Upcycling, young talents, and minimalism reign supreme.
While NYFW officially kicks off on Friday, there was another fashion week that came and went over the holiday weekend: Budapest Central European Fashion Week Spring Summer 2025. Over two days and one evening, the region’s best talent showcased their designs. Stalwarts like Nanushka helped anchor the runway shows, but it was other labels like Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Marko Feher, Slovakia’s MADbyMAD, and Poland’s Jackob Buczynski that offered up surprises and delights. 10 USA was there take in the shows as well as the best culinary delights and art exhibits that the city has to offer. Read on for our top ten takeaways.
Marko Feher’s Zero Waste Success
For Central Saint Martin’s alum Marko Potkozarac, good design is also sustainable design. The designer, who was born and raised in Bosnia and Herzegovina, established Marko Feher as a label that emphasizes zero waste and slow fashion. Kicking off his runway presentation with a voiceover that highlighted the impact that the industry has on the environment, Potkozarac described how his call to action on social media inspired the current collection. After asking followers to contribute old suits, jackets, and shirts, the overwhelming response resulted in My Digital Legacy, which celebrates not just sustainability but also creativity and the power of community. Riffing on suiting, the opening black-and-white look featured daisies, a nod to the designer’s dog who passed away earlier this year. Featuring a mix of strong-shouldered jackets coupled with sharp tailoring, it represented one of the strongest offerings of the week.
MADBYMAD is a Young Name to Know
Another Central Saint Martin’s alum that left a mark was Mata Durikovic, the brains behind MADbyMAD. The Slovakian brand has caught the eyes of LVMH as well as the Copenhagen Fashion Summit, in addition to showing at London Fashion Week. Self-described as a bioluxury house, Durikovic created a leather replacement material that is compostable. Combined with 3-D embroidery as well as recycled Swarovski crystal waste, the eye-catching garments are sustainable yet stylish. For her part in the Slovakian Fashion Council’s group show, Durikovic utilized recycled yarns and starch water as well as recycled crystals. Unabashedly feminine yet avant-garde, fans of Simone Rocha should take note — MADbyMAD will be right up your alley.
Nanushka Continues to Impress
Perhaps the one brand that’s synonymous with Hungarian design would be Nanushka. While they plan on showing spring 2025 during New York Fashion Week, the label decided to stage a presentation of their resort 2025 collection for their hometown fans. Drawing inspiration from designer Sandra Sándor’s teen years where she watched Western films as well as spending time in her mother’s childrenswear business, the collection also referenced Budapest’s sports clubs as well as workwear from the ‘80s and ‘90s. The result? A highly covetable mix of leather tinged jackets and shirting as well as slouchy trousers and polo-neck jumpers that reinforce Nanushka’s place as the cornerstone of Hungarian fashion.
Cukovy Hits Its Stride
How does a brand like Cukovy, who’s known for their puffers approach spring dressing? Well, first they take us on a lovely five minute bike ride through Margaret Island, a greenery-filled park located in the middle of the Danube River. At the end of the path was a picnic setup, with the label’s latest offerings strung across clotheslines. Vivid and bright, designer Flora Popradi’s colorful spin on outerwear also included reversible bags as well as more sedate neutrals. For those seeking a youthful label to keep their eye on, Popradi is one to watch.
Kata Szegedi Brought Out the Cool Kids
“Are we in Berlin?” That question was uttered by multiple guests as we filtered into Kata Szegedi’s runway presentation that took place off-site at Nyolcésfél, an art center. Filled with arguably Budapest’s coolest crowd, the well-dressed attendees were enjoying drinks while taking content at both the photobooth set up as well as vignettes set up in the space. As for the show itself? The brand, founded in 2009, represents the country’s best in contemporary design and has been worn by the likes of Nicki Minaj, Kelly Rowland, among others. For spring 2025, the mix of denim and sheer felt perfectly in line with what the crowd in the room wanted — sexy, stylish pieces that looked equally suitable for day or nights at the club. One key standout included a black trench that featured woven detailing which highlighted the label’s deftness at working with architectural silhouettes.
ZSigmond Celebrates a Decade
Heritage plays a huge role in Dora Zsigmond’s eponymous brand. Founded in 2014 as a way to preserve rapidly disappearing rural Hungarian culture, Zsigmond has been in business for a decade — an impressive feat for any label. Known for gender neutral styles that featured upcycled fabrics as well as handicraft, the anniversary collection drew from traditional blue-dyeing. The bygone technique which also includes block printing, it was usually kept within families for generations although during Communist-era Hungary, it nearly died out. With a finite amount of original textiles, Zsigmond used what was available in the upcycled garments as well as included pieces that featured pops of yellow and white, to create a charming ode to her homeland.
Victoria Wang Shows the Diverse Future of Hungarian Design
How does a Chinese designer with a collection that draws inspiration from Burmese monks find herself in Budapest? It’s a testament to the growing power of this emerging fashion week that Victoria Wang found herself catching the eye of the international press. The young talent is studying for her masters degree but her deft hand at uniting East and West can be seen in her graduate collection entitled Sense of Unity. Citing Mingwei Lee’s Our Labyrinth performance, where two dancers create waves from piles of rice, Wang combines creamy whites with the red found in Buddhist monk garments to create garments that undulate from the body. It’s a promising start for a talent to watch.
Jacob Buczynski’s Avant-Garde Upcycling
Courtesy of an Elle Poland editor, we were tipped off of the potential that Polish designer Jackob Buczynski held and he did not disappoint. The brand, which was established in 2017, is an upcycled label that uses pieces from the Polish sorting center, Wtórpol. While there were only 13 pieces in the collection, Buczynski made each count. Opening with a sexy black minidress made from belts, the looks then segued into patchwork as well as dresses that appeared to be constructed from white cotton doilies. For Buczynski, spring 2025 represented the colors of life, passing and goodbyes. Flowers showed the ideas of maturing, reaching, and becoming while black leather were metaphors for impossibility, stagnation, and the fear of life. With a clear point of view, it’s easy to see why he’s a favorite among editors in this region.
A Michelin-Starred Dining Experience
While goulash and chicken paprikash are cultural favorites, the dining scene in Budapest is world-class, with a slew of Michelin-starred restaurants. One such experience? Felix, a restaurant located in the building that used to house the Várkert Kiosk. The stately building designed by Miklós Ybl, who is also the architect behind the city’s stunning St. Stephen’s Basilica and the Hungarian State Opera, serves as a stunning location for an equally as expansive menu. Drawing from local favorites as well as global flavors, standouts include tender New Zealand lamb chops as well as tender grilled octopus. Don’t forget to try the local wines as well, they pair perfectly with every dish.
At the National Gallery, Art That Resonates
Besides a requisite trip to the thermal baths, make it a point to explore the Castle District, including a stop at the Hungarian National Gallery. The art museum, located at the top of Buda Castle, offers expansive views of the city below as well as an impressive array of local and international works. While we were there, an exhibit to note was the works of Magrit Anna called When Dolls Speak. The retrospective of one of Hungary’s foremost 20th century painters showcased an expansive career that featured pieces which touched on religion, communism, feminism, and sexuality. Full of color and childlike naivete, the themes and mood often skewed dark and foreboding, highlighting the contrasts the artist lived through as she saw the rise of both fascism and communism. While the show ended on September 1st, Anna’s work certainly leaves the viewer with plenty to mull on.
