The Moscow Catwalk is Becoming Increasingly Diverse

By Jackie H. Grey

Moscow Fashion Week has shown that diversity enriches the phenomenon of modern clothing. Designers from around the world, including Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe, showcased women’s identities with a focus on culture and trends.

Competing with the traditional powerhouses of Milan, Paris and New York, Moscow Fashion Week is gradually becoming one of the most important stages for countries that are not very influential at the global level. Let us take a look at some of the most interesting collections and analyse how designers from different continents approach womenswear.

Brazilian Tribute to Achievements

The Brazilian label Maison Revolta presented a Power to Women collection. Looking for references, designer Rogerio Vasques chose Russian cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space, using metallised fabrics for a visually stunning nod. By the way, at 87 Mrs Tereshkova is still active and serves as a member of Russian Parliament.

Avant-garde Minimalism and Northern Colours from Russia

A brand Zuhat from the Russian Republic of Tatarstan proposed avant-garde minimalism with a subtle national reference, conveying a confident and mature image. Zuhat demonstrated how one can comply with Islamic dress code rules and fully adhere to the concept of ‘hijab’ and still be fashionable without being trendy. Born in frozen Murmansk, Gapanovich’s collection, based on the striking colours of northern Russia, was sparkling, fresh and eye-catching.

African Heritage Meets Modern Design

Tshegofatso By Design, a vibrant South African brand, seamlessly incorporates traditional patterns into prints, dressing models in ultra-modern pyjama-style suits, cargo skirts and jackets with exaggerated shoulders.

Strong Adjectives from St Petersburg

In St. Petersburg, ZA_ZA presented a provocative collection inspired by the 70s with strong, exaggerated shoulders, wide puffed lacquered sleeves, bird’s foot shoes and floral gloves.

Neon elegance from Indonesia

The Indonesian brand proved that neon could be as elitist as it was in post-war America. With glittering raffia, denim and silk, Julia Dalakian met the public’s expectations.

Grunge Revival from Moscow

In keeping with the grunge theme, Moscow’s YANA BESFAMILNAYA had ripped details, faded sleeves and even metallic touches.

A celebration of cultural heritage

As part of the Heritage exhibition, a number of designers also stood out during the catwalk shows. As part of the BRICS+ Fashion Summit, this exhibition was dedicated to cultural diversity, with more than 40 countries participating, and showed the importance of designers in keeping traditional and cultural heritage alive. American brand with Ghanaian roots Modern Nature showcased waist beads telling the rich story of a tradition that has gone mainstream; Ibrahim Shebani, a designer from Libya, demonstrated his multicultural background in dynamic dresses from his brand Born In Exile; Tajik designer Vays Asoev incorporates vibrant national patterns and intricate traditional embroidery into his garments. “The “Heritage” exhibition at the BRICS+ Fashion Summit exemplified how cultural authenticity can be preserved, yet creatively expanded through meaningful dialogue with global audiences”, –  Modern Nature designer Emma Okyere said.