Russian designers have been trying to make it big on foreign cat walks for many years but have never achieved world fame. Russian fashion designer Max Chernitsov says the key to global success is for the country's fashion to go back to its Russian roots.
"To get big in the West there are two very important rules you have to follow. The first is to be understood by anyone on the planet; the second is to make your own, individual, authentic mark," Chernitsov said.
"This individual mark comes from a variety of places: the artist's personality and style, their ethnicity and the age they live in. Ethnicity is just as important as style."
He says Russian designers follow all the rules of internationally recognized fashion but this will not help their brands to make it big.
"Until designers learn to make fashion for their own people, they won't be of use to anyone," Chernitsov said.
The designer is trying to create his own vision of fashion in line with his impression of Russian beauty.
"I don't give a damn about the rules dictated by fashion journalists, fashion journalism has become separated from real life and is dictating very strange ideals," Chernitsov said.
Chernitsov claims that real Russian beauty is the classical "Byzantine" type.
In his latest collection, Chernitsov used Russian stereotypes such as bears, the colors of the Russian flag and beards. But he only uses these stereotypes as elements of his designs and tries to avoid direct allusions to Russian patriotism. His aim is not to regurgitate stereotypes as they already exist in people's minds.
For him, the most important element of fashion, design and art is the message of peace and national unification.
"We should not forget that Russia is made up, not only Russians, but a huge variety of nationalities. In recent years we've been seeing a lot of minorities. It's very important for them feel like part of the greater country," Chenitsov said.
He says that migrants to Russia's big cities from the impoverished Caucasus region in the south of Russia are a good example of how fashion can be a symbol of national unity.
"They so loving wear those little jackets and hats with "Russia" printed on them. They want to be a part of Russia and Russian culture. They feel disadvantaged and want to feel like real citizens of the country," he said.
"It's moving that this process is growing from the edges of the country and not the centre."
MOSCOW, April 5 (RIA Novosti, Ekaterina Chernyaeva)
