5 very young designers from Russia and former republics
Author: Natalya Kurazhitsa
The fashion industry is getting younger every year. You do not have time to look around when Karl Lagerfeld comes on heels. Actually, the trend for infantilism is globally connected with the younger generation of both buyers and creators. Starting a career early is a frequent story for creative industries. Take a look at the Russian media: Elisey Kostsov became the director of fashion at Citizen K at 21, Shahri Amirkhanov at Harper's Bazaar at 21. At the same time with designers, and anywhere in the world: who would remember that the favorite of young people, Simon Porto Jakmusu, was 23 , Tomas Tate and Simone Roch - 26, to Jonathan Anderson - 28. If the majority of the above designers created nominal marks after graduation, in Russia (and also in Georgia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine) you can become a designer without a specialized education - it’s enough to find a designer and seam and generate good ideas. Thus, over the past year, at least 5 designers no more than 21 years old have appeared in Russia and the former Soviet republics, on which one can and must pin high hopes.
Danila Okay / Khan Kuchum
17 years old, Kazakhstan
The first season of Kazakh Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week showed that there are several noteworthy designers in the country, and not only the Chanel and Prada boutiques, which are remarkable for their squares. Danile Okay, the youngest talent of Kazakhstan, is only 17 years old and he looks like a typical representative of the Tumblr generation: walks back in a cap backwards, a T-shirt and martins. A relaxed appearance hides a serious track record: from Danila’s Instagram one can find out that he is the art director of the Kazakh magazine Boulevard and a digital artist, and from his interview that he is also a model, stylist and director. Whatever skepticism may be caused by the number of professions of Danila Okay, his debut collection turned out to be one of the best at Almaty shows. In it you can find references to all fashion brands: a ragged denim reminds of Marques'Almeida, contrasting rectangular inserts - about J.W. Anderson, cut about Kenzo, and complement their sandals and sneakers with Nike high white socks. But it is not a shame to learn from the masters.
Anna Kolomoets / Anna K
18 years old, Ukraine
Anna Kolomoets seems to be the most successful designer from Ukraine. At least, judging by the points of sale: her collection for the autumn-winter - 2014-2015 will represent as many as 10 stores, including the best concept-store in the world of Colette. Rumor has it that everything is for good reason, and behind the success of the 18-year-old designer is a pair of Darya Shapovalova and Kazbek Bektursunov, the founders of the Mercedes-Benz Kiev Fashion Days, who know who to invest in. Kolomoyets from the first season participated in London Fashion Week, and the second collection showed at Pitti Uomo and Fashion Scout Paris. Anyway, the collection of Anna is quite on the level. In the latter, so fond of buyers, not only obvious hits like T-shirts with the words "I'm not a blogger" (hello Godfrey Dini and Miroslav Dume) and "I don't give interviews", but also more ideological things. For example, fur coats of blue and pink fur with stripes, cats and dresses with all the same cats and pleated inserts.
Maria Stern / Stern Jewelry
20 years old, Russia
Maria Stern does not advertise his age, but it is known that the girl is only 20 years old. Few at her age could boast the status of a favorite designer of jewelry of all concept stores - from "Birch" to "Kuznetsky Most 20" - and it girls - from Ani Zyurova to Anka Tsitsishvili. Stern Jewelry's minimalist earrings and silver rings with pearls are already enjoying great success: they are bought not only in Russia but also in London - the girl has an exclusive boutique with Browns boutique (the well-known fact that Joan Berstein will not advise the bad). The pricing policy contributes to this - after all, it is more than reasonable to spend about 5-10 thousand rubles on jewelry. Perhaps the main thing for a designer is to constantly move forward and generate new ideas. On the heels of Stern come marks like Rock Ma Vie, creating painfully similar in design jewelry.
Vika and Julia Krivorotovy / Vika Julia
21 years old, Russia
The red-haired twin sisters Krivorotov study at the Moscow Art Institute and are better known as bloggers, but they are already starting to show small collections. And very successfully - the Russian Vogue wrote about the latter, for which the girls also drew illustrations. Krivorotovs rush from avant-garde to minimalism, but it is already clear that it will be at least interesting to watch them. Notice, Vika and Yulia act very wisely: thanks to the bloggers' career, it will be much easier for them to get through, because when they begin to demonstrate full collections, literally all editors and stylists will know them.
Mariam Gvasalia / Mariam Gvasalia
21 years old, Georgia
If the Mercedes-Benz concern had the idea to launch the next week in some post-Soviet country (after Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan), Georgia would definitely become it. There are more than a dozen talented designers, from the already well-known ones like Avtandil Tskvitinidze and Tamuna Ingorokva to very young ones, like Aka Nanitashvili. But Maryam Gvasalia deserves special attention. A year ago, for the first time, she took part in the contest for young designers Be Next, which organizes the patroness of Ukrainian fashion, Sofia Chkonia, and immediately fell in love with Vika Gazinskaya, a girl whose position is incredibly difficult to gain. The eminent Russian designer, being one of the judges of the competition, fell in love with Gvasalia so much that she bought shoes from her. Maryam showed the second collection again on Be Next and fell in love with another famous judge, Basia Shkutnitska, director of London College of Fashion. What is remarkable about Maryam Gvasalia? So, for which Vika Gazinskaya fell in love with her - with shoes and accessories. In her latest collection are backpacks and suede made of suede candy colors with embroidered numbers on top. It is impossible to deny the fact that the designer gets to work with the skin - the material is very complex and at the same time pliable for Georgian craftsmen, remember at least Lado Bokuchava and his leather perforation.