4 December 2008 | With the nearing of the Christmas party season, starts the usual scrambling for outfits to wear. But this year, Sofia’s female residents won’t have to limit themselves to what’s on offer in the capital’s malls or high street stores – they will also have the choice of young Bulgarian designers’ contemporary interpretations on the little black dress.

Opening today at Bulgarian designer Neli Mitewa’s showroom, called and located on Ivan Assen 22, 16 young Bulgarian designers’ contemporary versions of the classic little black dress will be displayed.

“The little black dress – pre-holiday, slightly formal (but not too much!), very contemporary, more wearable than not, not little by all means, not necessarily black (but somewhere in that range), minimum one per designer, but even more with pleasure” – this is how the organisers describe what is to be expected from the event.

The fashion designers that will participate in the event include Neli Mitewa herself, Antonia Pashova from the tochka design team, Aleksandar Gerginov with his HAM&EGGS brand, Igor Ilyiovski, Maria Bandevka, Vyara Borislavova, Zaharina Gabrovska, Georgi Florov, Leda Ekimova, Artishock, Mystic BULGARIA, Silvia Ruscheva, the Garderob trio Zhivka Dacheva, Daniela Ivanova and Luybomira Aleksieva and three entirely new names of young fashion designers who were chosen through a competition – Tsvetalina Atanasova, Elitsa Kamenova and Milva Luytova.

Although some of the designers are better known than others, what is for sure is that they will offer much more interesting alternatives to the dresses available in mainstream shops and malls. Wearing something from the Ivan Assen 22 showroom virtually erases all chances of somebody else showing up wearing the same thing at the office Christmas party.

The special experience starts from the showroom, which is a creative and unique space in the centre of Sofia. After the opening today, which is at 7 pm, visitors can go take a look, try on and purchase the little black dresses every work day between 5 and 8 pm and until December 19.

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