Russian Fashion Weeks MBFWR and VFW

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia and Volvo Fashion Week Moscow.
The results of fashion shows in Moscow are summed up by Ekaterina Tsarkova, a fashion blogger, Ekaterina is a blog and editor of a website about fashion.

Moscow is a city of great opportunities! A lot is really possible here, and the fashion industry is a prime example of this. I no longer know a city where so many events called fashion week would take place at the same time. Unfortunately, quantity, in this case, is by no means an indicator of quality. Often this is a demonstration of show-offs - sometimes expensive, sometimes exaggerated. Fortunately, there are only two main fashion weeks in Moscow this season - Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia (MBFWR) and Volvo Fashion Week Moscow (VFW). They passed in October, with a weekly difference and in the neighborhood. Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week has moved to the Manezh, which is literally a hundred steps from Gostiny Dvor, the permanent venue of Volvo Fashion Week. Some joke that until the screenings are held in the Kremlin, the organizers will not calm down.

However, those eleven fashion days could be reduced to six. That is, until one full-fledged week, where only real professionals would be presented, without interruptions for the dubious creations of yesterday's models and pop stars, dancing with tambourines on the catwalks and other madness, which, unfortunately, we are forced to observe every season. Journalists and bloggers faithful to their work and Russian fashion have truly angelic patience and faith in success, huge and unshakable!

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia dates back to 2002when it was still called Russian Fashion Week. Having secured a significant title partner in 2011 and standing on a par with the world's leading fashion weeks, MBFWR has noticeably changed. The press service has become more polite, the schedule of shows and side events is more interesting, and the site is more convenient.

The move to Manezh was an important step forward, making this event comfortable for designers, the press, and guests. The only thing left for the organizers is to eliminate their “trademark” crush before entering the podium area, which sooner or later will turn into accidents and lawsuits.

Opening of the exhibition "Glory to Russian Fashion"

This season, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week celebrated its 25th anniversary. The beginning of the week was preceded by the opening of the retrospective exhibition "Glory to Russian Fashion" dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the Slava Zaitsev Fashion House and the 50th anniversary of the work of Vyacheslav Zaitsev, who left Fashion Week at Gostiny Dvor several years ago and is now the headliner of MBFWR. His show traditionally opens the Week.

Final exit at the show by Vyacheslav Zaitsev

The schedule of shows for the spring-summer 2013 season was impressive - already proven professionals, promising young designers and several foreign names.

This season, the collections of Svetlana Tegin, Dasha Gauser, Oleg Biryukov, Leonid Alekseev, Yegor Zaitsev, Marusya Zaitseva, the duet of Anna and Aleksey Borodulin's (Borodulin's) have become worthy representatives of Russia on the fashion scene.

Show by Oleg Biryukov

Show Marusya Zaitseva was recognized as one of the best at MBFWR

Borodulin's collections are a tribute to the rich history of Russia. This season, Anna and Alexei were inspired by the unique frescoes of the icon painter Dionysius. The collection received a huge amount of positive feedback, including from the other side of the ocean. Following this show, the design duo was invited to Miami Fashion Week.

An important point in MBFWR's policy is to support young designers, including in the format of presentations. Every day, two designers have the opportunity to present their work to guests and journalists.

For some, this gives great opportunities, for example, this season's debutant Maria Golubeva, last season limited herself to a presentation and by the time of her present debut she already had laudatory publications and the necessary connections.

Show by Maria Golubeva

Traditionally, famous foreign houses have become guests at the Fashion Week - this time Ozwald Boateng and Giles from Great Britain, Italian brand Pal Zilieri and designer of the Thai royal family Somchai Kai have demonstrated their collections.

Final exit at the Ozwald Boateng show

Of course, not without a fly in the ointment. Despite the strictness of the selection of participants, those whose collections do not correspond to the format of the Week are still included in the schedule. Fortunately for MBFWR, this is rather an exception. This event is currently the leader.

Volvo Fashion Week in Moscow has its roots in the ninetieswhen it was called Haute Couture Week in Moscow and was held at the State Central Concert Hall "Russia". The new time required changes and since 2004 the event has been more closed and professional in nature, and takes place in Gostiny Dvor. True, this is where the constancy ends, the week also changed the name and sponsors several times, but a few years ago the organizers enlisted the support of Volvo, so now the giants are fighting on two fronts - fashion and automotive.

I note with some regret that the event has been losing ground over the past few seasons, and the organizers and participants are increasingly being criticized. Leading designers disappear from the schedule, for example, this season, Natasha Drigant, Kirill Gasilin, Natalia Kolykhalova, and others did NOT show their collections on the Gostiny runways. Some of my colleagues note that this time valuable shows could fit into one day.
The week opened with a traditional fashion show by Valentin Yudashkin, but this is more a tradition than a fashion. In the next five days we had a chance to see a fashion show from forty designers, but the list of leaders is much shorter - Dmitry Loginov, Victoria Andreyanova, Kira Plastinina, Daria Razumikhina, Lena Vasilyeva, Alena Akhmadullina and Alexander Arngoldt.

The brightest and most stylish show of Volvo Fashion Week - Dmitry Loginov, Arsenicum Nikon Fashion

Victoria Andreyanova show

Final exit at the show by Daria Razumikhina

Final exit at the show of Alena Akhmadullina

Final exit at the Arngoldt show

Once again I want to note that there are talented and professional designers in Russia who are capable of making collections and fashion shows at the world level. Unfortunately, they do not always have the necessary material base, but I would like to believe that in the future investors will show greater interest in our fashion industry.

I also hope that the pathos inherent in designers and organizers, as well as the craving for "parties" and competitions among bloggers "who has more invitations to the front row" will go down in history. And they will be replaced by seriousness, responsibility and sincere love for what you do.