11 of Georgia's Coolest Influencers to Follow on Instagram
Ani Chikhladze at the Datuna Fall 2018 show in Tbilisi, Georgia. Photo: Melodie Jeng/Getty Images
Ask a room full of international editors which alternative fashion week they're most excited about and chances are the majority will say Tbilisi. The small Georgian capital (with a population around one million people) landed firmly on the industry radar when homegrown talent Demna Gvsalia rose to fame after founding Vetements, and has steadily been raising the bar on Eastern European fashion each season. The same can be said of the city's resident street style stars: While attending Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Tbilisi this past week, we came across an abundance of cool girls gathered outside of the official show venue, an ornate Rococo-style building called Rustaveli State Theater.
From up-and-coming models to Tbilisi's local celebrities, we put together a guide to the most stylish Georgian influencers you can (and should!) be following on Instagram. If current trends are any indication, the things these ladies are wearing today are likely to pop up on runways around the world in the not too distant future.
Nini Nebieridze
Nini Nebieridze is one of four names behind Tbilisi's buzzed-about Chaos Concept Store. The shopping destination is as youthful and edgy as Nebieridze's style, which mixes homegrown Georgian labels like Gola Damian with bigger name brands like J.W.Anderson.
Salome Bezarashvili
Another founding member of Chaos Concept Store, Salome Bezarashvili stands out for her signature tousled hair and septum piercing. Her wardrobe is best described as off-duty model meets grunge, and in her spare time you'll find her designing merch for all the other "It" kids in Tbilisi.
Anka Tsitsishvili
Anka Tsitsishvili has the enviably effortless air of someone just born with it. When she's not being photographed attending shows in her native Tbilisi, she's in Russia overseeing her store in Moscow called Index Flat which specializes in supporting and discovering young designers.
Anouki Areshidze
The wife of the Mayor of Tbilisi, fashion designer and mom of three Anouki Areshidze is as close to Georgian royalty as it gets. Her eponymous label Anouki is an extension of her personal style — aka tons of sequins, dresses and floaty, feminine silhouettes.
Nino Eliava
Nino Eliava's classic style mixes luxury brands like Celine with the best local designers coming out of Tbilisi. Another store owner, she's the founder of e-boutique More is Love and the creative director of a new handbag line called 0711.
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Ani Chikhladze
Model Ani Chikhladze is one of the most in-demand faces in Tbilisi. The 24-year-old has walked over 25 shows for the Spring 2018 season, including a star turn for experimental designer George Keburia. Born and raised in the capital, she's already mom to a toddler and is completing her Bachelor's Degree in tourism.
Louisa Chalatashvili
Photographer Louisa Chalatashvili is the woman behind many of the look books and backstage shots of Georgia's coolest designers, but her personal style is also worth a mention. Scroll through her feed for a selection of her best work and outfits.
Tika Makharadze
Unlike most models who get their professional start while still in their teens, 28-year old Tika Makharadze walked the runway for the first time this season. The local Georgian's boyish curls remind us of another top model: androgynous Argentinian stunner Mica Arganaraz.
Nina Zarqua
A former model turned shoe designer, Nina Zarqua is a longtime staple of Georgia's booming fashion scene. She founded her namesake footwear brand in 2016 and finds style inspiration from icons like Mia Farrow, Edie Sedgwick and Jane Birkin.
Nata Beradze
You'll find Nata Beradze walking the runway at nearly every show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Tbilisi. The native model's high cheekbones and strong brows caught the attention of just about every casting director in the city for the Spring 2018 season, and her personal style is reminiscent of Daria Werbowy during the height of her fame in the early 2000s.
Nina Goderidze
Nina Goderidze is the breakout street style star of the season in Tbilisi. The 19-year-old's unique punk and cyber goth outfits had photographers lining up to take her picture. She doesn't have many followers on Instagram yet, but word on the street is that she's the next big thing to come out of the city.
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