The Council of Fashion Designers of Romania (CFDR), organizer of Mercedes-Benz Bucharest Fashion Week (MBBFW), announces the official joining of the European Fashion Alliance (EFA) the most important European platform that brings together 29 fashion organizations from across Europe, including Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode (Paris Fashion Week), Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana (Milan Fashion Week), British Fashion Council, Fashion Council Germany, ModaLisboa, or Copenhagen Fashion Week.

“We are pleased to welcome the Council of Fashion Designers of Romania to the European Fashion Alliance. It was a missing piece in the puzzle of the European fashion landscape. It is very important to EFA to represent all corners of European fashion. We must ensure that all voices from all regions are represented in our organization.”
European Fashion Alliance (EFA)

Through this accession, Bucharest joins the European fashion dialogue and has the opportunity to contribute to projects and initiatives that define sustainability and innovation in the industry. It is a step that brings more visibility to local designers and brands and connects them to a network of leaders and institutions that influence the future of fashion globally. In this context, at the autumn edition of MBBFW, members of the European Fashion Alliance will be present, alongside designers and industry leaders, who will share perspectives and visions on sustainability and on the major transformations shaping the present and future of fashion.

Under the umbrella of the Council of Fashion Designers of Romania, Mercedes-Benz Bucharest Fashion Week consolidates its role as a strategic platform for local fashion, through projects that valorize the creative identity of Romanian designers, cultivate responsible fashion, and connect the local scene to global conversations.

MANOKHI in collaboration with Vogue Italia
Before the official start of the shows, on October 11, Mercedes-Benz Bucharest Fashion Week will be opened by a special event organized by MANOKHI, in collaboration with Vogue Italia. Co-hosted by actress Amy Jackson Westwick, the event will bring together 15 international celebrities actresses, top models, influencers, and personalities from the world of fashion and entertainment, marking a spectacular debut for this year’s edition.

VOL x Massimiliano Giornetti
At this edition, Mercedes-Benz Bucharest Fashion Week announces the collaboration between VOL, a brand founded by Bianca Taban, and Massimiliano Giornetti, the Italian designer who signed the creations of the house Salvatore Ferragamo for more than a decade and is currently Director of Polimoda, one of the most prestigious fashion schools in the world. The two co-sign the Spring/Summer 2026 collection, an initiative that confirms MBBFW’s status as a strategic platform that supports Romanian designers in dialogue with the international industry.

Inspired by Helmut Newton’s iconic atmosphere and by the scenography of the swimming pool as a space of contrasts – between fluidity and control, between sensuality and rigor the collection explores beauty in minimalist forms, between sculptural swimwear and delicate layers of silk knitwear.

“I believe in chance encounters, governed by the force of stars. I’m a Scorpio, Bianca is a Cancer. We share a family: water. This collection revolves around water. This, for me, is the essence of our collaboration: the idea of a shared aesthetic and a common sense of beauty. An unconditional story that sounds perfect, like a pas de deux.” Massimiliano Giornetti – Designer, Director Polimoda

“The SS26 collection carries, in its essence, the brand’s central philosophy, namely this dynamic play between masculinity and femininity, between revealing and hiding, between structure and fluidity. If you attended last season’s show, you probably noticed this dance. We will continue it, but with surprising elements that will push us beyond our limits. For me, personally, this collection represents rebirth, transformation, hope like a rainbow after the storm.” Bianca Taban, Founder & Creative Director VOL

Rhea Costa – Digital Product Passport
The Romanian brand Rhea Costa, founded by Andreea Constantin, integrates into the Spring/Summer 2026 collection, presented at Mercedes-Benz Bucharest Fashion Week, the first results of a research project dedicated to the implementation of the Digital Product Passport (DPP). The initiative was developed in collaboration with Caterina Occhio, an international expert in sustainable development and corporate social responsibility, with experience in European institutions and in the development of policies dedicated to adapting the fashion industry to new standards, and Iris Skrami, co-founder of the sustainability platform Renoon, recognized for traceability and circularity solutions in the fashion industry.

The DPP is a tool meant to bring transparency to the production chain, offering clarity on the origin of materials and the processes involved, so that consumers have access to essential information about the product’s impact. This step marks an important contribution of Romania to the European debate on the sustainable future of fashion.

“At Rhea Costa, sustainability means pieces that evolve together with the woman who wears them timeless creations, born from care and craftsmanship. For us, transparency is part of the very definition of contemporary luxury, building trust not only in the beauty of a dress, but also in its story. The collaboration with Iris Skrami and Caterina Occhio brings into the collection not only a new aesthetic perspective, but also a commitment to sustainability and social responsibility, integrating ethical values into the creative process.” Andreea Constantin, founder and creative director RHEA COSTA

Collaboration with Budapest Central European Fashion Week
The creative exchange between Mercedes-Benz Bucharest Fashion Week and Budapest Central European Fashion Week has already become a tradition, bringing together visionary designers from Romania and Hungary and strengthening the ties between design communities through fashion, innovation, and creative dialogue. If last season the Romanian brand Ami Amalia took the stage in Budapest, this year, in September, MEDEEA presented its Spring/Summer 2026 collection within BCEFW, marking a new stage of the partnership and opening new perspectives for regional collaboration.

“My experience at Budapest Central European Fashion Week represented an opportunity for cultural and creative exchange, where I encountered diverse visions and complementary ways of understanding fashion. The event facilitated a real opening to European markets and consumers, offering the necessary framework to test ideas, to understand the audience’s expectations, and to build bridges between distinct aesthetics and cultures.” Medeea Ene, creative director MEDEEA

Beyond special projects, MBBFW remains a visibility platform for established designers and emerging talents. The program of the edition includes presentations by designers from Romania, Ukraine, Poland, Georgia, a collective show with designers from the Republic of Moldova, and the Fashion Talent Award competition, dedicated to the new generation.