The ultimate guide to Russian fashion Waiting for the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia

Not just London, Milan, Paris and New York. From 13 to 17 October, it is up to Moscow to dictate the style for the next SS19. Founded in 2000 by Alexander Shumsky, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia has grown more and more, moving from 18 designers of the first edition to over 170 in 2018. Although the Soviet fashion scene is relatively young, born when the USSR collapsed in December 1991 and developed a decade later, in the last period is gaining international attention, thanks to stars like Demna Gvasalia and Gosha Rubchinskiy. Russia is now one of the largest retail markets and one of the most dynamic European economies, to the extent that the German state agency Trade & Invest (GTAI) estimates that it grew 5% to 2.4 trillion Russian rubles in 2017 (€ 34.1 billion). What are the prospects for the industry? According to Shumsky:

"The reality of fashion has changed [...] It's time to focus on thousands of talents that could become strong niche brands like a collective unicorn."

The designers on which to bet for the future are newcomers who "reject the classic dogmas preferring a celebration of almost chaotic fashion, from raver, closer to the everyday life of teenagers", those who not only conquer the millenials, but who manage to create hype, helping the underground world to become mainstream. While the countdown for the FW continues, nss explains what you need to know about fashion made in Russia.

Moscow Fashion Week

From 13 to 17 October Moscow will host the Russian fashion week, during which around 175 national and foreign designers will show their new collections of clothes and accessories. From Goga Nikabadze to Bella Potemkina, from Vyacheslav Zaitsev to Yulia Dalakyan, the creatives will share, as the founder of MBFW Russia, among those who focus on classicism and tradition of Russian costume and new talents who reject the classic dogmas, preferring a celebration almost chaotic fashion, from raver, closer to the everyday life of teenagers. It is probably the latter group that, more daring and future-oriented, will bring the former USSR to the center of attention. The Accelerator Fashion Futurum is also focusing on new talents and has launched a competition to allow novice designers to access the FW and a prestigious educational program.