Daily Front Row

2009 March 27

Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears

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Ursula Pelt Fall’ 09
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(MOSCOW) Volvo Fashion Week presented by Visa is already in its closing stages, but the scene Moscow is just heating up. Christian Louboutin is coming to town to visit his stores and co-host an opening and a dinner with David Lynch at Dasha Zhukova’s Garage gallery. Dior will throw a bash in the Russian capital as well...but the most exciting event might not even happen until June. Naomi Campbell became perhaps the city’s most famous housewife when she moved into posh Rublyovka with her boyfriend Vladislav Doronin, and now she’s planning one of the biggest charity events the Russian capital might have ever seen with a spectacular fashion show to benefit one of her foundations. She’s even getting the government involved--which, of course, means everything here. 

Back in Gostiny Dvor, designers are perhaps making a case to be included in Campbell’s giant pet project. Sergey Moskalenko, at 26, is perhaps the city’s answer to Jason Wu. “I wanted to make something luxurious and delicate with all the frills and the diamonds," he explained. “This is a collection for a young woman and not a girl who doesn’t need clothes to make her personality complete. And maybe down the line I can design their apartments, too.” Katia Mossina turned her show into a Mini Bolshoi complete with ballet dancers, green chapeaus and dance inspired prints. “We had really ten days to start and finish the collection when we found out about getting a sponsor,“ she explained backstage. “I barely believed myself that it was possible but it was sleepless and frantic, a ballet-inspired marathon.”

Dutch Ursula Pelt might have become the first designer in recent memory in any city to abandon backstage during her show and to play her own soundtrack. “I’ve just formed a band called Party Horse with my husband so we took a chance by playing our own music during the show,” she smiled, before explaining her affection for Mother Russia’s capital. “Moscow is just so big, so luxurious and people here truly have their own way of doing things. It couldn’t be more different from Holland.” Georgia native (as in a country) Saint Bessaron provided one of the week’s best moments with his structured, intriguing, and mature effort. “I’m inspired by people and their life histories, because my own life have been a very tumultuous to say the least,” he explained backstage. “But this is the first time that I actually got a chance to present a collection, and it was so emotional for me. I just want to make intellectual clothes that evoke all of the emotions of our modern history.”

And finally, Alina Assi spent about five minutes collecting flowers while on stage and required an entourage of four just to help her manage all the petals. “What can I say? I’m a hopeless romantic in my heart, life, and soul!” she said, while taking the time to smell each fancy bouquet.
VALENTINE UHOVSKI