Dates: Jan 31 – Feb 3, 2011

MBFW Offers Aspiring Young Designers a Chance to Shine

Swedish fashion designers are playing an increasingly greater role on the international stage – and government agencies are now paying attention.

The Swedish Institute, Visit Sweden, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Stockholm Visitors Board have elected to promote Swedish designers with a view both to communicating Sweden as an important player within design and Stockholm as a shopping destination.

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week is also positioning itself as an influential forum for aspiring Swedish fashion designers through such initiatives as Mercedes-Benz Young Fashion Industry Award and Max Factor Award.

The design exchange with Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Berlin is just one of several activities included in the state funded communication plan that focuses on the Swedish enterprises deemed to have the greatest export potential. This is why three of Sweden’s aspiring young fashion designers; Camilla Norrback, Diana Orving and Ida Sjöstedt have been given the opportunity to showcase their collections for an international audience in Berlin on 21st January. This initiative is taking place in collaboration with Mercedes-Benz, who has also been the title sponsor for the Swedish presentation week since summer 2010.

“We’re pooling our resources in a bid to strengthen Sweden as a player on the international design scene. We’ve been asked by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs to develop a comprehensive communication strategy aimed towards harnessing the international interest being shown in Swedish fashion,” says Anna Maria Bernitz, Project Manager for fashion at The Swedish Institute.

The Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week is also an event that actively works to strengthen the growth of new and rising fashion designers on the home front. Initiatives such as the Mercedes-Benz Young Fashion Industry Award and the Max Factor Award are two recognitions that are presented annually to designers perceived to have a successful future ahead of them within the fashion industry. The awards give the respective winners the opportunity to show their collections for buyers and journalists at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Stockholm.

“Mercedes-Benz has been working to support fashion for a long time through our commitment as title sponsor for a string of international fashion weeks. To be able to contribute and via the Mercedes-Benz YFI Award create a hotbed for unestablished yet promising Swedish designers is very gratifying and important,” says Roelof Lamberts, Managing Director, Sales and Marketing at Mercedes-Benz.

At the last fashion week, the Mercedes-Benz YFI Award went to Karin Malm, who subsequently will show her collection at the upcoming Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Stockholm. This year’s Max Factor Award was presented to Ann-Sofie Back, and she will now be showing her collection during week 5 in Stockholm.

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Stockholm opens on 31st January 2011 and closes on 3rd February. Berns Salonger and ASFB are the organisers of this fashion week. For a complete schedule that includes times and venues, please visit www.mercedes-benzfashionweek.se

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