As part of the International Year of Peace and Trust, the gallery of the State Academy of Arts of Turkmenistan hosted a showcase of fashion collection by Italian designers Gloria Trevisani and Claudia Bellini, as well as the Academy’s student Jennet Agaeva. The event was organized by the Embassy of the Italian Republic in Turkmenistan and the Ministry of Culture of Turkmenistan.

This international cultural event attracted the attention of students and faculty from the creative university, embassy staff in Turkmenistan, artists, and fashion designers from the country. The fashion show was preceded by a discussion about the friendly ties between the two nations and trends in modern fashion that captivate women around the world.

The opening ceremony began with a speech by Luigi Ferrari, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Italian Republic to Turkmenistan. He was supported by leaders of the national association "Federmoda," Antonio Franceschini and Roberto Corbelli. "Federmoda" is one of Italy’s leading fashion agencies, setting global fashion trends and influencing couturiers worldwide.

The Turkmen people have a rich culture of traditional women’s clothing. This provides designers with opportunities to experiment creatively, incorporating national elements into their designs to achieve stunning results. Credit must be given to Gloria Trevisani and Claudia Bellini for preserving Italian style in their collections while respecting the framework of Turkmen aesthetics: clean lines, a calm color palette, and elegance. The designs were so appealing that one could imagine wearing each piece with pleasure.

Every appearance by professional models on the improvised runway in the gallery was met with enthusiastic applause from the audience. There was no clear division between the collections of the couturiers, which made the show feel like one cohesive collection created by talented designers. This effect was enhanced by the use of Turkmen national jewelry and embroidery, which were widely featured across all three collections.

We asked Jennet Agaeva “How could Turkmen embroidery find its way into the designs of Italian fashion designers?”

“I will let you in on a secret. I spent a month and a half in Italy collaborating with Gloria and Claudia. We shared our ideas with each other. The silverwork of Turkmen jewelers captivated the Italians, while I incorporated our national embroidery into their designs.” The creative benefits of Turkmen-Italian cooperation in fashion were evident, as all three designers outlined promising plans for further collaboration after the fashion show.