The rise of a certain Demna Gvasalia, now creative director of Balenciaga, and of London-based designer David Koma, artistic director of Thierry Mugler since 2013, put Georgia on the map of the international fashion scene. Suddenly fashion insiders from all over the globe scrutinised the former Soviet republic by the Black Sea for the next shooting star, and glossy magazines like Vogue, Elle and New York Times T Magazine dispatched editors to the Georgian capital Tbilisi to report about this newly discovered creative hub.

Enter Sofia Tchkonia. A born and bred Georgian with a global mindset and the refined sophistication of a true cosmopolitan, she can be described as the driving force behind the ongoing fame of the small nation at the intersection of Europe and Asia. We met the fascinating founder and creative director of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Georgia for a joy ride in a Mercedes-Benz S 500 4MATIC through Tbilisi’s picturesque old city. Driving past quaint historic structures, we talk to Tchkonia about her ambitious work behind the scenes to further her home country’s reputation as an international hub for design and creativity.

Read more: https://www.mercedes-benz.com/en/me/inspiration/she/fashion-she/georgias-secret-ambassador/