Clothes & accessories
Kosovorotka is a piece of traditional Russian clothing. Nowadays, however, it’s hard to find someone who has ever tried one on. Brands like QБЛИК (“Appearance”) are trying to bring back this once very common item to modern fashion, and rather successfully. Their line is all about harmony between old and new.
Jewelry brand NÁNA’s concept is “accessories with cultural codes,” and their collection Душа (“Soul”) is all about that of Russia. Its creators drew inspiration from ornaments you can see on old wooden houses and exhibits from the Golden Treasury at the Saviour Monastery of Saint Euthymius (Suzdal), which preserves local jewelry and other decorative artwork from 11th-20th centuries. They didn’t go in-your-face about it though, so the collection looks modern and perfectly suited for any occasion.
A Russian embroidery technique called сажение по бели (“putting [beads or pearls] on a white [thread]”) has been known since the 14th century. It’s a way to decorate clothes or create voluminous accessories, such as kokoshniks. Not many know how it’s done today, but Alina Chistyakova does – she both recreates traditional designs and adds a modern touch to them. You must take a peek if you’re kind of bored with all things minimalistic!
Beauty brands
The color red, symbolizing the sun, has always been special in Russian culture. That’s why it prevails in the color palette of Veija, a skincare brand from Moscow. What they offer are several simple and efficient (according to reviews) products for those who appreciate the importance of daily routine – a cleanser, a face cream, and a hand cream.
Beauty products by Mama Varit (“Mom Cooks”) are an example of a perfect little souvenir to bring back from Russia: it’s cute, functional, inexpensive, and the design is all about recognizable folklore motifs.
Home decor
We’ve already talked about the art of glazed tiles, which was often used to decorate stoves and fireplaces. If you love the designs and would like to somehow implement them at your place – even though you don’t have, you know, a hearth – the St. Petersburg-based brand Pallada has a solution for you. They make wonderful ceramic candleholders and aroma lamps that are miniature copies of authentic glazed tile fireplaces.
The list could go on: it’s inspiring how many local brands there are and how unique each one is. If you want to learn more about them, check out our previous stories on local brands or browse through GLAZUR, a magazine that’s all about modern Russian design (in Russian).