At the end of the Undergraduate in Fashion Business program, Polimoda requires students to develop a thesis – a start-up idea. The options are endless, and students have almost total freedom to create a project of their dreams. Here, Egor Lopusov tells us all about his group’s agency Pontem, which through wholesale, PR, and e-commerce connects Eastern European brands with Western markets.
PONTEM
Pontem is a 360-degree agency bridging Eastern European brands with the Western market. Together with my two colleagues, Bridget Roane and Zarina Golovko, we set the goal of redefining global perceptions of Eastern European fashion, transitioning it from the periphery to the forefront of cultural and commercial relevance.
Brainstorming with my group-mates, we noticed how designers with Eastern European backgrounds have the ability to see beauty in things that are not conventionally attractive, taking into consideration the social, economic, and cultural context of their countries.
We therefore based Pontem on three pillars: wholesale, PR, and e-commerce. Each team member is responsible for their part, overseeing the processes related to their field.
MAKING IT WORK
Our focus was to create an actual case study and see if our idea worked to prove its feasibility. By setting the target of finding potential designers to collaborate with, we wanted to verify that these creators actually needed the support. Before starting the project, we conducted in-depth research and created a “filter document” to better understand which brands would align with our idea. We realized that EECA (Eastern Europe & Central Asia) represents an underleveraged yet highly promising frontier globally. The region’s craftsmanship, affordability, and sustainability strengths align perfectly with the rising global demand for ethical and original design. Pontem is strategically positioned to bridge the region’s creative supply with international market demand by providing infrastructure, marketing, and access.
We want to help EECA designers scale globally and offer Western buyers access to untapped innovation. The brands we picked for our case studies are centered on empowerment, authenticity, and cultural celebration. We wish to showcase designers as the vanguard of global style. Every touchpoint at Pontem highlights heritage craftsmanship and resilience, building an emotional connection through story.
We reached out to numerous designers and received confirmations from OK KINO, a brand from Chisinau, Moldova, and Nensi Avetisian, based in Yerevan, Armenia. After interviewing and talking with them, we realized that both of their locations presented issues for logistics. Even though they admired their hometowns and their creative process is closely tied to them, the fashion system’s structure made it hard to get in touch with industry professionals and receive feedback. Another challenge is distance: magazines or stylists often request specific items on very short notice, making it impossible to deliver samples in time. A similar issue arises with stores, where order deliveries are often delayed, due to the brands’ location.
For each of our designers, we are developing an individually crafted plan according to their specific needs. But what does this entail?
FROM BLUEPRINT TO BUCHAREST
During the preparation of our final thesis, OK KINO received an invitation to participate in the Mercedes-Benz Bucharest Fashion Week. It was our opportunity to validate our theory and support the brand.
I flew to Bucharest to be physically present with the brand and try to create those “bridges” we needed for our project. Zarina and Bridget stayed in Florence to handle the back-office operations. A few weeks before the show, we began preparing with the brand by collecting a list of guests, buyers, and press, and doing email follow-ups with PR materials, a collection teaser, and key information regarding pricing. This was done to introduce the brand to potential partners before the show.
Furthermore, MBBFW organized a showroom in the same location as the shows, which helped the brand better articulate the story behind each creation to guests in personal conversations. Together with the brand, we built strong connections, accumulating valuable contacts for post-event follow-ups.
Additionally, Polimoda is an official partner with the NEXT GENERATION program at MBBFW. We immediately contacted the board to see if we could get any support, and the school willingly agreed to assist. We got in touch with the director of the school, Massimiliano Giornetti, who kindly visited us and gave us valuable feedback regarding potential collection development, as well as the merchandising strategy for the brand.
RESULTS
After the final presentation of Collection 06 at the National Museum of Art, the brand received media coverage in Vogue Germany, Metal, Vogue Adria, Forbes, and Elle Romania.
Our team played a key role in securing this media attention by reaching out to magazines, organizing follow-up communication, and ensuring that the brand’s story was effectively communicated. Additionally, we established connections with a few potential stockists – hopefully these connections will lead to future opportunities.
Currently, we are developing a merchandising strategy for OK KINO to align with the buyers’ expectations and create a collection based on numbers and statistics while keeping in mind the creative approach.
On behalf of the Pontem team, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to Massimiliano Giornetti, Eva Zimmerman, and the entire board of Polimoda for their invaluable help and support.
CREDITS
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