About designer
What — or rather, who — is BIBI BACHTADZE?
How is it pronounced? Where does it come from? Why such an unusual name?
These are questions often asked when encountering the label for the first time.
“BIBI BACHTADZE” is both a name and a pseudonym.
BACHTADZE is the Georgian birth name of the founding designer, Anna Schäfer-Bachtadze. BIBI is a nickname she acquired after relocating to Berlin at the age of fifteen. Her name tells her story — a fusion of two cultures that have ultimately shaped her identity.
Anna Schäfer-Bachtadze was born in 1980 in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia — a city that profoundly influenced her aesthetic sensitivity and understanding of beauty. Her creative path began in early childhood. Growing up in an artistic family — with architect parents, a musician and dancer brother, and a seamstress grandmother — the creative possibilities around her felt limitless.
She loved all the arts, but ballet became her deepest passion. Although a professional dancing career was not possible, she immersed herself in the world of costumes instead. Wearing her ballet outfits, she would dance for hours to The Dying Swan, experiencing goosebumps whenever she had the chance to watch the dancers behind the curtains.
The magical creatures of the stage, the delicate fabrics, the embroidery in all its colors and lightness — these impressions stayed with her. The weightlessness of ballet costumes continues to permeate her work today. Fine lace paired with light floating silhouettes became unmistakable signatures of the label - shaped by the designer’s enduring passion for ballet.
After graduating from HTW Berlin with magna cum laude honors, Anna Schäfer-Bachtadze worked in management and marketing for brands such as Louis Vuitton and Céline. This experience gave her the strategic knowledge to build and lead her own brand before founding BIBI BACHTADZE in late 2009.
"BACHTADZE is my foundation, my deep roots. The constant and ever-returning part of me. The omnipresent character of my past. BIBI is the fanciful, empathetic, visionary side of myself. A crown rising into the sky, catching every fresh breath of wind. One could say that BIBI BACHTADZE was the authentic expression - my own trademark, my being, and at the same time, a reflection of the era in which I live and have lived.”
About the brand
BACHTADZE Concept Couture is a contemporary interpretation of couture.
Originally created under the name BIBI BACHTADZE, the brand has always been devoted to the modern woman — not as an abstract figure, but as a real presence and a muse. Fine lace, light floating silhouettes, and sculpted femininity became unmistakable signatures of the label, influenced by the designer’s passion for ballet.
For BACHTADZE, aesthetics have never stood in opposition to wearability. The creations combine visual refinement with comfort, simplicity, and functionality.
Founded in 2009 with roots in custom couture, the brand initially focused on evening gowns, bridal, and cocktail dresses. Hand-draped lace pieces became signature and bestselling designs long before lace returned as a mainstream trend.
In 2011, the label entered the conventional rhythm of fashion cycles. The product palette expanded into three lines with up to six collections per year. Wholesale distribution and scaled production defined the period between 2012 and 2018.
In 2019, following deep reflection on both the fashion industry and the designer’s own evolution, a new vision emerged. Made-to-order — once the historical foundation of couture — became the future in times of overproduction. Sustainability through modularity and transformation became the brand’s new direction.
A complete rebranding marked this transformation.
BIBI BACHTADZE evolved into BACHTADZE Concept Couture — returning to its roots, to timelessness, to meaning, and to the future of conscious luxury.
“After an intense examination of myself, of the fashion industry, of society — and above all, of my role within this ‘theater’ — I am returning.
Back to the craft I love.
Back to the creativity I need.
Back to my essence and my origins.
Even as a child, I tried to beautify everything around me. It was both a deep desire and a true fulfillment. And it should remain so. That child is back —and she wants to make you beautiful and happy.
It may be unusual today not to declare sales and growth as strategic goals. But I dare to choose differently. I have already tried the other way.
I do not want to rush anymore.
I do not want to compare anymore.
I do not want to bend anymore.
I want to create. And to be in harmony with myself.
So please, do not expect anything standard from me in the future. I will present something new when it is ready and worthy — not when the market demands it.
I will not distort beautiful proportions simply because they are out of trend. I will not turn away from femininity and elegance, even if sportswear replaces evening gowns.
I will simply put my world into the light when it is ready to be seen”