Stretches on 250 meters, Fashion Street is a prestigious and iconic high-street in the very heart of Budapest. This description is already complimenting, however, the whole story of the street’s past, present – and future! – is way more intriguing.
Rising from Scraps
Once charming and lovely, Deák Ferenc Street – now known as Fashion Street – was an architectural gem buzzing with life in the central of Hungary’s capital around the early 1900’s. Unfortunately, as many European cities, Budapest suffered the Second World War quite badly too – not to mention the following socialist era, destroying and covering up beautiful buildings around the city. Those fifty years almost entirely buried this wonderful downtown street: in the mid 1990’s Deák Ferenc Street was merely a dark passageway between two locations.
In the beginning of 2000 urban developer Péter Csipak had an outstanding (and really bald) vision: to single handedly reform this street back to its old splendor and turn it into Central-Europe’s most prestigious high-street. Doing that was no child’s game: the dream of creating a thematic luxurious fashion street needed a steady acquisition of almost every building and property in the street. By selling previously owned restaurants and companies, Péter Csipak founded a real estate development company, Immobila Ltd., and started the process.
Dealing with each and every owner individually, the company one-by-one bought the properties through the course of four heavy and trying years. Once all the properties were in one hand, the thematic reconstruction started. Molded facades were carefully torn down to show the underlying, century-old wonderful buildings planned by the most known masters of architecture in Hungary at the time. The renovation carefully protected the valuable architectural heritage while applying the latest innovative solutions, working hand-in-hand with the best local and foreign architects and art historians. The result? A dream came true in 2008, when Fashion Street opened to the public as Central-Europe’s most prominent high street featuring two five-star hotels, luxury fashion brands and award-winning restaurants.
Up, Up and Away
Celebrating its 11th birthday this year, Fashion Street is livelier than ever. Living the motto ‘Your Lifestyle’ Fashion Street spreads its wings and now operates not only as a shopping street, but as a cultural hub and a high-street with various programs and services in many areas. Deák Palace, one of the street’s most beautiful (and Instagram-positive!) buildings opened as Fashion Street Gallery this year. After holding five successful contemporary exhibitions, the gallery has ambitious plans for the upcoming autumn and winter seasons, including launch parties, exhibitions, art events, charity and artist supporting programs to follow.
Naming the internationally known Hungarian actress Andrea Osvárt as Fashion Street’s Ambassador of 2019, the brand reinforces its values in fashion and lifestyle.
Supporting plastic-free July by collaborating with LUSH, suggesting mindfulness by showing yoga practices, participating in the street’s cultural and charity events, showing style and glamour by introducing the street’s fashion values Andrea Osvárt is the face and the spirit of what Fashion Street stands for.
Would like to see it for yourself? Lucky you! Fashion Street is amazing in every season. Enjoying the shadowy terraces with friends and the best Aperol Spritz in town during the hottest summer days? ÉS Terrace on Fashion Street! Having a relaxingly hedonistic day pampering yourself? Go nowhere else, but to Kempinski Hotel Corvinus Spa! Wardrobe renovation needed? Just simply type Fashion Street Budapest to your GPS! If your lifestyle is about fashion, gastronomy, culture and awareness with a hint of architectural beauty, Fashion Street is a must do in Budapest.