Latvian Innovation Was Apparent at Riga Fashion Week 2017

Inventing and being innovative is not limited to just new products and business services inventions. 

Inventors, innovators and designers of all things must also be inventive and innovative to stay ahead of the rest of the world. To be and to stay relevant, one must be inventive and innovative. Be a progressive thinker, and ultimately a progressive doer.

Fashion designers are amongst the most talented and smart visionaries in the world. 

Not only can they invent and innovate looks and styles of clothes, but they also must be fashionably and functionally correct in their designs, fabrics, materials and colors.

Riga Fashion Week 2017 ka inovaciju etalons 

http://www.db.lv/viedokli/eksperti/riga-fashion-week-2017-ka-inovaciju-etalons-468566

Unlike designing a new product, fashion holds the inventor creator designer to a higher standard of having to be cool, stylish, trendy, comfortable and functional all at the same time.

In inventive new products the color, the materials and the style doesn’t mean the success or failure of your product in the worlds market place.

However with fashion the color, the materials and the style must be right or the design could fail in the market.

Protecting your brand as well as your hopefully successful designs, is most important.

Trademarking your brand and its’ names with a small TM over them publically, and filing for design patents on your design patterns, is key to protecting what’s rightfully yours. 

After your hard earned brand and designs finally get out and introduced into the world, you don’t want knock off competitors stealing your successful brand, and or your designs. Therefore, filing for inexpensive trademarks and design patents is advised.

I first met the organizer of Riga Fashion Week, Elena Strahova, some 12 years ago, at a Washington DC Latvian designers Fashion show.

The Latvian fashion designer to the former lady president of Latvia, Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga and Elena, asked me at that event if we were driving back to New York. We said yes, so we drove them from Washington DC to New York. (a five hour car ride)

Fast forward 12 years, last week I saw Elena at her signature Riga Fashion Week event at the Latvian Riga Radisson Blu hotel on Elizabeth street.

Since 2004 the featured twice a year international fashion event in the Baltic States was organized by Elena Strahova, President of the Baltic Fashion Federation.

Since 1999 the Baltic Fashion Federation has been in business, and for the last 12 years organized the only fashion week in Latvia Riga.

“Riga Fashion Week” complies with all international fashion industry standards, and is always included in the International Calendar of the Fashion weeks, even being noticed by many of the top fashion industry magazines such as Vogue.it. 

The attendance at this years event was 15 times bigger than at Modes manifestācija, and thanks to the Riga Fashion Week, during the last 12 years the name of Riga and Latvia was mentioned in some 800 media publications around the world, thereby stimulating the development of Latvian businesses.

Riga Fashion Week (RFW), has a special commission of 3-4 people doing the selection of the designers, and their collections. One of them is RFW Fashion Director Olga Kolotova.

This Nolo show was a cooperation between a Latvian designer and global brand McDonald’s, which has no links to fashion, and is something new for the Latvian fashion market.

12K people attended this year (all together during all shows, presentations and parties).

“Apart from the bi annual RFW event, the Baltic Fashion Federation every year organizes Latvian Fashion Awards, which aims to promote the best Latvian established designers and young talented ones and their achievements on local and international markets.” Elena Strahova

While I was sitting near to the former president of Latvia, Valdis Zatlers, I asked him what he thought about this years Riga Fashion Week show.

“Riga is a fashionable city and this show conveys that.” Valdis Zatlers (former president of Latvia)

I also caught up with the star of this years Riga Fashion Week show, young and beautiful Dace Bahmann. An extremely talented Latvian fashion designer who that night showcased her inventive and innovative new fashion line.

The event featured beautiful girls, beautiful guys, beautiful people and stylish new inventive and innovative designed clothes by a brilliant Latvian designer. 

After the show I spoke with Latvian fashion designer Dace Bahmann, who has been inventing and designing clothes for the last five years. I asked her how she feels about her lines showing tonight.

“I still don't get what has happened and still feel amused, but I am proud of the work I have done."  Dace Bahmann

Dace Bahmann graduated from the Latvian Art Academy and since the academy she has been making new collections every year. In her design she uses natural materials - cotton, leather and silk. For the new collection she was inspiration by Scandinavian nature, and also from the powerful viking women. In the future her aim is to enter foreign markets. In December her new collection will be available in a London POP-up store. 

I personally loved, as the sold out crowd agreed, the whole Dace Bahmann new fashion line. Which will be available for public purchase at the innovative new BOLD concept store located at Baznīcas iela 18a, Centra rajons, Rīga. dacebahmann.com, kā arī Rīgas veikalos - 8Rooms, Commune Store and Baltic Space Store.

I spoke briefly to the BOLD concept store co owner Bruno Birmanis at the Riga Fashion Week. He was very happy to be a part of this years event.

Latvian fashion designer Dace Bahmann is an inspiration not only to other fashion designers, but also to all young startup fashion designers.

The dream can come true.

I applaud her un stoppable ambition and great taste.

Alan Amron

Inventions and Innovations db Business Reporter 

TRANSLATED BY ANNIJA APSITE

In the next issue of Dienas Bizness, you will be able to read more about the innovative ideas and inventions created right here in Latvia. I look forward to informing and inspiring Dienas Bizness readers.

If you have an idea or invention for a story in my weekly inventions and innovation business column, or you just have a question, email me at: alanamron@yahoo.com

Copyright Dienas Bizness 2017