Nikolay Bozhilov's collection closed ModaSofia 2026. It was inspired by the Black Sea, but the further it goes, the further it moves away from black. It features sheer dresses, corsets, airy cuts, soft ruffled details on the tops and metal elements, some of them set out at the front.

The fashion week, now in its second season, runs from 10 to 13 September 2026 in Sofia. The main programme starts on 11 September. Organisers say the event has more than 30 artists, more than 25 collections and more than 2,500 visitors. More than 15 designers make their debut. The motto is THE#ART#ISSUE, and the closing message is "#Together & #Forward". The finale on 13 September features three established Bulgarian designers: La Protagonista by Bogdana Kostova, Bulkina and Bozhilov.

What we saw on the runway

Bozhilov sticks to his minimalist style: basic colours, light shapes and little decoration. The corset holds the whole look together, and the body shows through the sheer dress without being fully revealed. The review in the publication covering the event does not make clear what fabrics the collection uses.

Danail Kapchin is taking part for a second year in a row. According to the review, the leather jackets are the strongest pieces. Alongside them are asymmetric and symmetric dresses, geometric trousers and shirts, something between a kimono and a coat, and exaggerated sleeves. His collection links fashion with philosophy, anthropology and sociology, and stays in black.

Bulkina starts from Bulgarian everyday life. Lace covers the little black dress, there is folk embroidery on the outerwear and socks, and one dress reads "Pasteurised cow's milk". There are also T-shirts with socialist slogans. Polish designer Michał Szulc showed an all-menswear collection in Bulgaria for the first time, with deconstruction and avant-garde elements. The review ties it to the "Good Boy Dressing" trend. Kuzma Suresh showed seven looks, described as eclectic.

What will reach our wardrobes

The sources do not say which ideas will reach the shops. They make clear only that some of what was shown is everyday clothing: a leather jacket, a shirt, trousers, a coat, outerwear. The corset and the sheer dress are more runway pieces, while Bulkina's black lace dress is closest to a style we already know.

The event's motto links fashion with different kinds of art, new technology and care for nature. The review puts Bozhilov's collection alongside the themes it names for the event: curiosity, the link between people and timeless art. The sources give no details on second-hand materials or technology in the collections.

The programme also included talks. On 12 September, #FashionTalks took place at the Sofia Arsenal, where Szulc spoke about Polish fashion. On 13 September, the shows opened with graduates of the National Academy of Art and New Bulgarian University. The exhibition "The Last Romantics" by photographer Wanda Martin at the Liszt Institute is open until 25 September.