The collection was based around the shape of a “lemekh”, a scale-like wooden shingle covering the church domes of the “Kizhi Pogost” – an architectural ensemble on the Kizhi island. The church has 22 domes and with a height of 37 meters is one of the tallest wooden buildings in Northern Europe. According to the Russian carpentry traditions of that time, the Transfiguration Church, the the most remarkable part of the pogost, was built of wood only with no nails apart from the domes and roof shingles.
Ancient drawings of solar symbols, normally placed on the outside of a house to protect against evil spirits, were reinterpreted by the design bureau. References to these elements can be found in lapels, streaming rows of fringe upon a corset or a dress, a unique technique of leather perforation, in the pared back geometry of Yelets lace and in the patterns of knitted pieces.
One can also discover pagan myth characters – birds, horses and wolves, traditionally seen in Zaonezh and Pudozh embroidery – among the details of the collection. The image of the bird represents happiness in Slavic cultures, and the horse symbolises a protector. These creatures come alive atop jackets, dresses, in the intricate webs of Yelets lace and in appliques.
This season, the fashion house continued to incorporate elements of traditional craftsmanship and assimilated new techniques into the atelier – novel forms of embroidery, lacemaking and laser cutting. Jewelers from the “Rostovskaya Finift’” factory have created brooch sets in the forms of mythical characters for the collection. Multicoloured details decorating several pieces were carved out at the Maltsov Crystal Factory in Gus-Khrustalny. Yelets lace components, painstakingly hand woven over the course of 4 months by the“Kruzhevnoi Krai” atelier, feature upon corsets and evening dress basques.
The looks within the new collection are completed by a range of accessories: jewellery, evening bags, chatelaine belts, balaclavas, gloves, shoes and stocking-boots with garter belts.Necklaces are embellished with keys and drop pendants. Made of white and yellow gold, the pieces are encrusted with coloured semi precious stones. The balaclavas are laboriously produced by hand using several knitting techniques and beaded with river pearls and crystals.The outerwear is fastened using wide leather belts with key holder-chatelaines with centerpieces shaped as a wolf head.
Gartered stocking-boots and long satin gloves with Gus Crystal details add a touch of femininity to the stronger, darker looks. Evening dresses are paired with silk-satin duchesse high-heeled pumps.
The scene is set under the open sky, in a field adjacent to an old estate. The heroine enters a parallel reality, appearing in several forms, reflective of her multifaceted inner world:sometimes she is vulnerable and gentle, and sometimes – mighty and determined.
Throughout the creative process, Renata drew her inspiration from Andrei Tarkovsky’s strong female characters as well as René Magritte’s surrealist pieces. Thus, the dark balloons floating above the field were a reference to the painter’s “The Voice of Space”. In the words of the director, these eerie, anxious spheres soaring in the twilight skies peculiarly highlightNatalia’s beauty and fragility. The mysterious atmosphere and bizarre object combinations perfectly encapsulate the intentions of the painter: “One cannot speak about mystery; one must be seized by it."
Music: J.J. Johanson
Photography: Nick Sushkevich, Timofey Kolesnikov, Aset Geroeva
MUAH: Konstantin Kochegov, Eugenia Lenz
