Neli Mitewa

Neli Mitewa graduated in Fashion Design from the University of Applied Sciences and Design in Trier, Germany.
She develops her own collections under the “nelmit” brand. She also works as a freelance designer, in the field of teaching (with experience as a professor of fashion design at AMD Akademie Mode & Design Munich), consulting on design concepts, fashion journalism and costume design.

In 2007, Neli created IVAN ASEN 22 as a conceptual platform for presenting young progressive fashion designers in Sofia, and in 2009 she founded the IVAN ASEN 22 Foundation for presenting and supporting contemporary designers and is now its artistic director and curator.

In her collections, she is interested in the transformability of form (GAME-à-porter), the telling of personal stories through clothing (Watch your Back), as well as multicultural intertwining (Culture Clash). Characteristic of her work as a designer is her own modeling technique and her experimental construction systems.

Since 2015 she has been focusing her interests on conceptual fashion and its role in the context of contemporary arts.

OWN FASHION COLLECTIONS:
Participation with the CULTURE CLASH collection in the MQ VIENNA FASHION WEEK by invitation of the Q21 program of the MuseumsQuartier, Vienna, 2021
Presentation of the CULTURE CLASH collection in the showroom of IVAN ASEN 22
Presentation of the FUSION FASHION collection in collaboration with textile designer Dinka Kasabova, combining influences from Bulgarian and African motifs, at the Colibantan – a Taste of Africa ​​Gallery, Barcelona, ​​Spain, 2019
Models by nelmit for the design exhibitions on themes: NineTEEN, The Little Black Dress, Space Retro, Urban Jungle, BLACK Dress & Co., INSPIRED BY SUN, GOLDEN CODE, Cool:WOOL!, COLOUR is the new Black!, BEAUTY and the BEAST, PHILOSOPHY of SUNSHINE, DÉCO-digital, GHOSTS of MELANCHOLIA, Asphalt Snow, La vie en rose, Neo-Nature, A Blue Circle on a White Space, Comfort Zone, R_EVOLUTION, DIS_CONNECTIONS, underwater mood, My…WINTER, Flower Power, M-m-m…Melting like Chocolate, Shapes of Sand, Honey Rhythm, Rainbow Feeling, SNOWear, LET’S PLAY!, FLAM(E)BOYANT, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, 2021 – 2008
Watch your Back collection, 2006
GAME-à-porter collection in collaboration with scenographer Julian Tabakov, 2004.
Creation of own brand “nelmit”, 2002
The Loose Loop Knitted collection, 2002
Ads & Puzzles self-knitted collection, 2001.

FREELANCE DESIGN FOR FASHION COMPANIES:
Head of Design for the BOGDAR label, 2014-2018
Knitwear Collection for Norintra Design Cenre, Hong Kong, Spring-Summer 2009
Design concept for Boryana, Cherven Bryag – knitwear collections, 2007-2009
Design concept of the brand LARA VILL, Russe – women’s collection, textiles and knitwear, 2005-2006

AWARDS:
A scholarship holder with a one-month artistic residency at MuseumsQuartier Vienna and participation with the CULTURE CLASH collection at MQ VIENNA FASHION WEEK by invitation of the Q21 program of MuseumsQuartier, 2021.
BIG SEE INSPIRATIONAL-VISIONARY AWARD, provided by Zavod BIG, Center for Creative Economics of Southeast Europe in Ljubljana, Slovenia, for her achievements in the development of the Southeast European design scene.
Design-Innovation Award of the Ministry of Economy of North Rhine-Westphalia, qualifications for the finals of the Smirnoff Fashion Awards
GRAND PRIX INTERNATIONAL FASHION DESIGN BERLIN 2003, etc.
In 2007 and 2009, GRAZIA magazine nominated her for Woman of the Year in the Design category.