Fashion Design students at the National Academy of Art present the future of fashion at HALF WALK 2026

22 March 2026 (Sunday), 7:30 pm

ZOKI’s Warehouse, 1 Industrialna Street, Sofia

 

Students from the Deaprtment of Fashion Design at the National Academy of Art will present their collections as part of the innovative fashion and cultural event Half Walk 2026. The project builds on the understanding of the classic fashion show, transforming it into an immersive artistic experience, uniting fashion, movement, visual arts, art installation, music and scenography. The conceptual direction behind the collections presents two thematic axes: “Circle in*” and “Symbiosis”.

 

CIRCLE IN* weaves the principles of circular fashion into three distinct sub-themes–urban techno-conformity, reimagined cultural heritage and the natural cycle in fashion. Each of them embodies different themes–from innovative urban designs to the triumph of global cultural heritage and the harmonious integration of natural processes.

 

SYMBIOSIS is an interdisciplinary project that unites students from the National Academy of Art and their colleagues from the Bachelor's programmes in Biology and Chemistry, in Geography and Biology, and in Biology and English at the Faculty of Biology of Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski". The goal is to create a bridge between art, science and nature, and the main message of the collection is tied to one of the leading aspects of sustainable fashion – biodiversity. The students focus on the development of minimal-waste clothing and their designs are inspired by exhibits in the National Museum of Natural History at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.

 

The main goal of the Half Walk platform is to create a real stage for the performance of young designers, building a sustainable connection between academic education and the practical professional environment. The students' work is an expression of their commitment to rethinking the future of fashion through innovative and sustainable practices, with the aim of creating contemporary, functional and original collections with real applicability in the fashion industry. In order to emphasize the professional nature and international value of the project, the program will feature established names from the Bulgarian and global fashion scene, including lecturers Assoc. Prof. Alexander Gerginov, PhD, and Ch. Asst. Prof. Nikolay Bozhilov, PhD, and the designer Edis Pala.

 

Visitors will be able to immerse themselves in the specially constructed visual environment, combining art installations, sound and light, as soon as they step foot in the industrial space, and the evening will end with a musical program by DJ COZTOF.

 

Producers: Nikolay Yordanov and Georgi Georgiev

Partners: National Academy of Art, HALF Magazine, Other HALF Magazine, SEMANA, STROYRENT, Yummy Box, Bel London Bulgaria, Goldwell Bulgaria, Absolut Vodka, M.U.S.E. Clinic Bulgaria, Laser Print Bulgaria, Bulgarian Textile Company, Scandles and eAQUA

Media Partner: City Radio & TV

 

HALF WALK 2026 is a project with high educational and social value, aimed at the development of contemporary fashion and visual culture in Bulgaria. As an expression of the sustainable partnership initiative, the organizers are committed to a targeted financial investment in the development of young artists: 50% of the funds generated from ticket sales will be provided to the Academy in support of the Department of Fashion Design.