Belarusian artisan becomes two-times winner of Japanese fashion design competition

VITEBSK, 16 June (BelTA) – Viktoria Alferyonok, an artisan from Vitebsk, won the international Fashion Zakka Design Competition in Japan for the second time. Her design of a bag placed first in its category this year, while last year she scored a victory with a design of a hat, BelTA learned from Viktoria Alferyonok.

Last year, the competition celebrated its 30th anniversary. It became an international event in 2018. Participants are required to send illustrations of their design in one of the categories: bags, hats, shoes, belts and suspenders, and small leather items. “Designs that win the competition are then used by artisans from Tokyo to create real items. They take part in exhibitions, go on view in Japanese stores and are demonstrated to manufacturers,” Viktoria Alferyonok said.

In 2018, she secured a win with her design of a bag. The Japanese jury noticed the original design of the Belarusian contestant. “I had an idea to make the sides of the bag look like paper folds, reminding of origami,” the designer said.

Viktoria Alferyonok noted that everyone was surprised to see guests from Belarus at the awards ceremony. “My husband and I were the only Europeans, so we attracted a lot of attention,” she said.

The fashion design competition is held in Taito City in Tokyo Metropolis. This region is known for its leather goods, as a lot of leather artisans settled there in the past. One of the aims of the competition is to revive and keep alive traditions of this Japanese craft. Viktoria Alferyonok also made her contribution. Last year, her design of a hat was named best in its category. Japanese artisans will make the hat by the announcement of results of the 2020 edition of the competition.

Works of winners, including Viktoria Alferyonok, might go into mass production.

Photos by Aleksandr Khitrov