“The other side” installation of Armenian designers within the framework of the Milan Fashion Week

On September 22, 2023, the Armenian designers’ installation exhibition “The Other Side” was held as part of the Milan Fashion Week, which aimed to inform the European public about the deepening humanitarian crisis in Artsakh and the crime committed by Azerbaijan. This exhibition of “Emerging Talents Milan,” which took place at Visconti Palazzo, brought together the works of more than 15 designers, including the famous Grigor Jabotyan, Narek Jhangiryan, Ananyan and Artuyt brands, Antikyan showroom, the Muse, Just black- and others. Art director Tariel Bisharyan and stylist Lusine Ananyan chose and styled the booth in their way so that it “speaks” as much as possible about the pain, love, current desperation, and protest for our Artsakh to the fashion community, expressing the terrible happenings in the language of beauty.

On one side of the exhibition were works of art that reflected the vulnerable reality, hunger, and crisis. On the other side, fashion items, clothes, shoes, and a corset symbolize the resilient Armenian soul facing the challenge. The wedding dress, which was from Grigor Jabotyan’s collection, accentuated the spirit of the pavilion. It symbolized hope. Despite the atrocities in Azerbaijan and the crisis of food, medicine, and shelter, people still continued to see the future, get married, and start a family, as Mariam and Arman did in Hakobavank.

As organizer stylist Lusine Ayanyan says, “We even had a visitor whose fiance was Azerbaijani, and he was shocked to learn everything. People expected to see something fancy because it was fashion week. However, as a result, they learned about people’s suffering nowadays. After reading the signs of the stalls, the visitors were amazed and very respectful towards us. We consider our mission to provide awareness in this area as accomplished.”

Author: Armine Tadevosyan