The opening of Riga Fashion Week took place at the Benjamin House, where a ceremonial reception for invited guests marked the official start of the week. As part of the opening, stylists who have worked on recent shows and photographers responsible for key RFW imagery also were honored.
The main shows of the season were held at two venues — the modern office complex Verde and the cultural space Hanzas Perons. A total of 18 designers participated in the main RFW shows. Latvian brands include Anna Kruz, BAÉ by Katya Shehurina, Iveta Vecmane, Katya Katya, Natalija Jansone, Studio MX, Sviests by Sergey Hatanzeisky, Una Berzina, and Verens. International participants included Hannes Rüütel (Estonia), Laura Daili and Lilija Klim-Larionova (Lithuania), Paul Williams Atelier (UK/Nigeria), and A.Cont (Spain/Peru). The Latvian Design Stories / Butterman space hosted presentations by Novaliss (Spain/Latvia), Annaelizabete.Fashion, and Lyuiize (Latvia).
A dedicated sustainability-focused program took place at the Treimane Studio pop-up space. On April 15, it featured a presentation of the brand’s eco-collection, followed by an evening party open to the public. On April 16, the venue hosted hands-on workshops on creating decorative accessories and bags.
Sustainability also was the focus of a panel discussion titled “Sustainable Fashion: a Niche or the Future?”. The discussion was addressed responsible production, material choices, and the role of green practices in the development of contemporary fashion.
This season’s cultural program included several exhibitions. At the Ola Foundation, the fashion photography exhibition “Asnate Smeltere. Continuity”. Meanwhile, the Latvian National Museum of Art hosted the exhibition “From Art Deco to the Present Day. Design and Craftsmanship in France”. International journalists also had a unique opportunity to preview the exhibition “Celebrity Wardrobes”, which opens to the public at the Riga Fashion Museum at the end of April.
On the final day of Fashion Week, Latvian designers offered special activities and promotions in their boutiques and showrooms.
Parties, an integral part of Riga Fashion Week, took place this season at Tribe Riga City Centre and Pullman Riga Old Town. After the final show, guests were invited to a collaborative event with Sviests by Sergey Hatanzeisky, continuing until morning at the official Riga Fashion Week club, Coyote Fly, located in the ExPorto complex on the banks of the Daugava River. The week concluded with a closed event and model awards ceremony at ICON Cocktail & Hookah Lounge, also in the ExPorto complex.
The main partners of Riga Fashion Week include Livland, the State Culture Capital Foundation, the Riga City Council, the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia, and Live Riga.
Follow Riga Fashion Week updates on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and the official website: www.rfw.lv.
