Anastasia Shershen, Moscow

Model off duty, Volvo Fashion Week, Moscow

Shapovalova AW2011, Volvo Fashion Week

I feel like I need to clarify at this stage that the reason that most of my reviews from Volvo Fashion Week are positive is because my approach not only to reviews but to blogging in general is "if you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything". Having said that, there are some designers whose work I like and follow but whose particular collection may have, in my view, had some 'room for improvement'. In those cases, I voice my opinion loud and clear. To put it in perspective - I attended over 30 catwalk shows at Volvo Fashion Week and only the very few shows that I liked actually ended up on my blog. I just do not see the point in blasting a collection that I do not have the slightest interest in.

So now that I got that out of the way, I want to share another one of the shows from Volvo FW that I actually liked.

Shapovalova is a young brand that is only 2 years old and is a brainchild of Antonina Shapovalova who, at her tender age of 23, has presented her fourth collection at the VFW. In Russia her brand is a cause for varied sentiments as the brand's PR powerhouse manages to attract the attention of not only Russian pop stars and socialites but also the politicians which, lets face it, is strange even on a good day. Shapovalova's web-site boasts a story about how the then future president of Russia, Dmitri Medvedev, bought one of the t-shirts and how various other Russian political figures own Shapovalova's propaganda t-shirts.

Whatever the sentiment, I had no idea about it until after the show when I, impressed by what had just seen, went on to do some digging on the designer.

I liked Shapovalova's AW2011 collection for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I think it was very well thought through, with a consistent theme throughout the collection. The collection was called "Airports. Pilots. Planes". What can I say? The catwalk was decorated as an airport runway with deep blue skies in the background. The music was perfectly matched - something that is rare for Russian designers who generally don't seem to think it's necessary to employ a production team who ensure that the whole show 'flows'. Shapovalova obviously had the luxury of having a stylist and a production team who did a brilliant job - didn't take the attention away from the clothes but rather made sure the clothes are complemented by the surroundings. The Dandy Warhols' The Last High was a good choice of soundtrack.

Then there were the clothes... Colour. Lots of nice colour. Not the citrusy summer colour but the deeper shades of  green, blue and burgundy dominated. The clothes were well-tailored, especially the menswear pieces, and well accessorised with bags, belts and leather halters. The halters, as I discovered a bit later on, were very similar to those of Marios Schwab. I very much liked that Shapovalova was bold with the colour in her menswear pieces. I am not entirely sure about the practicality of this collection for a Russian winter but the clothes sure do look great!

Here some photos (all photos and editing by me):

More backstage at Volvo Fashion Week

Konstantin Gayday AW2011

This show was probably the highlight of the Volvo Fashion Week for me. Again, not knowing anything about the designer meant that I had zero expectations and at the beginning I was a little confused by the variety of colourful tights, especially on boys. However, it would have to be the headpieces that brought it back for me. I never ever in a hundred years could have imagined that Russian theme can be so tastefully worked into what otherwise was a very modern and at times minimalistic collection. I have most certainly never seen it done successfully before and this was an absolute show stealer! My favourite look is the white headpiece worn with the white faux fur jacket and black sequence leggings.

In terms of the actual clothes I felt that the collection was strong with just enough sequence detailing to keep it exciting but without crossing over to the 'euro-trash' side. I must admit, I still do not get the leggings on boys at the beginning though...

Birds of a Feather - Anita, Moscow

Interview with Ekaterina Tsar'kova - Fashion Journalist, Moscow

Katya is wearing:

Yellow coat by Natalia Kolykhalova  StudioNK - http://studionk.ru/

Silk dress by Alina Assi - http://www.alinaassi.ru/

Grey bolero by Natasha Drigant - http://drigant.com/

Blue bag and matching bracelet by - Oksana Shapova, Lavrent - http://shapogo.livejournal.com/

As promised, the second interview from my trip to Moscow. For my second interview, I really wanted someone who knows and understands Russian fashion and was prepared to share some of their personal style with us.

In the last couple of years  the term 'fashion journalist' has mutated and can be used to describe anyone from bona fide fashion critic, to blogger, to fashionista who does not do much in life but needs to feel accomplished. 

Ekaterina Tsarkova (Katya) is a fashion journalist in a real, traditional sense of the word. She writes, she criticises, she is opinionated, she can make her audience angry and all of those things make her good at what she does.

Currently Katya writes for her own project - fashionnolimit.com, as well as a number of paper and online publications including millertonight.com and women-ru.ru.

I came across Katya's blog through an article about her on one of the Russian web-sites and straight away her blog struck me as punchy, to the point and as having a distinct lack of sugarcoating. To put it in perspective for my non-Russian readers, the way the fashion industry works in Russia can often be quite primitive. For example, it is not unusual that a "constructive criticism" in reviews can lead to some closed doors and withdrawals of invitations to shows that you would otherwise be welcome at. In that sense, anyone who wants to be a fashion critic better grow some thick skin as honest opinions are not always welcome. 

Katya is honest. Consequently, she has had a few doors slammed in her face but she refuses to compromise her journalistic integrity and pushes on. I honestly believe that it is through people like Katya that the change from "primitive" to "real" can actually take place in the fashion industry in Russia. 

I was very pleased that Katya agreed to do an interview with me because her main focus is on Russian designers and she has a great understanding of where the Russian fashion industry is heading. Why do I care? I guess because I know that there are people in Russia who know what they are talking about when it comes to fashion but often they get lost in the herd of euro-trash loving masses. And whilst the industry is very much in its infancy, from what I saw at Volvo Fashion Week, there is a new breed of talented designers that are trying to find their feet and survive in this tough and ever-changing environment. 

State of Sunday (SoS): How did you get interested in fashion?

Katya: My dad used to produce a TV show about fashion back in the 90's and I used follow him around and remember being fascinated by it all. Originally I wanted to be a fashion designer and even studied fashion and textile at university. As part of my studies I wrote a research essay about Dolce & Gabbana. I found the topic quite interesting and really wanted to share my work with a wider audience. This was back in 2003 when the concept of blogging did not exist in Russia so I set up a website to share my thoughts on fashion and start a dialogue with my readers. My aim was to show fashion as accessible and understandable as opposed to elitist and accessible to only the privileged few.

SoS: Do you prefer Russian designers to foreign ones?

Katya: I do not separate designers into 'foreign' or 'russian'. Style is style and if something looks appealing to the eye and I like it, I do not care where the designer is from - it is the final product that matters. Although, when it comes to writing about them, I do like working with Russian designers as they are more accessible (for obvious reasons) and I can actually interview them and get to know their work.

SoS: Who are your favourite Russian designers?

Katya: I like Lena Vasilieva. Although I found her last collection a bit too safe and lacking designer's signature, I think she is talented and educated - she knows a lot about techniques, fabrics and a she adopts interesting concepts. For instance, she is familiar with some amazing hand-making techniques. The trouble is, she does not use a lot of those techniques in her collections as she seems to be torn between making sellable clothes and making unique clothes. Other designers that I like are Natasha Drigant, Oleg Birykov and Kirill Gasilin.

SoS: What do you have to say about the state of the fashion industry in Russia at the moment?

Katya: Unfortunately, I do not think the industry is developing as much as it should, if at all! There is currently no support from the Government. We do not have a body similar to the British Fashion Council who would provide that much needed support and representation. Also, the mentality needs to change. Currently Russian designers are too expensive which is not justified as there is no brand loyalty and consumers have not been trained to buy Russian brands. 

SoS: So what do you think needs to change?

Katya: I think the designers need to be more open to working with the press and the media, although we have seen a significant improvement in this area in the last couple of years. Also, the designers should be more open to constructive criticism as that is the way to grow and develop. I think designers compromise their creativity  by concentrating too much on seeking approval from their audiences.

SoS: Who are your favourite foreign designers?

Katya: John Galliano and Jean Paul Gaultier for inspiration, Donna Karan for practicality. I also quite like Haider Ackermann.

SoS: How do you feel about the recent Galliano incident?

Katya: I feel sorry for him and it is a shame but by the same token as a public figure he should have been more careful with his choice of words. I also think there is an element of someone trying to benefit from all the publicity surrounding the incident.

SoS: What Russian magazines do you like?

Katya: L'Officiel and Harper's Bazaar are probably my favourite fashion glossies at the moment.

SoS: What would be your ideal career path?

Katya: [laughing] editor-in-chief of course!

Backstage - Monet Hair Collection

Monet Hair Collection was a show by one of the sponsors of Volvo Fashion Week, who were responsible for the hairdos at all the shows throughout the week. It was the last show of day three and was for fun more than anything else. The hairdressers wanted to show-off their crazy hair creations and the models were wearing corsets and feathers to match the eccentric hairstyles.  I didn't stay for the show as I did not think it was really fashion related but as I was leaving the venue I saw some of the models hustling at the backstage entrance. I couldn't help myself -  the show made for great backstage snapshots!

Natasha Drigant AW2011 - Volvo Fashion Week Moscow

Natasha Drigant is what I would call a safe and solid brand. Natasha has been showing two collections per year since 1999 which is rare in Russia as the fashion industry is very much in its infancy and it is not uncommon for designers to struggle with funding two collections per year on top of managing to sell the clothes. Natasha Drigant most certainly sells, probably due to the practicality and understandability of the clothes. The AW2011 collection was presented at Volvo Fashion Week. For me the highlight of the collection would have to be the dresses with the folds (I guess what one would call them?!) on the hips, as well as the clean line coats (especially the black leather one). The clothes were most certainly practical but only a couple of items truly stood out from the crowd.

www.drigant.com 

(photos and editing by me)

Alena - Volvo Fashion Week 2011

Alena Molchanova - Moscow based stylist and brand manager

What happens at Volvo Fashion Week in Moscow?

My very first time at Volvo Fashion Week in Moscow and I am as happy as a kid in a candy store! I was excited about coming to Moscow for this event, but I also had my reservations. Firstly, it was cold in Moscow   (well compared to London anyway) and I was not looking forward to hanging around in the cold all day and not feeling my fingers or my toes. Secondly, having never shot Moscow street style or not really knowing Russian designers, I did not know what to expect. Works out, fashion events are adaptable to weather and stylish people are stylish regardless of where they live!

Volvo Fashion Week in Moscow (I keep saying the full name because, weirdly enough, there is another fashion week running in Moscow concurrently) is set at the wonderful Gostiny Dvor venue. It is basically a huge exhibition hall but also happens to be beautiful inside with lots of natural light as the entire roof is made of glass. Two tents are set up inside for the catwalk shows, there is a 'technical area' which is basically an atrium where hair is done, models hang out and castings take place; and there is the 'public' area which is where all the fun begins... Basically, I understand the Russian approach to be as "if it is not enjoyable then why bother??" which I guess makes sense. Unlike the heavyweight fashion weeks in NY, Paris, London and Milan that are all business-buyers-sellers-watch-and-get out type events, the Moscow counterpart is very much come-hang-have a champagne-and-watch some fashion type event. Allow me to elaborate. There is a full-on bar with a DJ set up in the middle of the whole thing. You can reserve a table, have your  Veuve and drink it too. Right next to the bar there are the latest Volvo cars in bright red being shown off. Behind the bar is a hair studio where you can get your hair done whilst having another glass of champagne. And of course there is the VIP waiting room, which is for those people who are kind of a big deal and they prefer to drink their Veuve with other more privileged fashion individuals. 

For me personally the highlight of the venue was the cloak room where you could also get a locker and dump all your stuff there instead of lugging it with you all day. I was also pleasantly surprised by the organisation of the event and the fact that the PR people responsible for organising and registering the media remember most of the bloggers and photographers by name. Moscow Fashion weeks (lucky for me this season :) are yet to reach the point where there are hundreds of fashion bloggers and photographers hanging around trying to shoot people so doing street style here is much easier here and more enjoyable as people who attend the shows are not being mobbed at the entrance.

The catwalk shows are running back to back so getting to all the shows whilst trying to shoot street style in the meantime makes lunch/coffee breaks near impossible - something that ALL fashion weeks have in common! 

Here are some photos from the venue:

Main hall

Backstage atrium

The bar

Olga Deffi AW2011 - Volvo Fashion Week Moscow

Olga Deffi was a hit'n'miss for me personally. Some looks were wearable and practical and some were plain boring. I liked the hoods and the separate sleeves. The knee-high boots had a question mark in my books as I did not expect to see them in AW2011 since we've already been wearing them for the last six months. I thought some fabrics were a bit of a let down as they looked cheap and did not look good in the catwalk spotlight. I think I'm neither here nor there with this collection - some pieces were fine but nothing that popped out and made a crazy impression. My favourite look would have to be the black wool dress with a pleather stripe running along the front and back. I have picked out nineteen of the best looks from the collection (all photos by me):

"Olga Deffi"

Create a free slideshow with Picnik!

Natalya Kolykhalova AW2011 - Review

This one was a cat in the bag for me! Not knowing anything about the designer, I did not have any expectations whatsoever but she surprised me. An elegant collection with a 70's and Frenchy flair - nice to know that Russian designers are in tune with the global fashion trends. The retro sunglasses and suede gloves added a nice finishing touch. Lots of flowing fabrics and gorgeous cuts along with sheer elements and embroidery. I think sheer can be very difficult to pull off but Natalya has managed it perfectly. I tried to take some detail shots so you can fully apprehend the intricate detail of the pieces.

The evening gowns where simply stunning and the photos really do not do them justice - sexy without being vulgar.

Overall, I would not say that Kolykhalova exhibited any extreme originality in her collection but it definitely had a signature touch and presented versatile and wearable pieces. I guess in future I would love to see her push the limits a bit and come up with a few more daring pieces.

Here is a little slideshow to give you a better idea (all photos and editing by me):

Dima - Gostiny Dvor, Moscow

I just love Dima's androgynous look. Besides having a funky style, this young man has a very good fashion eye - I happened to be sitting next to him at one of the shows and overheard his comments on the  clothes and the show itself and they were spot on (basically this means that he said exactly what I was thinking). Dima is a blogger but unfortunately I did not get the name of his blog. I would say this one is to look out for as I can sense a new star stylist in the making.

Alena Akhmadullina AW2011 - Review

Alena Akhmadullina is best described as the … well pretty much the shining star of the Russian fashion world. She has been doing this for a while and she knows how it's done. I personally really like her style, although the Russian fashion community is separated into what seems to be two camps - ones who love it and ones who… don't understand. She stays true to her style showing consistency and individualism of the brand. Unfortunately the majority of the Russian fashion 'absorbers' (for the lack of a better word) are still amused by the over-the-top and bright and shiny designs which is not what Akhmadullina is all about.

Alena Akhmadullina's Autumn/Winter 2011 was extremely well-executed. She stuck to a theme, a consistent colour palette and present pieces that wearable and sellable. 

Music, ambience, models, the whole show was well planned and delivered. A little bit of retro with designs reminiscent of 1940's were well accompanied by a little bit of leather (note the leather patches on the knees). It was a well-balanced collection which had a bit of everything, including fur which is the new season favourite across the board. All in all a solid collection delivered by Akhmadullina.

Check out some of the photos here (all photos and editing by me - apologies for the shaky hands):

Andrey - Gostiny Dvor, Moscow

Katya, Volvo Fashion Week Moscow

Alisa - Gostiny Dvor, Moscow

Volvo Fashion Week Moscow

Just when you get sad about the fashion month coming to an end... You realise that there is plenty more fashion to be seen and people to be snapped! Volvo Fashion Week Moscow is uncharted waters for me so I am extremely excited to be attending. I am not very familiar with the Russian designers but I am looking forward to finding out what Moscow has to offer! Some of the headliners are the very talented Alexander Terekhov, Alena Akhmadullina and Masha Tsigal.

The full list of designers and catwalk schedule will be announced shortly but some of the designers showing are listed below. I will of course be writing reviews and posting photos of the shows, so stay tuned!  - it will be something new, fresh and something you won't catch on style.com

photos courtesy of Volvo Fashion Week Moscow

Some of the participating designers: 

Valentin Yudashkin | Alena Akhmadullina | Kira Plastinina | Masha Tsigal | Viktoriya Аndreyanova | Sergej Sysoev | Natasha Drigant | Kirill Gasilin | Konstantin Gajdaj | Ilya Shiyan | Аntonina Shapovalova | Аlina Аssi |  Elena Teplitskaya | Erica Zaionts | Olga Deffi | Vemina (Liza Romanyuk) | Nadezhda Slavina | Olga Poluhina | KhavaАrapieva | Natalya Kolykhalova | Galina Vasileva | Аleksandra Serova | Igor Gulyaev |  Аlena Serebrova | Marina Bakshi | Аnna Miminoshvili | Julia Аjsina | Natasha Glazkova | Tatyana Gordienko | Pavloff | Mariya Rybalchenko

For more information visit www.fashionweekinmoscow.com