MOSCOW, 13 September 2005 — Tottering in stilettos in the snow and donning mini-skirts in the frost, Russian women have long made sacrifices to follow Western fashion. But now the knee-high boot is on the other foot as designers go Russian. Russian-style military coats and fur hats are the fashion world’s must-haves this year — and they are being lapped up in Moscow, where the new trend is seen as an acknowledgment of the importance of Russian cash and style to the industry.
The Russian capital has become one of the top shopping destinations for label lovers, with exclusive boutiques filling malls that ooze glamour and wealth. And at last their wares are taking account of the harsh Russian weather. Shoemaker Manolo Blahnik, whose exotic high heels sell for hundreds of dollars a pair, will be offering his version of a notably unfashionable Russian winter staple ‘valenki’, bulky felt boots noted for their warmth. The Moscow Manolo shop says the orders are pouring in.
“They (our clients) all said that they would definitely have to wear Manolo ‘valenki’,” said boutique director Svetlana Gerasimova.
Soon after French designer Jean-Paul Gaultier showcased a range of creations inspired by Russia and Ukraine at his autumn-winter haute couture show in Paris in July, the phones started ringing at Moscow’s chic boutiques.
“As soon as they saw it in the press, people were coming in and asking about it. It is pleasant that Europeans are drawing attention to Russia — our clients like it a lot,” said Marina Pavlova, responsible for ladies wear at Hermes in Moscow. The Russian passion for designer fashion stems from the collapse of the Soviet Union when previously inaccessible Western clothes became more readily available. Gone were the days of queuing for ill-fitting jeans as Russians went abroad to shop and foreign companies began entering the Russian market.
“For a long time Russians couldn’t afford not just designer clothes but simply casual clothes. Fifteen years ago the window opened ... and the interest was huge,” Pavlova said. “They wanted to get not just quality and comfort, but also a name.” Experts say Russian women are natural designer clients because they generally take more pride in their appearance than other Europeans.
“Russians like to dress well and expensively,” said Alexei Pantykin, style editor at Russian Vogue. It is not just wives of oligarchs and the famous who love to shop. Ordinary Russians spend a higher percentage of their household income on clothes than other Europeans.
Aton brokerage’s latest figures show 12.7 percent of Russians’ spending is on clothes and shoes, more than double the proportion of other East European consumers. Advertising and films have spurred the interest in high-end fashion.
“All these films and serials where they show beautiful, successful and amazingly dressed women — our women take this as real life,” said Elena, an office worker in Moscow. She said Russian women dress up, often wearing revealing and ultra-feminine clothes, just to go to the office, “and they wear them every day to the office.” She added.
For Anna Kuznetsova dressing up is about getting a man. “In any group here there are more men than women — and you know what competition is like,” she said. With average monthly incomes around $300 and a lack of shops catering for the growing middle class, the desire to be fashionable means some women, mainly in Moscow, are sacrificing basics such as housing and food to buy a single designer item. “I have heard of waitresses who will spend 80 percent of their wages on a T-shirt from Dolce & Gabbana. It’s a status thing. It’s how their minds work,” Pantykin told Reuters. “If you turn up in a fashionable cafe in a Gucci dress, it doesn’t matter that you have only $100 on your credit card. You are treated differently,” he said. But to be stylish and still have money in their wallets, what ordinary Russians really need are High Street fashion chains that dominate Western city centers, he said. “There are no clothes for the middle class. The choice is either very expensive or the market,” Pantykin said.
Britain’s Marks & Spencer is planning to set up shop in Moscow to join the likes of Monsoon, French Connection and Clarks.
But for now the market may not be a bad option for Russians this season. While the wealthy snap up their ‘a la russe’ designer outfits, everyone else will be able to get the real thing at a fraction of the price.
