MERCEDES-BENZ FASHION WEEK RUSSIA Autumn-Winter 2021/22
Fashion Week Russia in a Nutshell? Sleeves took Centre Stage in a Week that saw Designers Pledge to Save the Planet.
Image Credit Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia (Facebook) | Sleeves, sleeves, sleeves!
Unlike many entirely digital Fashion Weeks staged across the world in 2021 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia opted to present a hybrid of live shows mixed with film presentations (a ‘phygital’ event). Local and international brands from as far afield as Chile and Mexico participated in this highly anticipated event that was predominantly run from the Museum of Moscow and a few other satellite venues.
Image Credit Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia (Facebook) | Fashionistas (dressed in Eighties gear!) arriving for shows
Image Credit Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia (Facebook) | Underway to the shows!
Image Credit Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia (Facebook) | What time is the next show?
As ever, each fashion week has its own characteristics and Fashion Week Russia was no exception. We spotted a few quirky trends at this AW 2021 show! Unlike many of the brands at previous global fashion weeks that – having been in lockdown for many months – placed much emphasis on the inclusion of loungewear into collections, most of the participants at Russia Fashion Week didn’t seem to follow that trend. In fact, the shows and presentations offered a refreshing amount of glamour and elegance (indeed a far cry from the quintessential lockdown gear of track bottoms and a hoodie) whether it was in classic tailoring, eveningwear, daywear or streetwear.
Image Credit Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia (Facebook) | Tailored, textured classics like this stunning rust brown coat at Kyle Ho
Image Credit Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia (Facebook) | Textures, fringing and oversized sleeves
Image Credit Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia (Facebook) | Beautiful tailoring with coat sleeves being deliberately shortened to show the shirt cuff, as seen at Kyle Ho
Image Credit Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia (Facebook) | Maxi dresses and tall shoes were to be seen in many collections
Image Credit Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia (Facebook) | Sleeves and glamourous elegance were a big feature in many collections
Image Credit Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia (Facebook) | Elegant maxi dresses were seen in many collections, usually paired with high heels
Sixties Psychedelia and select aspects of Eighties fashion such as exaggerated puff sleeves, leg-of-mutton sleeves and big (sometimes enormous!) shoulders featured in the ranges presented by some of the brands. Hard By HSE Design School in fact took Eighties power dressing to the ultimate extreme with their oversized shoulders! Skirts often were constructed with pointy hems or were generously flaired and full length, ladies’ footwear was of the Eighties ‘Lady Di’- style or sometimes stilettos, often with ankle lace-ups. As a total contrast Coverse-type trainers and sturdy black Doc Martin-esque boots accompanied many of the young designers’ collections.
Image Credit Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia (Facebook) | B I G shoulders at Hard by HSE Design School, taking the concept of Eighties power dressing to the extreme!
Image Credit Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia (Facebook) | Sixties psychedelia were the focal point of many of the collections – this here by Sweden’s Linus Leonardsson
Image Credit Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia (Facebook) | Embellishments, embroidery and patchwork/collage combining many fabrics were spotted across various collections, seen here at NS Gaia. Note the Frilly hemmed sleeves!
Image Credit Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia (Facebook) | Sleeves were the stars of the show!
Image Credit Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia (Facebook) | Exaggerated leg-of-mutton sleeves were to be seen in many collections, in menswear as well as womenswear
There were some beautiful embroidery and embellishments to be seen. Interesting print techniques, lovely graphic design elements, embroidery, crochet, knitting, felting, tie-dying, fringing, frogging and distressing fabrics were just some of the techniques spotted. The Mexican designers, in particular, stood out for having presented beautifully hand-woven and embellished traditional fabrics as an intrinsic part of their ranges.
Image Credit Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia (Facebook) | Surface decoration were to be seen in many collections – beautifully printed and embellished floral jackets by Pro-Fashion Masters
Image Credit Alexandra Raw | Fringing featured in many collections – seen here at Alexandra Raw
Image Credit Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia, as captured from the presentation | Surface embellishments and an exaggerated hem on a sleeve at Kyle Ho
Image Credit Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia (Facebook) | Embellishments came in many shapes and forms – but where are the candles?
Image Credit Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia (Facebook) | Delft-like embellishments and lovely graphic design by Yana Besfamilnaya
Knitwear was varied and featured strong in many of the presentations. Fringed, distressed, felted, crocheted and knitted cloth were spotted in many of the collections.
Image Credit Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia | As part of the Sustainable Fashion Initiative knitwear in all its guises played a large role
Denim was also a very strong trend this season and was either used in conjunction with other fabrics in a garment, in the form of patchwork, or recycled / upcycled. As ever, leather (and its vegan counterpart, pleather) were also to be seen in many guises, interestingly enough – following the Eighties trend – garments were often oversized rather than figure-hugging.
Image Credit Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia (Facebook) | Denim, like leather, was a strong feature, in this case used as paneled patchwork for effect. Brand 13/7
Image Credit Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia (Facebook) | Leather, often generous in fit, was seen in many collections
Image Credit Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia | Classic coats in many different shapes, textures and shades were seen at this A/W Fashion Week
Image Credit Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia (Facebook) | Classic tailoring with a twist, such as these trousers with their ties and slashed hems
There was much recycling and upcycling to be seen, especially amongst the young designers. Many brands publicly declared their commitment to the planet and vowed to reduce their fashion footprint at every level – from the fabrics used to their production methods. Moscow certainly managed to attract brands with enviable sustainability credentials.
Image Credit Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia | Recycling and re-using fabric and trimmings to upcycle in this jacket and shirt
Image Credit Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia (Facebook) | Distressed fabrics and smart fabric dying methods in this ensemble
In conclusion, as we say goodbye to Moscow for now …
#Favourite collection(s)?
For me it’s be a tie between Pro Fashion Masters with their eclectic and positive take on novel fashion ideas and Vero Diaz with their beautifully woven traditional Mexican fabrics.
#Favourite item at Fashion Week?
If I could pick out one item it would be, without a shadow of a doubt, the poncho (below) by one of the Pro Fashion Masters, with its dreamy hand painted surface design.
Image Credit Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia, as captured from the presentation | A dreamy poncho by Pro Fashion Masters
Image Credit Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia | The car star of the show – the Mercedes-Benz AMG of course!
