Who to buy topical items: 6 young Russian marks
IN RUBRIC "NEW MARK" we present young designers and tell them where and why to buy their things. For the new release, we talked with six designers of new Russian brands that produce interesting and unusual wardrobe items in the spirit of the times and are trying to develop local production.
M_U_R
The founder of M_U_R, Anna studied as an architect, but after graduation she chose the profession of a designer. It all started with the creation of children's toys Fedor Toy, and in 2016, Anna, together with her friend, launched their own brand of women's clothing. The concept was born in the process of working on the first models - the designers try to do simple and understandable things that will suit any type of figure. All clothes come in the same size, but you can wear them in different ways thanks to the free cut and a variety of ties. They strive to make each collection monochrome: the first one was completely white, the next ones black and blue.
At first, the creators were doing everything themselves, now they are helped by a small production in St. Petersburg, the materials are also Russian. According to Anna, the fabrics in Russia are not as bad as they used to be. Now the main question for designers M_U_R - pricing. Anna admits that it is important for them to sew things that young girls could buy for themselves. It’s almost impossible to compare the cost of clothes with Uniqlo to a small brand, but friends make every effort.
All M_U_R collections are collected on the brand's website, and you can order them right there. This is an architectural cut tops and puffed skirts with fringed and basque, loose cotton trousers, jackets with frill and mesh dresses. Worthy of attention and accessories: wooden bags, suitcases on long straps. Prices - from 4500 rubles for the top to 20 thousand rubles for a voluminous coat.
We decided to work with Russian materials: the factories produce them all the time, so that we can always buy the missing fabric for party sewing. Local fabrics are not as bad as many think. We like natural materials, mainly sewing 100% cotton. Sometimes we go to the other extreme - for example, we can sew a coat of sacks for construction waste.
Nashe
Nashe unisex clothing brand is only half a year old: the first collection was shown at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. The founders Timur Katkov and Katya Chelyapova received a specialized education at the British Higher School of Design, where for two years they were preparing to create their own brand and trained in other projects.
The hardest thing, Katya and Timur admit, were to determine the concept. For them, the brand has become a way to talk about internal and external balance, to raise issues of gender, social and sexual identity. Designers themselves develop templates and make mock-ups, after which a test sample, which reproduces the entire batch and controls quality, is made out of production. Some of the fabrics for the first collection were ordered in Italy, the rest was purchased in Moscow warehouses. For the new line and the creation of samples, the Nashe team plans to find one supplier - this will simplify the work process.
The question of pricing policy designers have decided simply. First of all, it was important for the team not to depreciate intellectual and manual work, and secondly, for the audience to understand what it pays for. In the near future - the creation of a more commercial line under the same name. The first and so far the only collection of the brand includes knit overalls, jackets and shorts in pastel shades, anoraki, wide trousers, top with cutouts and accessories. Despite the fact that most of the things removed on the male models, due to the free cut, they are perfect for girls. The price range is from 6 thousand rubles for a t-shirt to 60 thousand for a jacket. A shirt will cost 15 thousand rubles, a sleek cloak - 36 thousand rubles, and costume shorts - 12 thousand rubles. Buy your favorite thing while you can only by contacting Katya or Timur in instagram.
The first collection has no name, as well as no source of inspiration. Working on it, we realized that you need to start with questions that concern yourself. The main idea of this collection was to trust your voice, analyze yourself. It is important for us to transfer work from the world of fashion and commerce to the social plane.
Ancre joy
The brand of knitted clothes Ancre Joy was founded by Olga Gurieva. After graduation, she worked in law, internet business and the media, and then decided to take a break and devote her free time to hobbies, including painting - the output was a drawn collection of clothes. Her part Olga and brought to life. After a series of individual orders, the designer, together with a small team, created a complete collection of tops, cardigans and skirts from bright knitwear. Olga personally supervises the work with sketches and patterns, selection of yarn and the choice of colors. Next comes the technical study of the model - this helps the specialist.
The most difficult was to build relationships with local industries. Olga admits that at first she controlled every step of the performers and there were cases when the model was tied up completely five times. The second difficulty is finding the right yarn. Now Ancre Joy work only with Italian materials, which are purchased in limited quantities on small manufactories.
An important task of the brand is to remain in the middle price segment despite working with imported yarn. To save, for example, it turned out due to direct sales: you can buy colored cardigans, tops with chokers and narrow skirts only on the brand's website. The cost of things ranges from 6 to 12 thousand rubles. For delivery (it is carried out worldwide) you will have to pay extra separately. Olga's future plans include the expansion of the range and the winter collection, which will appear on the site soon.
When choosing a material tactile sensations are important to us, the way the product will be felt on the body. The wool item should first of all be warm and soft. In the Russian market there are often “woolen” things, in which real wool is from 10 to 50%, the rest is acrylic, which gives the effect of rubber. We work with Italian materials, we select the yarn personally and purchase in small batches.
For copine
For Copine founder Christina Rogova tells a familiar story: she wanted a beautiful high-quality cardigan, this was not the case in shops and had to ask for help from her mother's friend. The thing caused a stir among acquaintances and friends, then Christina decided to start her own business.
Rogova took over the creation of models - and engaged in the implementation of their models with the team. The most difficult thing was to organize the technological part of the work, and now Christina is even planning to make a video with a detailed description of the process. According to the designer, Russian manufactures are not inferior to Western ones, and young local brands are quite capable of competing with global brands. For Copine materials are bought in Italy, silk is brought from Southeast Asia. The priority is high-quality things that can not always be found in the mass market. Hence, the high cost - from 30 thousand rubles per item.
For two years of existence For Copine significantly expanded the range. In addition to cardigans, the brand’s arsenal includes knit dresses, knitted sarafans, ribbed tops and skirts, knit sweaters, coats, jackets and accessories. Buy your favorite item while you can only instagrame. Kristina plans to create a Russian home knitwear and enter the European market.
I really wanted a high-quality and beautiful cardigan, but nowhere could I find one and asked my mom's friend to do the very “perfect thing”. When I wore it, everyone wondered where it came from, so the idea of creating its own brand was born. Our priority is quality, and a quality thing a priori cannot be cheap.
Space lock
Before establishing her own brand Space Lock, Vika Sobol played in the theater for nine years and traveled a lot. Temporarily settling in Prague, Sobol became seriously interested in fashion design. The main assistant in the undertaking was Vina’s mother, Irina, a seamstress by training. For many years, they came up with party outfits and made them on their own - a common brand remained a matter of time.
According to Vika, any clothes should make people freer and create a sense of celebration. The Space Lock collection has pink coats, lurex overalls, mesh tops, wide sequined trousers, leather skirts, vinyl trench coats, velvet dresses and tops - in short, the perfect party combinations.
The hardest thing was to open your own store in St. Petersburg. Vika and Irina wanted to control everything to the last detail - even repairs were made independently. The production, where clothes are sewn off, was also found in the suburbs of St. Petersburg, and mother and daughter were selected fabrics and accessories by themselves at local factories. Now most of the work has to be done at a distance: Irina lives in St. Petersburg, and Vika lives in Prague. With the creation of collections helps a small team. For Sable, it was important that all things remain affordable, so prices are trying to keep at the level of the mass market. Skirts and tops cost from 2500 rubles, shoes, coats and fur coats - up to 15 thousand rubles.
My mother and I are avid party girls and always went to parties in our clothes. Gradually, people began to ask where these crazy outfits came from, and we decided to sew clothes not only for ourselves, but also for other fans of fun and outrageousness. We want our things to make people freer and every day turn into a celebration, no matter where you go: to the store, to walk with a dog or to a party.
CH-4
The debut collection of the youngest brand in the collection was released this fall. CH-4 is a project of Nikita Chekrygin, a former stylist of BWShD. Before establishing his own brand, Nikita managed to work as a stylist and undergo an internship in his mother’s studio. According to the designer, the tailors of the Soviet school gave him a clear idea of the technical side of the process, taught modeling and tailoring. The first collection of the brand became a reflection on the uniform of the future. It includes laconic things like sports breeches, leggings, voluminous tops, wide denim trousers and massive sleeves; All models are unisex. Due to the mixing of fabrics and laconic cut, all items are suitable for everyday wardrobe.
Chekrygin is engaged in working samples and design of things independently. According to Nikita, he, like any newcomer, was faced with difficulties in finding suitable production and materials. Now clothes are being sewn in Tula by tailors with many years of experience; the materials are also Russian, they are bought in Moscow warehouses.
The designer admits that it’s too early to talk about a stable pricing policy. With a starting production cost, an acceptable cost can be achieved only at the expense of a low mark-up. Now the brand is balancing between the mass market and the middle price segment: the range of prices is from 100 to 500 dollars per item. By February, Nikita plans to launch her own online store and achieve cooperation with several Russian retailers, but for now she accepts orders via instagram brands.
I grew up in zero, and there are things that I considered cool since childhood - for example, the culture of R'n'B. At some point, I clearly understood that tomorrow it would all be relevant. This awareness was the starting point for the creation of the brand. CH-4 is a kind of storytelling in clothes. Space, the future, the mixing of pop culture of the 2000s and the avant-garde of the 2010s - these are the constants of our brand.