At the Press Conference held in the City Hall on the occasion of this year’s Serbia Fashion Week, and a cooperation established between Novi Sad 2021 and SFW, spoke the Program Director of Novi Sad 2021 Momčilo Bajac, PhD. He reminded that this largest regional fashion event from the very beginning supported and participated in both Novi Sad Applications for the title of ECOC 2021. The energy and almost incredible success of SFW, achieved in only three years, will certainly be important for the quality and success of the program „4 new bridges“. SFW will try through new attractive and creative projects to show to both domestic and foreign visitors the connection between fashion and current social issues, the role of fashion in times of war and peace, the importance of fashion to the European cultural heritage, etc. With already established partnerships and contacts throughout Europe and the world, SFW will certainly reinforce the European dimension of the project Novi Sad 2021 and provide renowned European and international artists from the world of fashion and beyond, as it is this year one of the four biggest names from the world fashion, Anna Fendi. 

Ms. Svetlana Horvat, President of the National Fashion Chamber of Serbia and President of Serbia Fashion Week, said that from the very beginning she believed in the success of Novi Sad 2021. Therefore, she decided two months before the decision on the holder of the title of ECOC 2021 that this year’s SFW dedicate to the city of Novi Sad, and the promotion started with the slogan of Novi Sad as European capital of culture 2021. All attendees were able to see it in person on the promotional video that was shown at City Hall.

Program Director of Novi Sad 2021, Momčilo Bajac, said that the fashion industry proved to be one of the most important branches of the creative industries because it provides the most options for engaging a wide range of creative professions, and especially young people. Through the Novi Sad 2021 projects, many young and creative people from Novi Sad and Serbia will get a chance to show their creativity and talent, but also to develop the entrepreneurial spirit in order to project their future in their hometown and Serbia.

He also pointed out that in addition to unequivocal support of the Mayor, Mr. Miloš Vučević, and the relevant city authorities, during the candidacy process, the necessary institutional framework has been built as a precondition for the successful implementation of the project Novi Sad 2021 and creative industries sector which includes fashion, and they are the Cultural Development Strategy of the City of Novi Now 2016-2026 and the Action plan for the development of creative industries of the city of Novi Sad.