Last week German designer Leonie Mergen presented a collection inspired by Nagorno-Karabakh, a disputed territory in the South Caucasus, at Berlin Fashion Week.
In the collection Berlin-based Mergen draws upon the rich traditional costume of the region, which is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan, but of which the majority is governed by the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, a de facto independent state.
Among the most remarkable features of the collection are its use of silk and leather accessories bearing a distinctly equestrian feel — a nod to the region’s role on the historic Silk Road and as a leader in horse breeding — while the elaborate and striking patterns featured on many of the garments recall traditional tapestries.
Mergen’s Berlin Fashion Week show featured 26 looks and was accompanied by traditional Azerbaijani mugham folk music.
You can check out the full collection here.
Source: AzerNews