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European fashion would have been different if Gianni Versace had not passed away

09 December 2013 / 13:12:32  GRReporter
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Fanny Papadopoulou is a Bulgarian designer and the owner of "Fanny Fashion" house. She has won the awards for the best fashion house and best designer of the Association of Designers and Stylists in Bulgaria, the Golden Needle for best designer of the Fashion Academy and the award for Lifetime Achievement of the Bulgarian Fashion Forum. Fanny Papadopoulou graduated in textile engineering and she is a researcher in the field of fashion modelling and constructions. She is married to a Greek, whose father was a political refugee and has no relationship to Bulgarian actress Anna Papadopoulou.
    An interview with Polina Spartyanova

 Mrs. Papadopoulou, what are the fashion trends for this autumn-winter season?
    This is the most complex question regarding our industry because, in recent years, fashion has been highly varied and it now has nothing to do with the fashion trends of 15-20 years ago when a specific colour was trendy and all were wearing the same; things are different now. Every company and every designer have their own perceptions. Basically, we could say that fashion returns to the 1960s and 1970s, with the mini dresses and those graphic colour contrasts in clothing and combinations of colours such as yellow and blue, red and white, white and black are typical.
What is about to change in the next spring-summer season?
    In terms of formal attire, free falling heavy silk dresses, without very tight corsets, will return. There was a tendency for larger jackets and skirts, and for long, heavy fabrics that are very well structured when they are shown on the podium but this trend will continue on larger podiums alone. The great designers are offering and imposing a variety of different silhouettes, which we cannot disregard but, despite our modest means, we have plenty of ideas too.
What is your advice in connection with the upcoming holidays? How can one be noted during the Christmas holidays, for example?
    It is a matter of each woman’s taste. Some are braver and really want to stand out during the Christmas holidays but at cocktail parties, in the majority of the cases. A lot of women prefer to dress in black, which is a fashionable colour this season too, especially the little black dress accompanied by beautiful jewellery. Brussels lace with a shiny thread is fashionable too. This season's fashionable colours are black, red and dark blue.
Do you think that the Bulgarian woman is elegant and why?
    Yes, she is. It is another matter that years ago one could see many elegant women on the street whereas it now seems that the Bulgarian woman has become more practical. Currently she prefers the "sports" style to the "sport-elegant" style and that is why it is difficult to see on the street a woman who is more elegant. However, I have noticed that they comply with the protocol in offices and there are many well-dressed women there. I have also noticed that the majority of the Bulgarian women begin to pay more attention to their appearance after the age of 50 and many women look better at the age of 55 than a few years earlier.
Is there room for comparison between the Bulgarian and Greek woman?
    I made personal observations during the summer when I was in Greece and I can say that the style of Greek women is bolder than that of the Bulgarians. They are more open to more interesting things than the Bulgarian women are at present. It depends on the age of course, but in Bulgaria, for example, the style of the girls is more modest and more conservative compared to the style of Greek girls.
What is your favourite garment?
    This is a very complex question because it is very difficult when I have to choose what to wear. From a professional perspective, my style is quite modest and now, for example, I am wearing a "black uniform" due to professional distortion, but in the summer, I wear lighter colours such as red. I like to wear a comfortable suit with a tailored jacket, but not one of the most classic ones. However, despite the fact that I am a designer, I cannot wear clothes that make me different from others.
Do you have an "icon" in the fashion business? Who is he or she?
    There are many good designers but Valentino, with his perfect ideas for dresses, is my favourite. I also like Dolce & Gabanna, despite all the scandals connected with them, as they are different every season and their collections are completely finished and always carry a message. Each garment taken separately may not be something great, but you can understand the message of the designer only when you see the entire collection. Elie Saab also shows very light, airy and elegant models for young girls, which impress me too. Nevertheless, I am of the opinion that if Versace had not died in such a ridiculous way, European fashion would have been quite different at present. Although we are talking about a trademark and the designers have been striving to maintain its style to this day, this great designer is unique.
Do we know some of your customers?

Tags: Fanny PapadopoulouFashion designerAdvice on formal clothesTrends during the next seasonColours
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