This Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia, there was no doubt that the post-Soviet influence of labels like Vetements and Gosha Rubchinskiy was present. But aside from a lone designer or two, the early-’90s Russian look now synonymous with the motherland occurred more on the street than on the runway. Instead, many young designers crafted their own identities, and it’s far from the bazaar-plucked aesthetics of their contemporaries. Take the label Saint-Tokyo by St. Petersburg designer Yury Pitenin. Already catching the eye of Lady Gaga, who wore one of his leather body-con dresses a few months ago, Pitenin has a head-turning futuristic style, experiments with prints, and meshes different fabrics. His outerwear is cool, too: He makes a sweet flower print look bad-to-the-bone when he crafts it into the sleeves of a leather biker jacket.
Also, as in the country Georgia, there seems to be a flourishing knitwear scene in Russia, as well. The proof is in Ksenia Seraya, who launched her label in 2013, this season whipping up clingy knit frocks and slouchy trousers in a light technique. On the denim front, St. Petersburg-based sisters Katerina and Vera Viper of the label Vipers managed to sex up a pair of simple jean flares by cutting diamond slits in the back of the knee.
On the subject of Russia’s more established designers, there is Viva Vox by Oleg Ovsiyov. He’s been designing since the late ’90s and lives part of the time in Switzerland, but most of his following is based in Russia. This week, front row socialites were clapping at the designer’s highlighter yellow Chewbacca coat and the nubby fur turtleneck split into black and yellow. Another veteran name to note is Alena Akhmadullina. She’s already broken through in Europe and further west with her signature, luxe embroidered fur coats and ethereal bridal dresses. And her accessories are stellar: Amal Clooney has been spotted toting along one of Akhmudillina’s bags.
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia is also home to designers from other republics of the former Soviet Union, especially Georgia. Standouts included Aka Nanita, who knows her way around a charming embellishment, dotting duster coats with tassels. There’s also Tako Mekvabidze, whose leatherwork is strong, as witnessed by a burgundy shift dress embroidered with red roses. If you’re in the market for something more outré, Salle de Mode by Salome Amanatishvili is a great option. This season, she used lifelike molds of hands on leather handbags and backpacks for an eerie-beautiful effect, while palms were carved into wooden platforms.
It’s not all soccer scarves when it comes to fashion in Russia—and that’s refreshing.
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