Grandiose Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia: A Celebration of the Living and the Dead
Editorial note: Three more galleries to be added in by December 17, 2013.
Though Moscow may be home to more billionaires than any other city on earth, this has not translated into clout in the fashion world as a trendsetting center of style. Famous designers still prefer to operate out of New York or Paris, and Russia is often pigeonholed as a frozen land of gaudy tracksuits and fake fur.
Those days are over.
From October 25 to November 1, 2013, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia took place, a fashion fete of shows and parties intended to attract international attention to Russian designers, bring in lucrative corporate sponsors, and change perceptions as to what fashion in Russia is.
Interestingly, part of that push for changing perceptions invoked a revitalization of the classics of Russian fashion. Long dresses and delicate lace popped up time and time again in myriads of ethereal shows, proof that the styles of 1913 are still relevant a century later despite massive transformation.
More than 70 designers took part in the show, as the fashion elite jetted into the Russian capital of Moscow. It was the week’s second day that really helped kick things into high gear, as none other than the reigning Miss Universe, Olivia Culpo, walked for British designer Tony Ward when he showed off his latest couture collection. If that wasn’t enough, 26 other aspiring supermodels also walked, including 2013 Miss Universe contestants Miss Canada, Miss Australia, Miss Thailand, Miss USA, Miss Russia and Miss Philippines, all of whom were in the Russian capital for the Miss Universe contest that was held on November 9. The collection boasted all sorts of splashy colors and innovative cuts with silk, taffeta and more, eliciting numerous gasps from the audience. “Whimsical” was the operative word. That whimsicality was perfectly captured right there in Culpo’s outfit, a red and white sleeveless dress that, though cut conservatively, just screamed “human candy cane.” Was it practical in the everyday sense? No. But was it fun and flirty nonetheless? It absolutely was.
The flirtiest show of all, however, belonged to Goga Nikabadze, who took the term “spring” to the extreme. If the show were a movie, it would have been called “Attack of the Polka Dots.” Dots, dots and more dots abounded, with bright colors predominating. Unfortunately, the models looked more like aspiring gardeners than fashionistas, and the oversized straw hats the women — and a few incredibly uncomfortable-looking men — wore didn’t help.
Fortunately, extreme excess worked for Slava Zaitsev’s pret-a-porter De luxe show, which essentially reminded everyone what fashion is all about. Billowy fabrics and massive skirts seemingly straight out of a Russian fairy tale wowed, practically bringing the house down as one had the sense buyers were lining up for a collection that lived up to the high standards of one of the most recognizable names in Russian fashion.
Maria Golubeva was another designer with a strong showing. Presenting a runway show Oct. 30, Golubeva unveiled sophisticated dresses with a subtle edge in shades that primarily played off of the duality of black and white. The collection was one that women could actually wear for a night out, be it the opera or a performance of Russia’s famous ballets. High on frills and ruffles, they were also high on audience approval.
But for all its joie de vivre, the week also had a darker tone — much darker.
While breathtaking models were sashaying down the runway, the All-Russia Exhibition Center was buzzing as the living dead showed off the latest high-end styles. No, they weren’t zombies, though Halloween was in full swing. Instead, the Necropolis funeral industry expo focused on burial wear for the recently departed. It may not have been officially part of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia, but somehow numerous fashionphiles found themselves there anyway. That wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.
For the show, dubbed “Immortality,” models filed past a row of coffins, showcasing knitwear, textile and lace. Some even sported somber headgear, underlining the mourning mood. A few meters from the runway, a man showed off a tombstone engraving machine by drawing faces on stone, including one of the late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. Perhaps the strongest look was a Goth-meets-Steampunk number with a veil and ghostly pale makeup, from designer Alexandra Bezrukova and a friend. The billowy outfit with a full white skirt and daring overlapping blouse that would undoubtedly be Morticia Addams or Elvira’s dream helped, like the rest of the show, convey a simple message: Fashion truly is to die for.
Admittedly, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia was not without its hiccups. There were odd shows, designers with collections without a clear focus, and what seemed to be surprisingly little hype for the biggest fashion event in a city that has a certain romance to it. But those kinks couldn’t derail what ultimately was a solid showcase of Russia’s emergence as a fashion powerhouse, offering attendees a glimpse as to what it may one day become and putting the rest of Europe on notice. During the long, dark winters of Moscow, it’s good to have hope.
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia, October 25th-26th, 2013
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia, October 27th, 2013
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia, October 28, 2013
Featured image: A model walks the runway at the Contrfashion show. Photo Credit: Andreas Rentz/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia.
