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 Macedonia-US fashion collaboration
Through USAID's Macedonia Competitiveness Project, CARANA is connecting Macedonian apparel manufacturers with new markets, like the United Kingdom, and helping them get the technical advice and financing they need to serve full package customers. Competitive Macedonian companies must develop their own collections and brands for sale to regional and EU markets.
To pilot this process, CARANA enlisted the assistance of three fashion design students from Marymount University in Virginia, who created winter collections with lines based on their views of US and UK markets and trends, focusing on high street brands like Top Shop, Monsoon and Asos.com. CARANA then shared the designs with buyers attending the apparel B2B organized by MCP and with Macedonian companies, which constructed samples of the students’ designs.
In April 2010, models wore those samples at Marymount's annual fashion show, which also featured a display of the students' sketches and a description of MCP's efforts to expand the apparel value chain. Macedonia's ambassador, Zoran Jolevski, spoke at the show's conclusion and presented certificates of appreciation to the students. Voice of America's Macedonian edition and Macedonian television stations interviewed students and CARANA's Lori Brock, a Marymount alumna who organized the collaboration.
Macedonian apparel makers may include or modify these designs for their own collections. CARANA will encourage further teaming between US students and Macedonian manufacturers as well as between US and Macedonian design students to create looks for apparel manufacturers to consider and present as own designs in trade shows starting January 2011.
Published May 2010
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