Success stories

New entrepreneur:
Karina Kozhare (Latvia)

Company name: (Start-up)
Sector of activity: Clothing, footwear, leather and textile, luggage articles and accessories

Host entrepreneur:
Nuriel Molcho (Austria)

Company name: Nomade Moderne https://nomade-moderne.com/ (15 years of experience)
Sector of activity: Clothing, footwear, leather and textile, luggage articles and accessories

Nuriel and Audrey Molcho, a husband-and-wife team, combine traditional craftsmanship and heritage with modern, contemporary ideas. In the heart of the unique atmosphere of Vienna’s Naschmarkt, they run Nomade Moderne, where they craft bespoke hats for their clients.

Karina Kozare from Latvia aspires to start her own business and work as a hatmaker. Her background in costume design and her experience in handcrafting clothing have sharpened her creativity and eye for detail. She specializes in creating personalized, one-of-a-kind hat designs.

Karina’s dream is to create a brand that stands out in the fashion industry—offering high-quality, handcrafted hats that tell a story and connect with people on a deeper level. She wants her brand to be recognized internationally, with a strong online presence and opportunities for collaborations with designers and artists.

So, she decided to take part in the EYE Programme

Nuriel and Audrey run their business with a strong focus on craftsmanship, customer relationships, and brand visibility. Their work combines traditional hat-making techniques with modern business strategies, including social media marketing, client consultations, and participation in events such as pop-up markets.

Karina was actively involved in various activities, including hat-making, experimenting with different materials like leather and silk, and learning both traditional and modern techniques. She also had the opportunity to work with clients, assisting in design consultations, and took part in preparations for influencer visits.

Additionally, Karina contributed to social media content creation by filming and editing videos for Instagram. Nuriel showed Karina various hat-making techniques and helped her improve her skills. On the business side, the host shared insights into pricing, customer relations, and the importance of maintaining a structured workflow.

 

Karina achieved her goal of deepening her hat-making expertise while gaining first-hand experience in running a business through the EYE programme. She improved her technical skills by learning new techniques with materials such as leather, silk, straw, and more. Beyond craftsmanship, the exchange gave her a broader entrepreneurial perspective—building confidence in her creative path and introducing her to key areas like business organization, order management, and financial planning, which she had not fully explored before. This experience is expected to have a strong impact on the future development of her own hat brand.

"I now understand the importance of branding, storytelling, and customer engagement. I learned about pop-up markets and collaborations, which I plan to use in my business,” says Karina.

For Nuriel, the exchange brought fresh energy and new ideas to his business. Karina’s contributions to social media, content creation, and research on digital tools offered valuable perspectives and helped streamline some of the host’s processes. The programme fostered mutual learning and collaboration, showing the benefits of cross-border entrepreneurial exchange.

For more information, please contact the local contact points involved in the exchange:

New entrepreneur's contact point:
CIVITTA LATVIJA (Riga, Latvia)

Host entrepreneur's contact point:
WIRTSCHAFTSKAMMER ÖSTERREICH (Vienna, Austria)

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