BGATE’2007 – THE MOST SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS TO BUSINESS APPAREL AND TEXTILE EXHIBITION

Opening

The fifth Balkan Apparel and Textile Exhibition BGate - 2007 was opened with welcome addresses by official guests from the county and abroad. The event was honored with a welcome address by Bulgaria's Prime Minister Mr Sergey Stanishev and Minister of Labour and Social Policy Mrs Emiliya Maslarova.

Welcome address was also delivered by Deputy Minister of Economics and Energetics Mr Luchezar Borisov and Germany's ambassador H. E. Mr Michael Geier.

Thanks to the guests and the exhibitors were expressed by Mrs Valeria Zhekova, chair of the steering committee of BAATRE, and Mr Ilko Ilkov, deputy chair of the steering committee of BAATRE too.

Greetings to the Bulgarian traders and producers were given by Mr Giovani Robba, chair of the Italian Apparel and Textile Association.

Visitors

Traditionally guests of the edition were foreign trade delegations, producers, representatives of partner associations of BAATRE and journalists from specialized European mass media.

The event was visited by many companies from France, Germany, Russia, Switzerland, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Denmark, Switzerland, Holland, the UK etc. There was an increased interest from neighboring countries, such as Greece, Turkey, Macedonia, Romania and Serbia, which indicates that the exhibitions is a business forum not only at a national but also at a Balkan level.

Exhibitors

On an area of 5 200 sq m, which is an increase of 25% compared to the exhibition area last year, more than 130 direct exhibitors presented themselves. They showed the latest trends in the sector - from the ready made goods to all materials and modern accessories necessary for manufacturing apparel, textile and tailoring supplies, machinery and equipment.

57 companies presented themselves for the first time. For the first time 11 Turkish companies participated at a national level. They showed their products - knitted wear, yarns, fabrics, apparel and accessories to it, textile and clothing auxiliary materials etc.

The Association of Textile and Fashion Designers in Bulgaria and the Sector Organization for Textile and Apparel in southwestern Bulgaria, which represent a big part of the companies in the region, has their own stands for the first time.

BGate presented the style and quality of the textile industry. As a business exhibition it attracted interests from more than 2 500 visitors. The "business to business" initiative contributed to the establishment of new business contacts in this sector both at national and international level.

BGate 2007, the Balkan Apparel and Textile Exhibition, was divided into 3 groups:

49 companies, producers of textile and apparel bearing their own trade marks, took part in BGate Style. Amongst the exponents were men's shirts, women's blouses and children's fashion clothes made of woven textile, as well as knitted sportswear produced by the companies themselves. The exhibitors presented seasonal collection made in fabrics, design and colours in accordance with the current trends. UV-protected clothing for bicyclists produced by the use of contemporary technology, attracted the interest of visitors.

BGate Partners met together 25 companies with established trade relations and contacts with regard to work done with materials entirely or partially supplied by the client.

54 companies took part in BGate Equipment and Services: 19 companies producing machinery, 9 companies specializing in services and software and 26 companies offering accessories.

There was interest in ultra modern professional sewing machines, textile lasers, as well as in machines for the leather haberdashery industry, contemporary software and CAD/CAM systems - thorough solutions or software for design needs, technical drawings, design of embroideries and CAD services.

Accompaning Programme

Traditionally, BGate 2007 offered the guests and the exhibitors an impressive fashion review of 8 companies having their own trade mark and established positions in the European market, as well as an individual fashion review of Markam.

On 5^th October, the Association of Textile and Fashion Designers in Bulgaria held an international conference on "Roots and Creativity" with the participation of designers from the country and abroad.

Amongst the topics of the two-day textile conference on Innovations in Textile and Apparel were new innovations in textile and ready made clothes, certification and quality systems.

On the last day of the exhibition, Mrs Mara Mihel from Vais Consulting, a guest designer of the exhibition, delivered a report on Fashion Trends for the Autumn - Winter 2008.

Participants in the Impressive Fashion Review of BGATE 2007

The Association of Fashion and Textile Designers in Bulgaria

With an original collection, representatives of the Association of Fashion and Textile Designers in Bulgaria made their first appearance during the fashion review of BGate 2007.

Yana Dvoretzka participated with a part of a collection called "Sea Waves" - a collection of linen, denim and silk inspired from summer nights along the seaside, light breeze, lights and shades of sea water.

Dora Momekova presented a part of the collection of Lordzhina, called "I like Black".

Ass. Prof. Yordanka Chernaeva impressed the guests with a collection called "Womanliness" - a combination of black and white, lace and satin; a collection for elegant women.

The jewelry to the clothes are made by students of fashion design at the New Bulgarian University and their lecturer Ass. Prof. Elena Todorova.

ARDA - RUSE

The collection of Arda - Ruse offers diversity, Bohemian chic, womanliness and pleasure in combining both classic techniques and carefree contemporary clothes.

White and colours from light cream to cacao with milk are key this season. Green colours bring vividness and freshness, blue colours bring coolness and atmosphere, while clothes in brown bring earthiness.

The collection focuses on easiness - the materials are fine and light (from organza through muslin to light silk, denim, good quality linen and fine satin.

• Four groups are developed for the summer of 2008.
• Young ladies will be obsessed by the clothes in Arda - Sport.
• Business women will prefer Arda - Duo.
• Fashion for big size women? It is not a problem if you select from Arda Max.
• Clothes from the collection called Arda Vision will make a holiday and create harmony in your life.

BRUNELLI

The company "Dimana" presented the collection of their trade mark "Brunelli". The "Bruneli" shirt is an indicator of a contemporary man from business circles. Through the new textile technology, the trade mark offers shirts of breathing textile materials, which do not crease. They are made to finish the perfect look of the contemporary cavalier. "Brunelli" is a convincing success story which started in 1962 and continues in the present. The company's drive to perfection manufactured the shirt, which is known in two continents and more than twenty countries.

PIROS

The company "Piros" addresses its first collection to women whose spirit is always young, who are modern and elegant at the same time.

The clothes are modern and arranged in such a way, so that they create comfort and convenience. In an original way they make ladies look fresh and perky.

The high quality is emblematic of the collection in terms of both the work done and the fabrics used. Cotton, rayon, poliamid, lycra, laces and other accessories are harmonically combined in the clothes and make ladies more charming and smiling.

VALENA

The trade mark "PIERLUCCI" of the company "VALENA" is a synonym of style and uncompromising quality, needed for every men who respects himself!

The clothes are made of high quality fabrics from Austria, Italy, Germany and Holland, while the pattern design offers comfort and underlines the attractive look. The classical shirt turns into an impressive accessory to the body of gentlemen, when it bears the trade mark "PIERLUCCI"!

The company "Valena" was established in 1990 in the town of Kyustendil. It has permanent treaty relations with partners from Europe and North America. "Valena" has stable positions on the market and follows the challenges to always make something original and different.

HARITI

The trade mark "Ina" presented a collection of classical women's suits for contemporary business ladies. The designer focused on simple colours, such as light grey, dark grey and black. The silhouettes of the suits are simple: trousers and classical dresses made of cold wool and original elements of leather.

The coats are taken in at the waist; they are elegant, end below the knees and are made of cashmere.

The collection makes an intelligent and elegant address to business women having the most pretentious taste.

MARKAM

The messages of " MARKAM FASHION " for the spring/summer 2008 season are perfectly clean lines, actual silhouettes, minimal and precise esthetic balance with details!

Tender and romantic, sensitive and modern are the new offers of "MARKAM FASHION". The exclusivity of fabrics sets the infallible style of the design of Markam. The colours and fabrics are refined, clean like sparkling Champaign in colour having scent of triumph.

Dresses, inspired from the antiquity, are key this season. They are highly draped, asymmetric, in "A" and "H" forms. The dynamic style of the collection highlights the originality and uniqueness of the contemporary active woman.

The offer to make unexpected combinations provokes the imagination of free spirit to look for esthetic balance between advance elements and originality.

ETERE

The autumn/winter 2007 - 2008 collection of "Etere" combines casual style and womanliness. The clothes are elegant and at the same time they are not engaging; they combine elegance and informality; they are suitable for both the work place and the time off.

The fearless combinations of lengths and volumes, fabrics and colours are typical for the collection. This makes them unostentatious and at the same time keeps the classical look. The fabrics are soft and fine, which adds to the pleasure of wearing the clothes.

The big structures are predominant, such as wool, jacquard, silk, cotton, mohair, cashmere, rayon. The metal threads in fabrics bring an interesting effect, while lurex threads give brilliance and charm.

The colours are restrained. The colours of this season - black, white, grey and dark blue - are predominant. Red, green and yellow are also added.

Sponsors

The fifth edition of the Balkan apparel and textile exhibition "BGate 2007" was held in cooperation with:

• The bronze sponsor of the Apparel and Textile exhibition BGate is the fashion house "MARKAM". For more than 17 years the company has been a competent centre of women's fashion. Trust, security, perfection, professionalism and quality are synonyms of the company MARKAM. They have clients in Europe, Russia, the USA and Canada. The company took part in 13 international fashion exhibitions this year. They had their own stands in Amsterdam, Vienna, Salzburg, Brno and Moscow and took part in the national stand in Düsseldorf and Copenhagen. The company's models were presented at the international reviews in Salzburg and Brno. The company also opened its first shop in Prague. MARKAM has its representations in Austria, Holland, the Czech Republic, Spain, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia, Hungary and Croatia;
• The official lessor of BGate is INTERLEASE EAD. The Bulgarian lease company, whose shareholder is the National Bank of Greece, funded the purchase of high quality production equipment, vehicles, cars, office equipment and real property. The activity of INTERLEASE EAD aims to stimulate the competitiveness of the Bulgarian enterprises and to improve their market positions in the country and abroad;
• The German company for technical collaboration, GTZ Sofia, provided young designers with the opportunity to present themselves at the exhibition.