Who’d have thunk it? Georgia has a booming fashion scene! And no, we don’t mean the Peach State, home to sweet tea and homegrown football fanatics, but rather the southeastern country of the Caucasus region that sits under Russia and borders Turkey. Recently, the post-Soviet republic has been put on the map as a place of flourishing fashion talent, due in no small part to Balenciaga’s new creative director, Demna Gvasalia (who is also the leader of cult-fascination labelVetements and a Georgia native), and local brands that are quickly picking up international traction, like Ria Keburia and Atelier Kikala. There is even a growing runway platform, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Tbilisi, which kicks off tomorrow. But beyond that, there’s some serious street-style–savvy talent: Georgia has a jet-set crew of show-hopping women with stellar personal style, all who still pledge allegiance to their motherland’s designers. And that’s not a bad way to chicly salute your home country.
http://www.vogue.com/13367999/georgian-it-girls-tbilisi-fashion-week