Belgrade gets Design Hub – FACTS Cluster sets up space for linking creatives and economy

Fashion Apparel Cluster Serbia – FACTS plans to open in Belgrade a creative coworking space Design Hub. The space would be accessible for not only the cluster members and other companies from textile, clothing and fashion industry but also for students, designers, graphic designers, modelists and innovative start-up companies.

According to the cluster announcement, designers and other creatives could use this space, good creative atmosphere and various tools tuned to their needs (such as virtual design software, printers, material samples, the library, wsgn access and the like) to work on their projects. They would have access to meeting rooms, seminars, training, conferences, photographing for catalogues, holding fashion shows…

They would also be able to connect with cluster member companies which would create an opportunity for them to work for the market, cooperate with their creative teams or to apply the knowledge gained in Design Hub to start their own businesses.

On the other hand, the businesses might be able to find associates here who might help them implement creative solutions in their operations.

Reports suggest that this could be a starting point for future international market opportunities for textile, clothing and fashion industries.

In order for this project to become feasible, FACTS cluster has prepared a Feasibility Study for opening the Design Hub which contains a detailed analysis of buyers and users divisions, services to be provided, and projected incomes and expenses for the next three years.

The hub’s location is yet to be determined. There were several variant carried out for spaces of 150 m2, 300 m2 and 500 m2 size, because the first step in setting up Belgrade Design Hub is finding the adequate space.

Science and economy collaboration

As was said before, this would be the place for students but also for graduates and post-graduates who will continue the trend of connecting students and business owners, one of the cluster’s goals.

In much the same way, the collaboration between students in their final year of studies at the state-owned higher education institutions (that are cluster members) and the fashion companies, owners of popular Serbian brands, was recently established.

This collaboration was made possible with the financial backup of Development Agency of Serbia and technical support and use of online servers by London’s WSGN. Technical support by WSGN London consisted of transfer of knowledge through webinars and workshops in visual merchandising which our educational system did not have but which was relevant to Serbian fashion and apparel industry.

Students in their final years of studies at the Faculty of Applied Arts and Textile College for Applied Studies in Design DTM from Belgrade teamed up with designers from companies Mona, Ivković, Tiffany Production, Luna, Extreme Intimo, Beba Kids, Garinello, AMC and Biliczki and worked on fashion collections with elements of visual merchandising not only to furnish these stores’ shop windows but to adorn the Belgrade city streets they’re located in – Knez Mihailova, Kralja Milana, Zmaj Jovina, Terazije, Kolarceva, Cara Dusana and Gospodska Street.