Fashion Week in Moscow March, October 2008 The concept of Fashion Week in Moscow is based of the organization of Fashion Weeks in Paris, New York, London, and Milan. Fashion Week in Moscow is also the only fashion event in Russia that was included in the Favouris: Europe (Spring/Summer 2006) catalogue schedule. Fashion Week is organized to support multiple daily runway shows from various designers, traditionally attracting a lot of journalists. Several designers present their new collections at the same time in different exhibition showrooms. Through this style of presentation, Fashion Week also attracts hundreds of buyers and representatives from industrial companies, including producers of fabrics, trimmings, accessories and prêta-porter clothing. As a result, Fashion Week has become a place for business meetings and the signing of numerous contracts. More than 80,000 people visited the showrooms of Fashion Week in Moscow in March of 2006. During that week, forty-nine fashion houses unveiled their collections and more than 650 journalists representing all the leading glossy magazines were present. Fashion Week in Moscow dates back to 1994. For the first ten years, this event was concentrated on the presentation of haute couture collections from Russian designers and leading fashion houses. After 2003, however, Fashion Week has changed its format and now takes place twice a year (at the end of March and October) and involves the presentation of prêt-a-porter clothes.
The foundation of this new format is based on prêt-a-porter clothes and prêta-porter de luxe collections. The main objectives of Fashion Week In Moscow, however, continue to be the development of the Russian fashion industry, the promotion of Russian designers, and the presentation of the best examples from world fashion on the runway. For the past ten years, Fashion Week has been familiarizing the public with new and upcoming designers. Some of the bigger names to come out of Fashion Week include Igor Chapurin, Andrew Sharov, Tatiana Parfenova, Victoria Andreyanova, Luda Dobrohotova, Daria Razumihina, Olga Kameneva, Natasha Drigant, Sergei Efremov, and many others. The
majority of the event’s participants are members of the Russian Association of Haute Couture and Prêt-a-Porter, and are essentially the face of Russian fashion. In addition to determining the style of contemporary Russian design, these designers also have their collections presented in the most prestigious boutiques.
Since Fashion Week in Moscow simultaneously exhibits the biggest trendsetters in Russian fashion, one is able to perceive Russian fashion as a united entity and can see the progression and direction of its development as a whole. This fact certainly captured the attention of foreign specialists and fashion analytics. As usual, this year’s Fashion Week will take place in the Gostiny Dvor, one of the most beautiful historical monuments in Moscow. Located in the heart of the capital within a hundred meters of the Kremlin, the Gostiny Dvor is an ancient work of architectural art. It was originally built in the 18th century, but was recently completely redone inside and is now capable of providing all the accommodations necessary for exhibitions and other events. The Gostiny Dvor is thus rightfully considered the most prestigious exhibition hall in Moscow.
Today the Gostiny Dvor has almost 100,000m2 of total space, with a 12,000m2 inner courtyard that is covered by the biggest glass ceiling in the world. In addition, the complex contains 10 different cafés, bars, and restaurants, as well as an observation point on the roof of the building. Accessible by a glass elevator, the observation point provides visitors with a unique panorama of downtown Moscow.
Office «Fashion Week in Moscow» 109012, Russia, Moscow, Varvarka st., 3, Gostiny Dvor, 2-d flor, section 65. Tel.: +7 (495) 298-07-30 +7 (495) 298-08-42 Fax: +7 (495) 981-61-18 PR: +7 (495) 981-61-17 E-mail: fashion@fashionweek.ru www.fashionweek.ru