A model, a dream, a style empire spanning three continents. On September 5th and 6th, the Bottai Tower transformed into an international catwalk, and Romania discovered its new queen of fashion. Some dream of the runway, and some build the runway for others. Marina Merișanu belongs to the second category — the rare kind of woman who turns ambition into vision. Originally from Constanța, she spent eight years breathing in the international glamour of Malta, crossed Asia all the way to Thailand collecting crowns and titles, and this week returned to Romania bearing a precious gift: International Fashion Island, for the very first time onRomanian soil.
A career born to shine
Marina’s talent revealed itself from childhood, when fashion wasn’t yet a profession but already a destiny. Malta became her school of style: eight intense years during which she represented Romania on international stages, winning the title of Ms International ModelMalta. But her appetite for excellence didn’t stop there. In 2024, a flight to Thailand brought her the title of Mrs Tourism Earth 2024, along with two further international ambassador titles. And yet, Marina’s true revolution wasn’t walking the runway. It was realizing that her place, now, was behind the scenes, building the future for other women.
Bistrița, the (temporary) new capital of fashion
Two years ago, Marina chose Bistrița as her home, and from there she founded the International Models Academy, a talent incubator where models of all ages are trained for runway shows, photo shoots, and international-level competitions. A bet that, with the fifth edition of International Fashion Island, has now reached its most dazzling peak. On September 5th and 6th, from 7:30 PM, the stunning Bottai Tower (Turnul Dogarilor) lit up with lights, style, and international ambition, in a true explosion of fashion and glamour unlike anything the city had ever seen. Over 25 international designers presented their collections, in a free-admission event organized in partnership with the Bistrița-Năsăud City Council. But the true star of the event was celebrated designer Cătălin Botezatu, whocaptivated the audience by presenting no fewer than three collections — a triumph of creativity and elegance that gifted the Bottai Tower moments of pure international glamour, amid applause and an endless flurry of camera flashes.
Colibița: when nature becomes the runway
But Marina’s true stroke of genius was turning a breathtaking landscape into a fashion stage. Colibița, with its lake and mountains that look painted, hosted the International Models Camp from September 1st to 4th — the first international training camp of its kind ever organized in the area. Masterclasses, photo shoots, and mentoring sessions with professionals from Romania, Italy, and Dubai laid the groundwork for a week that turned out to be unforgettable. Among the Camp’s most precious moments, the aspiring models took part in intensive posture and deportment classes with internationally acclaimed choreographer Sarajo Mariotti, who passed on to the young talents that blend of elegance, confidence, and stage presence that sets true runway professionals apart. The highlight came on September 4th, at 6:30 PM, when Panoramic Colibița lit up for the Gala Night, the evening that closed the Camp and symbolically opened the doors to Fashion Island. Among the special guests, Mike O’Hearn, actor, model, and legendary multiple winner of the Mr. Universe title. A project that had already won over Europe International Fashion Island was no isolated gamble: the format had already written important chapters in Malta and Italy, and this very summer Bistrița was present at the Maltese edition on July 17-18, where Künde Melinda Antal and the Melinda Dance School walked alongside roughly 100 international models. Now the roles reversed, and for the first time it was Romania welcoming the world.
The motto of a woman who believed in herself
“Believe in yourself and you can do it.” Few words capture the entire arc of Marina Merișanu’s journey: from a girl who dreamed of the runway to a woman who now creates the runway for others, connecting Bistrița and Colibița to the great international fashion circuit, and gifting Romania a showcase of style, beauty, and tourism that will go down in the record books. For nearly a week, fashion, heritage, and landscape merged into one exquisitely elegant backdrop. And the world, for the first time, looked at Romania through the eyes of glamour.
