Press releases

19 Jun 2019

Belarus presents its fashion industry in Stockholm

Photo courtesy of the Belarusian Embassy in Sweden

MINSK, 19 June (BelTA) – Belarus’ fashion industry, including fabric production, was presented in Stockholm on 18 June. The presentation was a big success, BelTA learned from the Belarusian Embassy in Sweden.

A new elite collection designed at Kamvol, the national textile industry flagship, was showcased at the reception arranged by the Belarusian Embassy in Sweden in the run-up to the 2nd European Games. “The company has recently been restructured and fitted with the latest in equipment. Now, its products are on par with the luxury segment of the global fashion industry. The collection was designed by famous Belarusian designer Ludmila Labkova in collaboration with Italian partners. Ludmila Labkova is known for developing uniforms of Team Belarus for the Olympic Games in Pyeongchang. The new collection was devised at Kamvol’s design center. After setting up this center, the fabric producer branched out into the wider world of fashion,” the diplomatic mission informed.

The presentation became possible due to the collaboration of the diplomatic mission with the Bellegprom Concern and the Fashion Mill project of the National Art Center for Children and Youth. Apart from collections of established professionals, Belarusian models flaunted collections of aspiring designers who won the Fashion Mill 2019 competition.

“After the presentation, head of the center Nadezhda Vasilchenko met with representatives of the Swedish School of Textiles based in Boras to discuss a possibility to resume contacts and cooperation in education and clothing design,” the embassy informed.

The reception was timed to the forthcoming Independence Day of Belarus and the centennial anniversary of the Belarusian diplomatic service. The event took place in a prestigious venue - the Baroque Hall of the Swedish History Museum.

Addressing the attendees Belarus’ Ambassador to Sweden Dmitry Mironchik reviewed the results of bilateral cooperation after the two countries resumed full diplomatic contacts a year ago. The ambassador emphasized that in 2018 Belarus-Sweden trade rose by a quarter. The positive trend in bilateral trade was posted for the first time after a break of many years.

Swedish companies including such giants as IKEA and Vattenfall show interest in cooperation with Belarus. Interaction has been established between public bodies, parliaments, and non-governmental organizations. The parties openly discuss all issues, including thorny ones.

The embassy has put together a photo exhibition in the Nati Swedish History Museum dedicated to the centennial anniversary of the Belarusian diplomatic service.

Deputy Director General and Head of the Department for Eastern Europe and Central Asia of the Swedish Foreign Ministry Andreas von Beckerath welcomed the intensification of contacts between Sweden and Belarus. He highlighted the fact that despite controversial issues related to human rights, there are some good examples of truly constructive cooperation, like the visit of Belarus Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Andrei Khudyk to Sweden in May 2019.

Andreas von Beckerath welcomed the interaction between Belarus and Sweden as part of the EU's Eastern Partnership initiative which turned 10 years this year. He particularly noted the similarity of the two countries' approaches to regional security, and commended the efforts of Minsk to strengthen it.

A wide range of Belarusian goods enjoying popularity in Sweden was on display during the reception. Those were sweets made by Belarus’ oldest confectionery Krasny Pischevik, Kamvol fabrics and toys made by Polesye company.

A lottery was held among the guests of the reception. The winners received tickets to the European Games.

The reception was attended by representatives of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Sweden, including heads of the state protocol service and the country department, ambassadors-at-large and officials of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Attending the reception was the head of the Stockholm City Council, staff of the Parliament Office, Nuclear and Radiation Safety Department, the Swedish Institute, other government bodies and organizations, business and academia, NGOs, and also compatriots residing in Sweden. The reception was attended by Director General of the Secretariat of the Council of the Baltic Sea States Maira Mora, and Director of the Northern Dimension Partnership in Public Health and Social Wellbeing (NDPHS) Ulla-Karin Nurm.