Elena Strahova, CEO, Riga Fashion Week: 'Latvian brands tend to operate within their own niche'

On the fringes of the traditional fashion industry circuit, Fashion Week in Latvia's capital Riga has established itself as a benchmark event in the Baltic region, distinguished by its focus on sustainability and ethics in fashion.

Elena Strahova, founder and CEO of Riga Fashion Week (RFW), which took place from April 8 to April 11, takes stock of the last edition in this interview with FashionUnited. She analyses the development and evolution of this particular Fashion Week, from its early stages to its current position, at a decisive moment for brands, which are indirectly affected by the conflict in Eastern Europe, are in search of new markets.

What was this year's edition like?

Elena Strahova: This season saw fewer established and experienced designers and more young brands than usual. Despite this change, the show was a success, showcasing a variety of new creative ideas and concepts on the catwalk.

In addition, the choice of a new venue, the Green Office Complex, surprised designers and guests alike and a festive atmosphere filled the main hall and backstage areas, contributing to the overall excitement of the event.

It was especially gratifying to have the Prime Minister of Latvia among the RFW guests, showing support for Latvian designers.

How has Riga Fashion Week evolved?

Initially, the idea of a project featuring major fashion shows by leading local designers and guests from abroad came about in 1997, inspired by my experience attending Paris Fashion Week with a colleague. This led us to conceive a similar event for Riga.

Thus, we created High Fashion Days in Riga, where designers presented luxury ready-to-wear and Haute Couture collections. It is noteworthy that Balmain Paris honoured us as guest designer of honour in 2003.

In 2004, the project evolved into Riga Fashion Week, focusing on pret-a-porter collections. Initially, foreign designers generated more interest in our local audience. However, over the last decade, this dynamic has changed, with local designers being the clear favourites.

How does Riga Fashion Week address the issue of sustainability and promote ethical and environmentally friendly practices among participating designers?

We have sought to do both through various initiatives. Over the past four seasons, we have conducted surveys and seminars to understand designers' commitment to sustainability standards. These standards cover aspects such as sustainable packaging, slow fashion, local production, use of sustainable materials, cruelty-free practices and waste minimisation.

A notable example of our efforts is the collaboration with Stockmann Riga shopping centre to organise a series of seminars and panel discussions during Riga Fashion Week, bringing together a local audience and international fashion industry experts to discuss pressing issues and innovative solutions in sustainable fashion.

Through such seminars and discussions, RFW not only provides a platform for designers to learn about and implement ethical and environmentally friendly practices in their work, but also educates local customers about the importance and benefits of sustainable fashion.

By actively engaging designers and industry professionals in conversations about responsible fashion, Riga Fashion Week plays a key role in driving positive change within the fashion industry towards a more sustainable future.

How is the event funded?

Riga Fashion Week receives funding from various sources, with approximately 30 percent of the budget coming from state funds and around 25 percent from the city council. Private sponsors contribute the remaining 45 per cent. Attendance at all fashion shows is strictly by invitation.

Prior to the pandemic, we typically received about 12,000 visitors per season. However, due to ongoing recovery efforts and external factors such as the geopolitical situation, attendance has dropped to approximately 8,000 this season. These challenges have inevitably impacted and slowed down several processes within the event.

Do you intend to expand your influence in the future to the rest of the Baltics?

We have had a significant presence throughout the Baltic region for quite some time. In Lithuania and Estonia, and of course in Latvia, Riga Fashion Week is widely recognised as the leading fashion event in the Baltic region. We believe we have reached the peak of our influence in the region so far.

What are the main markets for Latvian brands?

Each Latvian brand operates within its own niche, resulting in diverse markets that are difficult to categorise into just two to three main ones.

Before the war between Russia and Ukraine, the Russian market was very attractive for Baltic designers. However, due to the geopolitical situation, access to this market is now restricted. In addition, there used to be an increased flow of tourists, especially from Russia, who bought works by Latvian designers.

Now, Latvian designers are forced to look for new markets, which requires additional investment. While government support could be instrumental in this effort, funding has been decreasing as of this year, mainly directed at medium and large companies.

This reduction aligns with the ongoing post-Covid pandemic recovery efforts, during which many previous contacts were lost. In addition, rising energy costs and the transition to sustainable fashion business models further complicate the challenges faced by designers, especially those who are established.

How does the organisation verify that brands' sustainability claims are met?

All standards, even at European level, are still to be defined and their interpretations among experts are slightly different. Therefore, it is quite difficult to verify that brands comply with them.

Anyway, the standard ‘slow fashion’ in Latvia or, for example, in Germany, in general, means the same thing. It would be incorrect to say that in Latvia we have other standards that differ from the European ones. We do not impose specific standards on brands, but we actively encourage designers to adopt increasingly green and environmentally friendly practices. We remain committed to promoting sustainability and ethical practices within the industry. This has been our focus for the past four seasons of RFW.

This article was originally published on FashionUnited.ES. Translation and edit from Spanish into English by Veerle Versteeg.