THE haunting high-pitched rhythms of a Bulgarian piper from the Rhodope Mountain region sent goose bumps quivering through the audience at a folk-flavoured fashion show on Monday.

The event, at the Radisson Hotel in Sofia, was organised to demonstrate how Bulgarian national folk costume can fit into a modern wardrobe.

It was co-organised by the International Women's Club of Sofia (IWC) and the Open Society Club of Smolyan, a Rhodope town close to Bulgaria's southern border.

IWC vice-president Mary Evangelatus said: "The dancers are presenting clothing from the Rhodope region.

"The clothes on display in the fashion and dance performance are designed to be worn by today's modern woman. The fashion show is strongly supported by the Municipality of Smolyan, to make people aware of the traditional and national arts of the region.

"The IWC is a part of Bulgaria and that is the reason I chose this event, to display the fine arts in the country."

The Open Society Club - Smolyan (OSC) was formed six years ago and it aims to highlight cultural heritage and development in the region, free exchange of information and ideas, and to establish a funding structure to support charity there.

Formal clothes, everyday wear, elegant dresses, sporty casual and extravagant are the four types of outfit displayed by the 12 young folklore dancers from the Rhodope area.

The show was choreographed by rhythmic gymnast Mariana Yosifova and staged by members of the Zarenitsa ensemble.

Designer Vesselka Hristova said: "This dance formation presents an alternative version of centuries-old folklore dancing and a completely new idea for a presentation of clothes and modernity.

"We are displaying innovative white clothes and gold accessories - 2001 is a year when golden jewellery is being worn.

"The clothes displayed are traditional Bulgarian-wear but modernised and made suitable for casual wear. All of them are handmade and their preparation took a long time."

Natural colours - green, brown and leisure beige - created a rainbow atmosphere, with garments of all shape and taste.

Skirts, overcoats, cardigans and vests were made predominantly from cotton and linen, many embroidered with folklore emblems.

There was also an abundance of lace, jewellery and hat accessories on display.

The OSC-Smolyan Gallery Fund brought four paintings from its collection to the event. They were done during the Rhodope 1996 plein-air, organised by the club. These four pictures - Lyuben Zidarov's Rhodope Jerusalem, Encho Pironkov's Rest, Sully Severov's Sunset and Zdravko Palazov's Human Song - aim to convey an encounter of artistic inspiration with the feel for aesthetics and humanity as a challenge to trials of cultural identity. Proceeds from any sales will go to orphanages in the Smolyan region.