ASPARA FASHION WEEK 2024

Taraz City, Kazakhstan

CENTRAL ASIA

CEO, Founder and Producer:

Aidarkhan Kaliyev

ASPARA FASHION WEEK
XIV Season of the International Project
September 26-29, 2024

Venue: Taraz сity, Kazakhstan, “SHAHRISTAN” Exhibition Pavilion of the “Köne Taraz” ethnoculturalcomplex.
Social media pages:

https://clck.ru/QcwCc;   https://clck.ru/QcwH7;        https://clck.ru/QcwLA

The entire history of humanity is a dialogue of cultures that permeates our lives. Cultural interaction and dialogue form the most favorable foundation for developing interethnic and international relations. This interaction between bearers of different values allows the best elements of one culture to become part of another. Through the dialogue of cultures, mutual influence and enrichment of the cultures themselves occur, leading to the spiritual convergence of large cultural regions. To facilitate this, international events in the fields of culture, craftsmanship, and fashion are held in developed countries.

One of the most renowned fashion events is the international project “ASPARA FASHION WEEK.” This project was created by one of the world’s esteemed fashion designers, Aidarkhan Kaliev, in early 2017. Thanks to his efforts, Kazakhstan became the venue for international fashion shows featuring not only Kazakh and Central Asian designers but also specialists from around the world. ASPARA FASHION WEEK is the first official fashion week in the world that continued to operate during the two-year pandemic, functioning online.

From September 26 to 29, Taraz will host the XIVseason of ASPARA FASHION WEEK under the slogan “DIALOGUE OF CULTURES.” Over the past 13 seasons, ASPARA FASHION WEEK has gained popularity not only in Kazakhstan and Central Asia but also globally. ASPARA FASHION WEEK has established partnerships with more than 20 of the world’s largest fashion weeks. It proudly values its partnerships with SERBIA FASHION WEEK, MAD MOOD FASHION WEEK MILANO, AFWEU FASHION WEEKS, DIVERSITY FASHION WEEK, CZECHIA FASHION WEEK, ASEAN INTERNATIONAL FASHION WEEK, TENUN FASHION WEEK, EURASIA FASHION WEEK, FASHION WEEK BULGARIA, BRIDAL FASHION WEEK, GLORIA FASHION WEEK, STOCKHOLM INTERNATIONAL FASHION FAIR, ETHNOPODIUM RUSSIA, TAJIKISTAN FASHION WEEK, SILK ROAD FASHION LONDON, FASHION WEEK ISTANBUL, MARBELLA FASHION WEEK, TRANSYLVANIA FASHION FESTIVAL, FASHIONHALL-FASHION WEEK BERLIN.

In total, more than 700 designers from over 50 countries have participated in the 13 previous seasons. ASPARA FASHION WEEK has been featured in major fashion publications, including the American TV channel FNL Network, ELLE magazine, MERCURY’S, Gazzetta Italia, Fashion Collection, Business Emirates, DFashion magazine, ZOOM, ASPAN, Tengri, Gazzetta Tribune, FABUK, Pulse 2.0, Features, WorldFashionMediaNews, Dailymail24, Albidda, Akhbar1, Albraq, Yaf3press, Misr-Alan, Khabar Agency, Eurasia TVChannel, Telekanal CTC, 31 channel, KazakhTV channel, KAZINFORM, and many others. This media coverage has attracted millions of views on social networks and numerous visits by foreign and Kazakh fashion professionals.

The new season of ASPARA FASHION WEEK will continue to breathe new life into the dialogue of cultures, fostering connections between fashion and the cultures of different countries, nations, and continents. The goal of the XIV season is to create an atmosphere of national values and cultivate an understanding that one’s own ethnocultural coexistence is impossible without a respectful and careful attitude toward the values of other peoples.

Like previous seasons, the XIV season of ASPARA FASHION WEEK continues to celebrate the ancient city of Taraz, revive national spirit, patriotism, dignity, and promote traditions and culture. Let’s highlight some of the standout moments from the programs of previous seasons:

-“QAZAQANALARY” project: 12 designers from different regions of the republic participated in its creation, tasked with creating the image of the Kazakh woman as a mother and guardian of the hearth. These designers’ outfits were modeled by members of the Center for Active Rest for Pensioners. The oldest model was born in 1947. Foreign fashion experts and show viewers were touched by the grace, nobility, and dignity of the Kazakh woman. Today, the demand for age-diverse models is growing both in Kazakhstan and worldwide. In the XIV season, five Kazakh designers will present their collections for five age groups of models from across Kazakhstan. Thanks to ASPARA FASHION WEEK, not only Kazakh designers but also age-diverse models now have the opportunity to participate in international runways.

– “QAZAQ MEN” project: A collection of men’s clothing in the neo-folk style was created to showcasethe masculinity, brutality, and national identity of the Great Steppe’s men.

– “Kazakh brides” project: A collection of women’s clothing in the neo-folk style created to demonstrate femininity, tenderness, wisdom, and the distinct national identity of the beauties of the Great Steppe.

Fashion week programs usually include free seminars on the International Trade Centre’s Ready4 Trade Central Asia project for entering the global market, the USAID Trade Promotion Service Providers project for promoting exports with grants for local manufacturers, master classes, showrooms, and discussions with fashion industry experts.

A highlight of the XIV season will be a fashion show dedicated to the memory of Alla Ilchun (the Pearl of Dior) – a Kazakh professional model. Fifteen leading Kazakh designers will present stylized outfits reminiscent of those that Dior’s muse, Alla, once dazzled international runways with.

The fourth day of the XIII season of ASPARA FASHION WEEK was dedicated to showcasing collections by student designers from the AsparaCollege of Fashion Art and Business. Over its 25 years, Aspara College has become a brand in the country’s education sector and is globally recognized in the fashion world as a platform for training fashion industry professionals, and as an innovator in education and production. Aspara College is known for its graduates who promote the culture and traditions of nomads in the global fashion arena. Young designers at the college gain an understanding of Kazakhstan’s fashion industry development and learn the art of international cooperation in the fashion world, elevating the status of clothing and traditional crafts professions.

Taraz, once known as the “city of merchants” and standing at the crossroads of great trade routes, civilizations, and cultures, is one of Kazakhstan’s oldest cities, with a 2,000-year history. While many ancient cities were lost to the sands of time, Taraz, repeatedly rising from its ashes, continues to amaze with its applied art. Today, the fashion industry is thriving in Taraz, where young designers create innovative works by exploring national trends.

Since October 2022, Taraz has become the first and only city in Kazakhstan to join the World Crafts Cities Network, ranked 56th for its woolen and felt crafts, and is set to become a center for tourism in Kazakhstan in the near future. This remarkable event provides new momentum for the region’s cultural, spiritual, and tourism development. Plans are underway to hold large-scale tourism development events in this ancient city, with support offered to artisans looking to work in this area. Currently, the region has 3,435 historical and cultural monuments, five of which are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, with 25 of national importance and 698 of local significance

INTERNATIONAL FASHION AND ARTS WEEK Season 14

New York City, US

CEO and Founder Vanny Tousignant

Venue 38 West 39 Street

By Cecilia Rod Photojournalist and Fashion Photographer

Ms Vanny Tousignant

Designer

Dekranasda Konawe Utara by Defrico Audy

Balinese Dance By Ida Wirasti

Designer

Corey Rogers

Designer

Rose Ma Lina by Defrico Audy

Make up and Hair by

Brenda Acero Make up Academy

Media Press and Photographers

ATLANTIC CITY FASHION WEEK

September 14-16 2023

Venue ShowBoat Atlantic City

Producers Lamont and Lamont

By Photojournalist and Fashion Photographer Cecilia Rod. Worldwide

Top Photographers

CHILDREN SHOWCASE

TaylordRose Designs

Hydia Honoro Design

Kidz Kloset Designs

DESIGNERS SHOWCASE

Lord Proverbs Designs

Ola Hawameth Designs

Lucy O Designs

#CamilleMarine Designs

Audacity Designs

RUNWAY7 FASHION

New York Fashion Week-September 8-9 2023

By Photojournalist and Fashion Photographer Cecilia Rod

Aguamala Designs

Avery Designs

Gladys SB Designs

NIBlack Designs

Actively Black Designs

Nigeria Designs

Performance

Wakanda Designs

Muhammad Ali Designs

Eclisse Designs

Kayzie Couture Designs

Peach and Penny Designs

Feya Fashion Designs

Chick Designs

Ydamys Simo Designs

NEW YORK INDONESIA FASHION WEEK

September 8 2023

USA

CEO and Founder Vanny Tousignant of International Fashion and Art Week

By Photojournalist and Fashion Photographer Cecilia Rod

ShowCase Designers

Makeup Artists and Stylists

DesignerN* 1: Zuebarga by Benz

Designer N* 2:

Designer N* 3:

Designer N* 4: Theodora Matrutty de Lima

Designer N* 5:

Designer N* 6: Troy Anthony

Designer N* 7:

Designer N* 8:

ASPARA FASHION WEEK 2023

Country in Central Asia to the World

Published by Cecilia Rod

Photo credit: Aspara Fashion Week

II International Exhibition of Craftsmen

“Taraz – a city of artisans”

June 2-4, 2023

Venue: Taraz city, Kazakhstan, exhibition pavilion “SHAKHRISTAN” of the ethno-cultural complex “Kone Taraz”.

  Handicraft is a golden bridge between past and present.

   The origins of handicraft art are noble qualities inherited from our ancestors: a special attitude to art and a unique worldview. Our national crafts are an invaluable gift of this heritage.

  Handicrafts of craftsmen are one of the forms of artistic self-expression of an ethnos, which succinctly and deeply reflects the features of its history, philosophy, national psychology, in which, as in a focus, internal and external connections of all vital parameters of the ethnos are crossed.

  Kazakh craft has an ancient history. Monuments of the Bronze Age, jewelry made of gold, silver, copper, ceramic products, decorated with ornaments, are proof of this.

  In the products of Kazakh masters, covering the entire objective world of a nomad – from costume, jewelry, household utensils, weapons and vehicles to a practical and comfortable home – yurts, the views and worldviews of the Kazakh people are reflected in the form of various ornaments and patterns.

  The cultural heritage and preservation of folk crafts are a reflection of the rich nomadic culture of Kazakhstan, so one of the important achievements of independence can rightfully be considered the revival of Kazakh handicrafts.

   One of the centers of origin of Kazakh handicrafts is the city of Taraz. We can say with particular pride that the history of Taraz is of world significance, the great oriental thinkers wrote about the greatness of ancient Taraz. Taraz was sung by outstanding poets of the East: Omar Khayyam, Hafiz, Rudaki. Taraz, as a city of merchants and crafts, was mentioned by the Venetian traveler Marco Polo in his travel notes “The Book of the Diversity of the World”.

The city of Taraz is credited with primacy in many ways: the first metropolis, the first mosque built in the Great Steppe, the first madrasah, and since October 1, 2022, the first Kazakh city to be included in the World Network of Craft Cities.

  The 1st International Exhibition of Artisans “Taraz – the City of Artisans” has become significant, not only in conferring an honorary title, but also in the solidarity of artisans from all over the world. The international exhibition was attended by over 200 artisans not only from the Zhambyl region, but also artisans from near and far abroad: Brazil, the Netherlands, India, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Russia, Tatarstan.

  On June 2, 2023, the city of Taraz hosted the official opening of the II International Exhibition of artisans called “Taraz – the city of artisans” organized by the World Council of Craftsmen (WCC International, WCC APR, the Akimat of the Zhambyl region and the city of Taraz, the Department of Tourism of the Akimat of the Zhambyl region.

   The exhibition presented the works of artisans from the countries of the Asia-Pacific region, Central Asia, Europe, the Near Abroad and Kazakhstan.

   Craftsmen from the city of Shymkent A. Nauryzbaev and B. Beisbekov held master classes on metal forging and saddle making. Thanks to the masters who honor the traditions of the Kazakh people, handicraft art is being revived and developed.

   As part of the opening of the exhibition, a competition of young artisans on the theme “Ancient Taraz” was held. Each contestant showed his technique, his style and his “object of adoration”. The expert commission highly appreciated the work of each participant of the competition. As a result of the competition, all participants and leaders were awarded certificates, and the winners received diplomas and a grand prix for a 2-week felting course. Such a competition opens up new masters, helps them to believe in themselves in their future creative life.

    The first day of the exhibition ended with a press conference with media representatives and a concert program from the Zhambyl Regional Philharmonic.

 On June 3 – 4, 2023, the day of the historical and cultural complex “Kone Taraz” began with a fair for the sale of souvenirs by craftsmen from the countries of the Asia-Pacific region, Central Asia, Europe, neighboring countries and Kazakhstan.

Master classes from the leading specialist of the research and experimental laboratory for costume design of the Engineering Center, Associate Professor of the Department of Fine Arts and Design of the Kazan State Institute of Culture Salakhova Rada Insafovna from Russia, on the Tatar mosaic and the Kazan seam, were distinguished by their individuality and originality of the Tatar national needlework.

Master classes by Kapakova Bulbul in weaving and Nurzat Jeenbek kyzy in felting reflected their own style in the modern level of arts and crafts, new ideas and ideas, original innovative solutions.

 The round table in the House of Friendship was opened by the chief designer of the Asyl Design Fashion House, President of the International Fashion Week “ASPARA FASHION WEEK”, Founder of the Aspara College of Modeling and Business Kaliev Aidarkhan. The theme is “Taraz is a city of artisans. History and Modernity” is relevant at the present stage and was able to unite all the participants of the round table. In a warm and friendly environment

the problems of preserving traditional folk culture, introducing children and youth to handicraft art, drawing the attention of authorities to the problems and needs of masters of folk crafts were discussed. Consider and adopt legislative initiatives of craftsmen to preserve and develop traditional folk crafts and promote folk traditions within the framework of the educational process.

  Akim of the Zhambyl region, N.Nurzhigitov, visited the international exhibition of artisans, where the widest range of types of traditional crafts and varieties of artistic processing of materials were presented: felt, tekemet, jewelry, embroidery, ceramics, wood carving, artistic metal processing, weaving, traditional clothes and more.

The head of the region N.Nurzhigitov invited and received in the regional akimat masters – artisans from the countries of the Asia-Pacific region, Central Asia, Europe, neighboring countries and Kazakhstan.

  Tours to the historical monuments and sights of Taraz city, which are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, were organized for the participants of the exhibition and for officials by the Department of Tourism of the Akimat of Zhambyl region.

  The purpose of the II International Exhibition of Craftsmen was to increase the recognition of the region as a tourist attraction with a rich history and culture. Carrying out an eventful event for the development of tourism in the region by attracting Kazakhstan and foreign tourists. Creation of an information and communication platform for the exchange of experience and organization of interaction of all regional, Republican and International organizations in the field of crafts, production and sale of tourist souvenirs in Taraz. Revival and development of folk, traditional crafts, characteristic of the region; development of the craft market and domestic tourist souvenirs.

  

Photo credit: Aspara Fashion Week

  

  Art has a unique ability to give a person the joy of creating and admiring creativity. This special joy arises from the aesthetic experience that a person experiences.

  The uniqueness of applied art, which originated on our land many centuries ago, is an integral part of the world cultural heritage. The exchange of experience in this direction contributes to the further strengthening of friendship and cooperation, cultural and humanitarian ties between peoples, the revival and preservation of the traditions of masters and handicraft schools.

And it is obvious that the opportunities provided help artisans not only to expand or develop their business, but also to pass on their skills to the younger generation so that they can continue the traditions of their ancestors. It is extremely important that the younger generation be brought up on the traditional spiritual and moral values ​​of our people.

  The great thinkers of the past argued that life without friendship is nothing, and excluding it from life is the same as depriving the world of sunshine, that friendship is valued on a par with wisdom and surpasses talent!

The purpose of the II International Exhibition of Craftsmen was to increase the recognition of the region as an attractive tourist center with a rich history and culture. And it has been achieved! The exhibition was visited by 250 invited guests from the Asia-Pacific region, Central Asia, Europe, near and far abroad and, of course, Kazakhstan.

A bright, rich, colorful, eventful exhibition of handicraft art will remain in the memory of both citizens and guests for a long time to come.