When discussing fashion, cities like Paris, Milan and New York are likely to be mentioned, as well as famous houses such as Chanel, Gucci and Versace. Per contra, Moscow is not the first city that springs to mind when thinking about the fashion capitals of the world. However, russian fashion houses and influencers are on the rise and are starting to become a force to be reckoned with in the fashion industry. Here are five of the hottest fashion houses, designers and influencers from Russia, that needs to be on your radar.
1. Otocyon
Founded by fashion designer Lesya Rusakovich in 2015, Otocyon is a brand that prides itself in "women for women". Their collection AW19 consisted of elegant and expressive womenswear, defined by “architectural lines and smooth abstract forms”. We got to see a soft, neutral palette of dove greys, creamy peaches, ecru, beige and camel, combined with stark black and clean, minimal tailoring.
2. Miroslava Duma
This woman is a #bosslady. Apart from being a fashion influencer and digital entrepreneur, she is also the founder of Buro 24/7, a Russian lifestyle and fashion magazine as well as the CEO of the venture capital fund Future Tech Lab. The aim for FTL is to help start-ups that have the potential to lead the transition of the fashion and apparel industries towards a more sustainable future, by maximizing the positive impact of innovation in science and technology. Meanwhile, she is very active on social media and has a following on over 1.6 millon on Instagram. Her account is not based around style inspiration as much as the other work she does but every time she makes a public appearance you can be sure that her fashion game is 100% on.
3. 12Storeez
This webshop is a go-to for the restless fashionista who dreads having to wait for seasonal drops. This brand launches a new collection every month resulting in 12 mini drops every year, hence the name 12Storeez. Their label embodies an idea of timeless wardrobe essentials and thought-through colour combinations, just the way every neutralista likes it. And don't forget to check out their Instagram for more inspirational fashion content.
4. Natalia Vodianova
You might know her by her nickname, Supernova. Natalia is not only one of Russias most famous models she is also one of the top earning models in the world, who even made the Forbes top earning models list in 2012. Apart from having a successful modeling career, Vodianova is also the founder of Naked Heart Foundation, an organisation committed to helping children with special needs. She has been recognized many times for her work in good will projects and has consequentially won several awards including Harper’s Bazaar's Inspiration of the Year award in 2010 and Glamour's Woman of the Year award in 2014. In 2016 Mattel created the first Russian Barbie runder her name and she received Vogue India's Women of The Year awards 2017. Her Instagram account is packed with style inspo and outfit pics.
5. Ruban
The award winning fashion label Ruban was founded by two sisters, Alisa and Julia Ruban, one of them a fashion editor at Glamour Magazine and the other one a successful makeup artist, back in 2010. It has since then garnered a reputation for delicate, refined and sophisticated clothes that have even caught the attention of the British fashion designer Stella McCartney who once said that Ruban had been an inspiration for her own work. Their AW19 collection consisted of belted charcoal suits cinched in at the waist, tailored pants, structured tops and dresses with minimalistic tailoring and clean lines embedded in ruffles and pleats. The color palette was kept neutral.