Amelia’s Magazine | Russian Fashion: RGataullina and Poustovit at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia A/W 2011

Matt-Thomas-Poustovit Russia
Poustovit by Matt Thomas.

Get this, web Moscow doesn’t just have one fashion week… no, side effects it has three, all competing for attention. But exactly who’s attention is anyone’s guess. You know how London Fashion Week is full of professionals? Well, journalists, the occasional buyer, lots of bloggers… but at least they are adults right? Well, Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia (there is also a Volvo sponsored fashion week and one called Cycles and Seasons) was full of CHILDREN. I am not kidding you, I have never seen so many smooth plump young faces. Just check out my photos if you don’t believe me! I have no idea who they were, other than perhaps the offspring of many moneyed oligarchs, who despite their youth can easily afford to order their own expensive clothing.

Moscow Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia Photography by Amelia GregoryMoscow Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia Photography by Amelia GregoryMoscow Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia Photography by Amelia GregoryMoscow Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia Photography by Amelia GregoryMoscow Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia Photography by Amelia GregoryMoscow Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia Photography by Amelia GregoryMoscow Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia Photography by Amelia GregoryMercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia. All photography by Amelia Gregory.
Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia. All photography by Amelia Gregory.

I attended two Russian fashion designer shows at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia. The first was RGataullina by Yana Gataullina, which started with two models, a direct interpretation of the image on the invites I had seen. They moved down the catwalk side by side in a stately fashion, wearing ridiculous fascinators and simple printed monochrome jersey dresses of the type you might buy in the middle aged section of a department store. The collection then set off on another tangent, with ruffled metallic floral creations chucked on top of stretch fabric dresses.

Moscow Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia RGataullina Photography by Amelia GregoryMoscow Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia RGataullina Photography by Amelia GregoryMoscow Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia RGataullina Photography by Amelia GregoryMoscow Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia RGataullina Photography by Amelia GregoryMoscow Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia RGataullina Photography by Amelia Gregory
RGataullina A/W 2011.

RGataullina by Sara Japanwalla
RGataullina by Sara Japanwalla
RGataullina by Sara Japanwalla.

The most interesting pieces appeared briefly, were barely developed as an idea, and then vanished: tulip shaped skirts with bodices in gunmetal grey, tufts of netting sprouting from zippered slits. But then for the denouement… the likes of which I have NEVER seen at a catwalk show. In fact I was so flabbergasted that I barely managed to take any photos. The music had been steadily increasing in tempo when the designer swept out to take her final bow through the parade of models. And as she did so the models collectively threw their hands in the air and started raving to a frantic blast of techno. It was utterly bizarre and out of context… who knows what must have been going through her mind.

Moscow Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia RGataullina Photography by Amelia Gregory
RGataullina by Sara Japanwalla
RGataullina by Sara Japanwalla.

The second show was more promising: Lilia Poustovit is a Ukrainian fashion designer who conceptualises romantic traditions. In essence this meant lots of sweeping fabric in electric blue, red, orange and green. I liked the abstract print design and I liked the round inlaid feature on the back on one shirt dress. But there really wasn’t that much going on to get excited about: it wasn’t fashion as we have come to know it, just nice wearable clothing of the kind any store might sell.

Poustovit by Matt Thomas
Poustovit by Matt Thomas.

Moscow Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia Poustovit  Photography by Amelia GregoryMoscow Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia Poustovit  Photography by Amelia GregoryMoscow Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia Poustovit  Photography by Amelia GregoryMoscow Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia Poustovit  Photography by Amelia Gregory

Russian Designer at Russian Fashion Week Poustovit by Sam Parr
Poustovit by Sam Parr.

Moscow Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia Poustovit  Photography by Amelia GregoryMoscow Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia Poustovit  Photography by Amelia GregoryMoscow Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia Poustovit  Photography by Amelia Gregory
Poustovit A/W 2011.

Poustovit by Evannave
Poustovit by Evannave.

Poustovit A/W 2011 by Amber Cassidy
Poustovit A/W 2011 by Amber Cassidy.

Considering how many great models come out of Russia it was something of a surprise that there were so few world class models present on the catwalk… or maybe not. There were six packed days of shows, so they cannot have been heavily edited for quality, which was reflected in the fact that they felt seriously under-attended by journalists and buyers, in fact the audience was really quite peculiar. It was almost as if each designer had used their mailing lists to invite faithful customers to what was essentially a private viewing to enable them to order their favourite pieces. Which brings me to my next point… much discussion was had over the state of Russian fashion during my time in Moscow with the British Council. It was generally felt that it is sadly under developed due to the shortage of good design schools combined with the dire state of home manufacturing. You just can’t get any decent production going on – fashion designer Clare Lopeman somewhat nuttily decided to start her own fashion label when she moved to Moscow to run the fashion design department at the British Higher School of Art and Design, and she has found it extremely tough going. It seems you just can’t make the clothes that you dream of in Russia. Not without an almighty struggle.

Moscow Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia Photography by Amelia GregoryMoscow Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia Photography by Amelia GregoryMoscow Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia Photography by Amelia GregoryMoscow Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia Photography by Amelia GregoryMoscow Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia Photography by Amelia GregoryMoscow Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia Photography by Amelia Gregory
Some of the hoopla that surrounded the shows.

Of course, there is extraordinary style to be found throughout Russian design history, and it will surely only be a matter of time before this is put to good use in fashion design. There are already moves to implement a better design discipline through initiatives such as Practicum: British Fashion and new schools such as the British Higher School of Art and Design. Once this discipline is in place the new generation of designers will hopefully be much better equipped to interpret their vast cultural legacy in a new, exciting and contemporary way. Let’s hope the new era ushers in a greater awareness of sustainability too. I can’t wait to see what happens!

Moscow Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia Photography by Amelia Gregory

Categories ,Amber Cassidy, ,British Council, ,British Higher School of Art and Design, ,catwalk, ,Clare Lopeman, ,Cycles and Seasons, ,Evannave, ,fashion, ,Lilia Poustovit, ,London Fashion Week, ,Matt Thomas, ,Moscow, ,Oligarch, ,Poustovit, ,Practicum: British Fashion, ,RGataullina, ,Russia!, ,Sam Parr, ,Sara Japanwalla, ,Ukrainian, ,Yana Gataullina

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Amelia’s Magazine | An Interview with Ukrainian Illustrator Daria Hlazatova

Daria Hlazatova - Oceania
Daria Hlazatova – Oceania.

Ukrainian illustrator Daria Hlazatova has been creating stunning illustrations for Amelia’s Magazine for several years now. I caught up with her to find out about her latest projects and how important social media has been to building her career. She’s an inspiration!

Daria Hlazatova - tom riddle
Tom Riddle.

Tell us about your home town near the Carpathian mountains in Ukraine. Where would you take a visitor from the UK?
I’d give them a tour of our town, Chernivtsi, which is, in fact quite nice and boasts a mix of European architectural styles, historically having been under the rule of different countries. A trip to the restaurant serving our national cuisine will be a good idea, too, as it is a somewhat unusual experience for tourists, but nevertheless delicious: everyone enjoys our pancakes with red caviar! We’d also take a trip to the mountains to pick up some berries and enjoy the views.

Canterville ghost
Canterville ghost.

What kind of art do your relatives make and how has it inspired your own creations?
There are artists both on my mother’s and my father’s side, so I think it was natural for me to become interested in drawing in my early years. My mother’s uncle Volodya used to be a rather well-known book illustrator in St Petersburg and I still have some of his signed books, one of which is called Dashenka, which is a diminutive of my name. And although the story wasn’t about me, I took it as a sign that I, too, must try myself at illustrating books. My father’s relatives are mostly landscape artists, living and working in Russia.

Daria Hlazatova - Dog Days are Over
Dog Days are Over.

You are an active part of the creative social media community – when did you discover the online world and how has it affected your art making over the years?
I think the same time as I was lucky enough to have discovered Amelia’s Magazine which was in the autumn of 2010. Being based so far away from all the exciting  art events and virtually having no connection with other creatives, I decided to use the Internet resources to mend this injustice. Since then I have found it extremely helpful, with online blogs and networks serving me as a magic portal into the art world.

Daria Hlazatova -Harold Pinter
Harold Pinter.

Why is your blog titled All Pencils of Mine are Sugarplums?
It has to do with my love for Lewis Carroll. The title is based on one of his syllogisms (which are logic arguments). I will say no more, because whenever I start talking about Carroll or syllogisms, I confuse everyone… rather like I do with the title of my blog!

Daria Hlazatova Ravel
Ravel.

What can people find on your blog?
Lots of drawings, random thoughts, news about shows and interesting projects. I sometimes share art and music that inspire me. I sincerely hope that upon visiting my blog, readers have a sudden urge to create something, read  a fairy-tale, dream,  bake cakes, or just dance,  in short do something fun and artistic.

Daria Hlazatova robert smith by daria h
Robert Smith.

You are a self taught artist – where have you picked up your style and techniques from?
I don’t know. I think my style has been developing of its own accord and I only mildly control it. I do have an obsession with some elements, like eyes, stars and moons that I include in almost every work of mine, but then again, I do that subconsciously most of the time. I can only guess why I intertwine eyes into the patterns and use them as central objects and it’s perhaps because the Russian word “eye” is the root of my surname.

Nosorog
What inspired you to create a zine and who do you hope will read it?
A long-awaited holiday! I have 2 part-time jobs (one of them is no longer part-time) besides being a full-time illustrator. I’ve been looking for this winter break since my last holiday in summer and wanted to make something special. Besides, I’ve often heard from people they’d like me to make a zine or a little book, so I thought I’d give it a try. It all happened unexpectedly quickly and in a blink the zine was ready. I had to look through the notebooks back from my university days, where I scribbled some nonsense poems and stories to pass the time during dull lectures and also had crazy ideas contributed by some lovely enthusiasts. I hope everybody who appreciates a little nonsense  now and then will enjoy Nosorog.

Pati Yang by Daria Hlazatova.
Pati Yang for Amelia’s Magazine.

What does Nosorog mean and what does the zine contain?
Nosorog from Russian means “rhinoceros”. There’s no point denying it: I chose the name for no reason at all. This was the first word that came to me. The zine contains several short-stories, some quotes, a horoscope, mock advertisements and an interview, accompanied by my old and new illustrations. The content has been inspired by the works of Mervyn Peake and Edward Gorey and by fairy-tales in general. I was very surprised but also happy to see that the first issues sold so quickly. I’m printing more and already working on the second one, which will have more stories, exclusively-created illustrations and will hopefully make you smile!

Where can people get hold of a copy?
I don’t have a proper shop elsewhere except for the one on my blog. And if anyone wants a freshly-printed Nosorog, the best thing to do is to email me.
 
Moth rah girl phoenix EP group Daria h
Daria Hlazatova -girl phoenix EP cover for Moth Rah
Girl phoenix EP cover for Moth Rah.

Can you tell us about your upcoming show in Kiev?
It will take place in a mysteriously beautiful place, which is the building of an old opera house. From the outside it looks like a gingerbread house, on the inside it’s a perfect setting for a Georges Melies film. I fell in love with this place at once. The space itself, called Kiev Loft,  is used for concerts, performances, and art events and run by a rather enthusiastic and professional young team who as far as I can see are eager to help the art life in our capital thrive and prosper, which is great. My drawings will be exhibited there along with the beautiful and very curious works by the Lithography studio “30” based in Kiev. It will be my first show in Ukraine, so wish me luck!  

frankie-rose-by-daria-h
Frankie Rose for Amelia’s Magazine.

You’ve been doing some personal work inspired by Johnny Flynn, how did you discover his music and what touches you about it?
I first heard of Johnny after seeing the play Jerusalem. I didn’t know he was also a songwriter and after hearing his music, something clicked. You know, there are some periods in life when a certain melody is needed to help you carry on and Johnny Flynn’s songs turned out exactly that thing. I felt the connection because his music is very poetic and not simply folk, it’s more than that. I can see the influence of theatre, nature, even Shakespeare, and all things I like in his songs and that’s why I thought I should explore a bit more both in the music and in myself by creating some illustrations to accompany his songs.

Daria Hlazatova tonight
Tonight.

Have you got anything else in the pipeline you can tell us about?
Lots! Mostly the plan is just to draw. And if that doesn’t work, plan B is to draw some more again.

What do you hope for your art in the coming years?
I’d love to have a show in Italy and before that I hope to work on larger scale drawings and do some music-related artwork. If you ask me, an art studio (preferably with a fitted kitchen, a helpful assistant and a husky dog)  is my pipe-dream.  Shall I use a quotation to appear exceptionally well-read? Shakespeare said and I completely agree with him, that expectation is the root of all heartache, that’s why I never expect,  but I’m ready for surprises. I’m very happy doing what I do at this very moment.

Find Daria Hlazatova online: read her blog, friend her on facebook and follow her on twitter.
 

Categories ,30, ,All Pencils of Mine are Sugarplums, ,Canterville ghost, ,Carpathian, ,Chernivtsi, ,Daria H, ,Daria Hlazatova, ,Dashenka, ,Dog Days are Over, ,Edward Gorey, ,Frankie Rose, ,Georges Melies, ,Harold Pinter, ,illustrator, ,interview, ,Jerusalem, ,Johnny Flynn, ,Kiev, ,Kiev Loft, ,Lewis Carroll, ,Mervyn Peake, ,Moth Rah, ,Nosorog, ,Oceania, ,Pati Yang, ,Ravel, ,Rhinoceros, ,Robert Smith, ,Shakespeare, ,St Petersburg, ,Syllogisms, ,Tom Riddle, ,Tonight, ,Ukraine, ,Ukrainian, ,Volodya

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