Why the world of Russian glamor was accused of treason
Text: Alena Belaya
Last friday a critical article by the journalist of the Rossiyskaya Gazeta, Pyotr Orlov, was published on social networks with a viral rate with the sonorous title of an 80 level headline glamor poverty. In short, the author expresses in a stilted way about the quotation of "fashionable dissidents" Miroslav Douma, Lena Perminova, Vika Gazinskaya, Uliana Sergienko and Natalia Alaverdyan, accusing them of non-patriotism and public denial of ties with their homeland. Firstly, of course, it’s not at all clear why a journalist who had previously written solely on political and economic topics, climbed on terra incognita and swung to analyze a topic from a field that was obviously alien to him. Secondly, the accusatory tone of the article in the best traditions of Soviet propaganda and anti-Western agitation in 2014 looks particularly wild, although it generally suits the current unhealthy atmosphere in the country. Perhaps the only thing that the article lacks is the periodic “Comrades!” Exclamations.
However, if we discard the rhetoric and go over the facts, it turns out that the lies in “Glamor poverty” are less than it might seem at first glance. Of course, we all understand that stylish and cute Russian girls are a dime a dozen, but The New York Times and The Telegraph do not write about each (or rather, most of them don’t write about most). The main question is: really, what talents of it girls like Duma and Perminova (and many not mentioned in the article) deserved such popularity, except for the ability to put fashionable things together in an image? For the public, the stories of both are like a fairy tale about Cinderella. In fact, Lena Perminov and Miroslav Duma were well advanced by the genius of public relations of Karl Otto, thanks to which at one time they started talking about such brands as Prada, Marni, Jil Sander, Simone Rocha and many others. In the services of the agency there is a personal PR, but it is taken only for those customers whom it considers worthy. Now Lena Perminova receives dividends in the form of designer items and filming for Vogue magazine, and the second - as promotion of her online resource (which the Duma directly says in a recent interview with ELLE).
Vika Gazinskaya in recent months became a news occasion not once. The most memorable event is an interview for “Moscow 24 ″, in which the designer once again pretty much walked through the domestic fashion industry. Let's be honest, everyone who is more or less in the subject knows about the problems of the Russian fashion industry: the lack of quality education, the complexities of communication within the system, the absence of the same state support for designers. The Ministry of Industry and Trade mentioned in the Orlov’s article helped the delegation of young Russian designers with a free-of-charge booth at the Pitti Super exhibition in Milan, but all the other expenses were borne by the children themselves. Therefore, the question "And what, in fact, was the support?" remains open. But, as they say, not only the information itself is important, but also its presentation. Invariably speaking in the spirit of "all shit" is not the best way to pay attention to the painful.
The problems of the Russian fashion industry are well known: lack of structure, quality education and state support
Vika Gazinskaya is a talented designer, one of the most talented in the country, but her interview with respected international publications raises many questions. If you say The New York Times that you are not inspired by anything in Russia, you complain to a respected Business of Fashion resource: “There are no people in the country who understand how to construct a thing or answer letters from the foreign press”, and You continue to do this, as in the very first collection, to sew things at Moscow manufactures, to work with our designers and hire PR managers here, in Moscow, there are double standards. Not enough - form.
As for Ulyana Sergeenko, the oligarch's wife also first became a street style star (and then hello again to Karla Otto), and then a couture designer. The launch of the brand Ulyana was sponsored by the now ex-husband, and in each collection the designer actually presents an impression of himself. However, the idea of repeating feminine retrostil seems to have failed at home. But Arab princesses and Chinese actresses are delighted with her exotics. Because the brand Ulyana Sergeenko from the first season holds its shows in Paris, where clients from the UAE are much more often than in the capital of Russia.
The only example in which one can categorically disagree with the devastating and distorting article is Natasha Alaverdyan, a great talent person. It is completely unclear what kind of patriotism is in the collections of her A.W.A.K.E brand. the author is waiting, because, firstly, progressive designers no longer play on the national idea literally, the whole world of fashion advocates for multiculturalism, and personality is valued above origin. Secondly, Natasha herself has long been living in at least two cities and has every right to call her brand London, if it is registered there.
The name and face of Miroslava Duma are recognizable abroad no less than the Pussy Riot masks
Still, despite the criticism of our fashionistas, it is worth saying thanks to them. Yes, all this Russian fashion pack is in fact a good PR project, but it was thanks to him that Russia began to perceive Russia not as a black mark on the fashion industry map, but as a completely competitive player. The name and face of Miroslava Duma are no less recognizable abroad than the Pussy Riot masks, although there is an obvious ideological gulf between them. What began as a vanity fair for several wealthy girls, has grown into a much broader area and has aroused the sincere interest of the West to our designers (which is nice, including from a clip of young people), stylists, editors, and so on. This trend is gaining momentum, and who knows how long it will take to fill a niche with distinctive, smart, young and fearless.
But everything will be, because the new Russian fashionable environment is maturing, a much healthier one, which one wants to believe, will become famous thanks to real merit and original ideas. At the very least, the ground for it has already been prepared. And including in this there is a merit of Miroslavy Duma, Lena Perminova and Vika Gazinskaya, and talents like Alaverdyan are already changing the situation.
The photo: Getty Images / Fotobank