The Austrian Fashion Association has been promoting emerging Austrian designers and brands for over a decade as a bridge between fashion, business, and culture. In an interview with founder Camille Boyer, L&rsquo;Officiel Austria discusses the mission of the AFA.

What vision lies behind the AFA? Which talents are highlighted through the awards?
The <a href="https://www.austrianfashionassociation.at/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Austrian Fashion Association</a> passionately focuses on outstanding Austrian fashion talents and creative minds from related disciplines. As an organisation supported by arts and culture funding, it views fashion as a vital part of our society's culture. The commitment is to promote fashion that is artistic, experimental, and responsible. The AFA creates a fertile ground for both the creative visions and economic ambitions of designers based in Austria. Sustainability is central to their support, regardless of whether designers pursue commercial goals or artistic fulfillment. The AFA envisions a vibrant and diverse fashion scene that goes beyond mere design creation. We understand fashion as a holistic ecosystem that includes creatives such as photographers, stylists, artists, and performers alike. In our view, fashion is a creative network where each position significantly contributes to the development and innovation of the industry.
What does it mean for you to provide new design talents with a potentially career-changing platform through the Austrian Fashion Awards?
The Austrian Fashion Awards are among the most prestigious and highly endowed design awards in Austria. Their influence extends far beyond the local fashion scene, generating significant international resonance. The awards offer designers a unique opportunity to present their work to a broad audience of national and international industry experts and fashion enthusiasts. This platform can indeed be career-changing&mdash;providing valuable industry contacts, media attention, and opportunities for brand development.

What happens after winning for the award recipients?
For award winners, the Austrian Fashion Awards often mark a pivotal moment in their careers. Increased media presence and valuable contacts with industry insiders open up new professional perspectives. Additionally, the prize money allows designers to fully dedicate themselves to their creative vision and develop their next collection without financial constraints. Looking at the list of past winners over the last ten years&mdash;including names like Jana Wieland, Rani Bageria, Marina Hoermanseder, Arthur Arbesser, Petar Petrov, or Wendy Jim&mdash;it becomes clear that the Austrian Fashion Awards can open doors that pave the way for successful careers both nationally and internationally.
The AFA serves not only as a prestigious award but also as a bridge to business. Why is this approach particularly significant today?
The fashion world is constantly changing, with recent years seeing significant acceleration in this transformation. At the beginning of our work, one business model dominated the industry: international B2B trade. However, due to the pandemic, global crises, and technological innovations, numerous new models have emerged that provide fresh impulses for the fashion industry and offer diverse success opportunities for designers. Concurrently, the role of fashion designers has fundamentally changed in recent years; it now encompasses a much broader range of responsibilities. The rapid development of the digital world&mdash;from strategic use of social media to augmented reality and artificial intelligence&mdash;has redefined creative production. Designers today are not just creators but also digital artists, brand strategists, and innovation drivers at the intersection of technology and creativity. These developments highlight the importance of our diverse support approaches that equip designers for this dynamic and complex industry. The AFA acts as a bridge between design and business&mdash;we help designers transform their creative visions into sustainable business models.

Thanks to the AFA, you ensure that Vienna's fashion scene gains more international presence. Why is it essential for local brands to receive international recognition, and how can this be achieved?
The Austrian market is relatively small, which has its pros and cons. Fashion metropolises often offer more networking opportunities and visibility; however, we benefit from closer-knit networks along with excellent educational institutions and support options here. Fashion has always been a universal language that knows no borders; it thrives on global dialogue and cultural exchange&mdash;a dynamic intensified by digitalisation. In this international competition, we support Austrian designers working in Austria with tailored professionalisation programs as well as extensive financial support to develop an artistic practice capable of sustaining high standards while successfully positioning themselves on the global stage. International networking forms the foundation of our work; as founding members of the European Fashion Alliance and through our extensive European network, we create valuable bridges beyond Austria's borders. Our presence in Paris with dedicated showrooms, strategic PR activities, and close collaboration with global partners opens up access to international markets for Austrian designers. This targeted positioning within the global fashion cosmos not only fosters local brand growth but also strengthens Austria's status as a fashion hub.
What do you particularly value when collaborating with designers? What makes a groundbreaking designer stand out for you?
The Austrian Fashion Association places great importance on authenticity, vision, social engagement, sustainability alongside creative excellence when collaborating with designers. An inspiring designer personality combines creative passion with a clear concept and thoughtful approach to fashion as a cultural medium of expression. It is especially important to us that designers create not only aesthetically captivating pieces but also pursue innovative approaches while applying contemporary production methods and taking social responsibility seriously.

As someone who grew up in France surrounded by Parisian fashion, how does it differ from Viennese fashion?
When I came to Austria, I was particularly impressed by two things: first was the exceptional support for young talents that provided a solid foundation for local fashion&mdash;a contrast to what I observed in Paris at that time. Secondly were the working methods of labels like fabrics interseason or Wendy Jim. These designers chose a conceptional approach, questioning boundaries within fashion and defining beauty according to their unconventional ideas. While Vienna&rsquo;s sense of style was less pronounced twenty years ago; this openness created refreshing creative space for bold experiments. In contrast&mdash;similar to Milan but with different aesthetics&mdash;Paris was characterised by very classic feminine looks&mdash;a kind of "uniform good taste" catering to traditional notions of elegance. I found this freedom in design in Austria incredibly invigorating. Today it's challenging to geographically locate contemporary fashion design; however some labels still exhibit characteristics that may seem specific to Austria&mdash;for example focusing on craftsmanship like shoemaker Matthias Winkler or evolving traditional garments seen in Olivia Lottersberger or Florentina Leitner&rsquo;s works. They offer an interesting blend between tradition &amp; innovation along with local roots &amp; global perspectives setting them apart from broader international scenes.
What does fashion mean personally to you?
Fashion is one of our time's most powerful forms of expression: it reflects societal developments while simultaneously driving innovation &amp; economic strength. In an era marked by fundamental upheavals; it plays a key role in shaping sustainable future concepts. As multifaceted cultural phenomena; it permeates all creative spheres merging art/design/music/culinary fields creating new synergies becoming catalysts for interdisciplinary innovation. Traditional boundaries between creative industries dissolve leading exciting new expressions. Yet fashion also possesses often underestimated political dimensions: The veil worn during protests in Iran; Palestinian Kufiya; Ukrainian Wyschywanka&mdash;all demonstrate how clothing can become potent symbols representing resistance solidarity &amp; cultural identity. Through its quiet eloquence; fashion conveys political messages transcending borders uniting people. Thus making it a universal language that achieves far more than merely setting aesthetic trends. It shapes societal discourse, accompanies revolutions and becomes an instrument of change!

THE MISSION OF THE AUSTRIAN FASHION ASSOCIATION: CAMILLE BOYER IN CONVERSATION

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