Laura Calin, V for Vintage: We live in an effervescent city, the playground of a new generation

Founder of V for Vintage, one of Bucharest’s main design fairs, Laura Calin looks back on the event’s past nine editions and praises Bucharest as an entrepreneurial hotbed for emerging designers. Its 9th edition takes place at Grand Hotel du Boulevard between November 11-12.

What made you create the V for Vintage fair?

It all started in 2008 from my passion for true vintage pieces and the need to bring together people with similar desires and expertise. As a customer, you had the feeling that the designers were unreachable, that they were there, on the catwalk or featured in the fashion magazines, and you could not get in touch easily with them.

V for Vintage was planned as the place where people interested in design, passionate about creativity and all that is fashion related, can meet and become a community.

How has the fair grown since the first edition?

At the first edition, we had 50 designers and vintage collectors as exhibitors, and more than 1000 visitors. It was a one day event back then.

With each edition we built a strong and loyal relationship with the designers, vintage collectors, universities and public. Every edition was an opportunity to educate the public and design loving community. All our efforts were rewarded with the success of some of the designers who were close to V for Vintage from the beginning. We feel responsible to discover and to help grow new names in Romanian design and this is why we have established a long term partnership with the most important art and design universities in Romania.

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In time, we grew the project to over 100 designers, two days and over 5000 visitors that are interested in contemporary design, vintage and future design. This is a component we added a few years ago through our partnership with the design and art universities from Bucharest, Cluj and Timișoara.

But most important, in time the selection we do for the fair, with a jury with relevant expertise in fashion and design, ensured more quality as well as a better adaptation to trends and visitors’ expectations.

Today, V for Vintage has become a social event, a must go destination, a fair that everyone addicted to design and beauty must visit.

How creative is Bucharest?

Come to V for Vintage this weekend and you will find out! We live in an effervescent city, at each step we see proof for a very creative new generation. From the style choices, to the food and the sound of Bucharest we are lucky to be part of the capital’s cool vibe. Most of the designers from this edition of V for Vintage have developed their brands in Bucharest because this is the biggest fashion market in the country and also the place where you can find new and challenging opportunities every day.

Why is creative entrepreneurship important?

It’s good to be creative and to have ideas but it’s also great to transform your ideas into something real. Today the most important companies in the world were built from a truly creative idea and with the help of innovative strategy they became the new global reality. Especially for creative people from fashion, design or arts the business approach is what makes a simple idea into a successful story.

Are there any particular challenges Romanian designers are facing when setting up a business?

Similar to other businesses the starting point is the most challenging. It’s difficult and risky to obtain a bank loan, to develop a smart and adaptable business plan, to secure a safe cash flow and most of all to regain your place on the market. The shortage of distribution or selling points is what limits the creative business from growing. This is where V for Vintage became a successful option for getting the designs closer to the buyer. With every edition we try to educate the public to invest in new names and to credit the creative brands with trust and money.

What is this edition’s main theme?

For the 19th edition we took a big step towards the business part of the creative process. At the edition we celebrate the Creative Entrepreneurs and the business stories that can inspire and be an example for the young names from the fashion world. We encourage creativity but we emphasis the need for a strategic thinking behind every brand.

How do you select the designers?

We organize an open competition based on the design theme we choose. This year we selected The fluidity of gender in today’s fashion or Masculine Inspiration. After all the registrations our jury composed of Domnica Margescu – fashion director Elle Romania, Andreea Badala-designer Murmur and myself selected the top 100 design portfolios.

What role does Thefeed.ro play?

The Feed is a pool of creative names and projects. Sometimes is enough to put together the right ingredients to obtain a success story and this is what The Feed is all about. We give the designers a simple and cool platform to show their ideas, their brands and to come into contact with other creatives and the public.

Based on Thefeed.ro we plan to extend our role in training and helping creatives become independent and solid businesses.

What other initiatives do you have in the field of creative entrepreneurship?

Because we believe in the role of constant education and learning, we have launched a series of business orientated workshops. We select relevant speakers who can inspire and whom we trust to be true role models.

From how to communicate to how to manage your finance, we try to give the young designers and creatives the tools to reach success the right way.