant.

Tomorrow there will be a competitive show of collections of Belarusian designers-finalists of the competition in the “Fashion School” and “Fashion Master” nominations. Afterwards the winners will be determined. Then they will be able to bring their ideas to life together with leading light industry enterprises. And who knows, perhaps very soon the works of young couturiers will be trending.