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Nicole Miller returned to Albania last week to assess the final of the Muza 2025, which had the work of 10 designers.
After the designer based in New York took part in last year’s event as a judge, he was reunited at the Italia Square Event in Tirana with one of her former runway models, the Emina Cunmulaj Nazarian, born in Albanian. Although she is now based in Miami and has three children, Nazarian is still obliged to help her home country to work for his fashion and to support various charity organizations. She served as a judge with the American model and actress Carol Alt and the photographer Fadil Berisha, born in Albanian.
The organizer and producer of Muza, Andriola Kambo, said the event was not only a fashion show, but also a project driven by mission. “This year was the most difficult and significant part of creating space for new, unsuitable models. I never wanted to give young people-many of them on a stage before the opportunity to form their identity as an image carrier of Albanian culture,” she said.
Kambo described the country’s fashion scene as a full potential and said: “We have a rich cultural heritage, a lively craftsmanship and an incredibly creative younger generation. I wanted to shine a light on witness by Muza through Muza – not only by helping to get designers into the role of cultural ambassadors.”
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Most of the approximately 800 participants were invited guests – industry experts, designers, media members, influencers and supporters of the finalists. There were also a limited number of invitations that were offered 30 euros each, and those who were quickly sold out. The aim was to keep the event exclusively, but also to hire the creative community in Albania. The collections examined the topics of tradition, identity, futurism and personal transformation.
This year’s winner was Morala Durra, where Ezmerina Kasa and Xheksil Muça were the second and third winners of third place. Any mentoring opportunities will have as part of the victory. For Durra this means in Milan while Kasa is bound to Miami and Muça will travel to Dubai. The fourth Finisher Alma Salihi received a scholarship from the Evolution Academy. The other finalists in this year’s competition were Beslinda Hashani, E. Frontin Hasani, Jetmira Shyti Memia, Sajmira Lena, Sarita Gjini and the Gresa Krasniqi by Rebel Issue Group, Leandra Bërlajolli and Shaban Berisha. They started answering an open call and then took part in a one -month process of mentors and creative development.
Felting, which is “very large” in Albania, was obvious in some designs and embroidery and crochet, but the key was to use these techniques in a modern way. “They are just so hungry and eager because it is really an emerging market. They have been suppressed for so long. Obviously, they are looking internationally. It is great that the winners designers have received these mentories in other countries,” said Miller.
According to the Index for Economic Freedom of Heritage Foundation, GDP in Albania was 55 billion US dollars in 2023 in the amount of US dollars. From November 2024, the country’s inflation rate was 4.8 percent and unemployment 11.6 percent. The Greek Coast visited, a luxury development project developed by the first billionaire by Samir by the country’s Balfin group, was a highlight of the trip, said Miller. “I’ve never seen anything like this in the USA. It is somehow built into the mountain. There are restaurants, shops, a hotel and condominiums. It was pretty fascinating.”
Old, a first visitor, spoke enthusiastically about the potential of the country and how many Albanian people, regardless of where they could live now, are loyal and return from time to time. “They stick together and they help each other. I have to say that it was quite a experience,” she said.
Alt noticed that some of their friends now have villas in Albania. The country’s tourism industry is expected to play a larger role in its economy, as Prime Minister Edu Rama emphasized in February. It was expected to contribute 26 percent to the country GDP in 2024. The World Travel & Tourism Council recorded an increase in expenses for foreign tourists by 54.7 percent, which was 4.8 billion dollars last year. Albania recently set up a state-owned company to be involved in the $ 1.4 Luxury Resort Development on the Adriatic coast, which is led by Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump. Miller said there were “many mixed feelings” at this undertaking among the people with whom she had spoken in Albania.
Miller said: “Obviously, her cultural heritage has a lot of Eastern European influence because the Ottomans had entered Albania for so long, and then there is the Turkish and Italian influence that [Muza] The show had to be inspired by the legacy. It is really interesting how some designers can make them modern and other collections look like they are in the past. The [currentness] It was also an important factor for the decision we liked and how you moved it forward. “
As for the country’s design tradition, Alt praised the ability of the Muza finalists, her creations like a designer who was inspired by elements of a 200-year-old wedding dress for one of her creations. “What noticed for me was how wise they were to involve the ethnicity of the country into others. Nobody did the same. Every designer chose something that was completely different. Ten designers did 10 different species,” she said. “There were some parts that I would have bought. I love to be at the top of things. To see how they open up to the world, there are some things that are not yet fully developed and other things with which they just move so quickly.”
During his time in Albania, Berisha made an editorial photo shoot in front of the beach with old and wore a selection of designs, including some of Miller. The model actress said she made shootings for an Albania magazine and a Saudi fashion. Unnecessarily saying, old said she endeavors to return next year and that she really enjoyed spending some time with Miller. “As a model, you can never really spend time with the designers. In the late 80s or early 90s I worked for a shooting for women’s clothing in your offices. I was on my farm and we had a really bad snowstorm. We did it on time.”
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