The Global Sustainable Fashion Week (#GSFW) was held in Budapest between 12th and 14th April at the first time as a new unique event combining international conference, workshops, displays, fashion shows in the field of sustainable and ethical fashion, together with an international press conference, an outstanding professional board of organizers, prominent presenters, and special media appearance. It has been declared by one of the most well-known and eminent personalities in ethical and eco-fashion, Sass Brown herself, who is a New York-based writer, researcher, designer and university teacher, and the honorary president of GSFW, as well. The Global Sustainable Fashion Week is a sign of time, dedication and commitment that several entities have put in to present new perspectives in fashion to the world with a motto: Sustainability is the only alternative of Future.

The founder and the organizator of Global Sustainable Fashion Week is Dr.Gabriella Mányi-Walek under her presidency of the National Fashion League Hungary Association with the support of a professional International Executive Board. With the contribution of Dynamax Films, an English language promotional video was made for the occasion. At the opening of the GSFW the representers of various Hungarian and foreign Associations and Institutions welcomed the event: Dr.Gabriella Mányi-Walek, the President of the National Fashion League Hungary Association on behalf of GSFW, Michele Orzan, the president of EuCham representing the European Union, Anna Hannauer-Szabó, the representer of the National Association of Enterpreneurs and Employers from the part of Hungary. Rahul Chhabra, the Embassador of India, Syrus Sajjam Qazi, the Embassador of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Gretel Matias, the Consul of the Republic of Argentina representing South America, This international opening ceremony was meant to symbolize the global approach to sustainability. The presenters at the lectures and workshops, the designers of the fashion shows, the participants, and even the models came from different nations. Apart from Hungary, there were guests from Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, India, Argentina, Brasil, and even the United Sates of America and New Zeland. This made the event truly global, and seeing the enthusiasm of the participants, the organizers wish to continue. This intention was confirmed by the ceremonial undersigning of the Sustainability Declaration of Budapest.

The participants of the first Global Sustainabile Fashion Week were designers, producers, different organisations, handcrafters, fashion schools, tradesmen, professionals of eco fashion dealing with sustainability, or those who already started to work in this direction, the number of these people were abt.100 persons.

There was a debut of the first collective brand of „RECONs” of the National Fashion League Hungary Association with the promotion of the Re-Concept bags made by Medence Group Art. Medence Concept Store and Design Salon offered a very inspirative venue of the press conference at the first day of GSFW.

Some highlights of the GSFW are presentations about Modest Fashion, Slow Fashion, Future Fashion, 3D Printing, eco yarn and textile, different recycling solutions, branding, eco, green labels, project possiblities in sustainable fashion (see the titles of the presentations at the international conference and workshops).

The venue of the international conference and fashion shows was the Paris Department Store, which is among the most beautiful art nouveau buildings in Budapest. The foreign guests enjoyed their stay in the beautiful and unique fashion hotels of the Mellow Mood Hotels.

There was a big success of World Eco Fashion Night Marathon with the fashion shows of well-known eco designers from Argentina to India thanks to the creativity and professionalism of István Hornyák. Also these shows presented some good examples of a global cooperation, like the first Eco Modest Fashion collection by the Hungarian brand Anwaryan, which was born from the inspiration of the Islamic Fashion and Design Council and from the ECO Fashion Team by the National Fashion League Hungary Association. The new Anwaryan collection was shown together with the Morning Train Guatamalan handmade textile accessories. Further example for the international collaboration was the collection of Anni Pastor, as some attractive dresses – besides the old traditional Hungarian motives and laces – were promoted by Anthyia made from the special eco-friendly ramie fabrics from China. Andreas Georg Suhr presented his peace-silk scarves’ collection with a Cross-Selection German Brands including the following German labels:

• D’Loop > Deutsche Jeans Manufaktur (MENSWEAR)
• cocccon – creativity can care > nonviolence silk dresses (Ahimsa Silk) (WOMENSWEAR)
• Sveekery – Sustainable Fashion Berlin > Business dresses (WOMENSWEAR)
• N2L – Never Too Late > Urban Organic Streetwear (MENSWEAR)
• GEORGE by cocccon > silk scarves > digital print (UNISEX > Women > Men)
• aluc > Upcycling Fashion (pre consumer waste) (WOMENSWEAR / MENSWEAR)
• Friendly Society (post consumer waste) (WOMENSWEAR / MENSWEAR)
• Organic Innerwear > Mens Underwear (MENSWEAR)
• Lillika Eden – change is now. wear the change > Women dresses (WOMENSWEAR)

Asmita Design from India presented her lovely collection using as core elements of eco-friendly solutions as hand-looms, vegetal dying, natural and waste fabrics. De Mil Amores Buenos Aires brought a special collection to the fashion to show, how the old traditions can keep the sustainability in luxury fashion in Argentina. Amela Radan had a fantastic fashion show with her nature inspired hand-made painted organic silk’s collections.

The venue of the 3rd day’s worshops and presentation was the Hungarian Applied Folk Arts Museum – part of the Hungarian Heritage House – called the attention to the importance of cultural traditions in the sustainability. Andreas Georg Suhr presented here his organic-silk scarves with a title: Poem Meet Fashion, dedicated to the Hungarian Day of Poetry: https://fashion-related-services.net/2016/04/29/poems-meets-fashion/.