Fashion Reverie Exclusive: VASSA, A New Kind of Russian Fashion

 If you are not embedded in the fashion industry you might be unaware of the innovative and fashion-forward collections coming out of Russia. Did I say, Russia, the land of samovars, Tatars, Putin, the Bolshoi Ballet, and St. Basil’s Cathedral? Yes, I did. Gone are the days of nervous Russian women who don boxy clothes from another decade—if you are old enough, you will remember Mrs. Khrushchev.

Still, Russian fashion has extended beyond the gaudy, over bedazzled fashion worn by some Russian émigrés a decade or two ago. (Remember, the reality show “Russian Dolls” with its label-obsessed, Russian fashionistas with way too much face paint and a lot of décolletage exposure.)

Erase those images out of your mind. There is a more accurate fashion persona that mirrors how chic and sophisticated Russian women dress. Don’t forget IMG has had presented fashion weeks in Russian for several seasons. And the list of Russian designers—Julia Paskal, Maria Bekh, Julia and Alisa Ruban, and Ulyana Sergeenko, just to name a few— that are making a global impact is wide and extensive,

At the epicenter of this emerging Russian fashion phenomenon is VASSA. The name Vassa is an old Ukrainian name that denotes royalty—think Czar, Grand Duke, etc. For over 15 years VASSA has established itself as an international brand with a clear focus of marrying fashion with Modern Art. The brand now boasts 30 stores in Russia and the Ukraine.

With collections that have been inspired by Andy Warhol, Man Ray, Mondrian, and the photography of Helmut Newton, the brand’s oeuvre of re-interpreting primitivism, minimalism, pop art, and Russian constructivism through the lens of fashion-forward designs has set this brand apart from most of the current crop of Russian designers who have a global presence. And this incredible union of art and fashion is most evident in the brand’s spring 2016 collection.

The inspiration for spring 2016 was drawn from Russian Constructivism and Sub-Primitivism. The colors are very important and reference Mondrian. Constructivism was very big in Russian art in the 20^th Century. I got the idea of the silhouette and some details from Constructivism; however, the color palette is from the colors seen in Mondrian paintings. …. Also, I love to use black and white neutrals, which are my favorite graphic colors. That said; for spring 2016 I was moved to go beyond neutrals and include more primary colors,” detailed VASSA’s creative director.

The bold rich color palette that incorporates cobalt blue, red, yellow, neutral tones, and some graphic prints are exquisitely combined with interesting asymmetrical shapes and silhouettes, all funneled through a prism of minimalistic modernity. “Again, I was strongly influenced by Russian Primitivism and that geometrical projection expresses the balance and imbalance of individuality in style that is also trending right now. Though there is the juxtaposition of symmetry and asymmetry, the garments are very wearable achieve that delicate balance between the opposing perspectives.”

VASSA also understands the Russian women’s scope and perspective on life in the post-Soviet years has changed dramatically. And the brand reflects this ever-evolving lifestyle direction and focus. “The Russian woman of the 21^st Century is timeless, elegant, spiritual and international, a direct contrast to the Russian woman of just a few decades ago that was provincial and usually not very traveled. Now, the Russia woman absorbs world cultures and her creativity and international perspective is reflected in her wardrobe.”

And that Russian women, as well as women internationally, are primed to embrace VASSA spring 2016 collection for its sensitivity to needs of the international consumer pricewise, as well as the clothes daily functionality. “Because of that delicate balance of proportion, symmetry, asymmetry, and design in this collection, a woman doesn’t have to have a perfect figure or look like a supermodel to wear these clothes. The emphasis in this collection is on the beauty of the cut and the linear construction. While some pieces are classic, the asymmetry of other pieces gives length to the body and is form enhancing … The construction of these garments allows the consumer to wear these pieces in a variety of different ways. There are removable elements in many of the pieces with some detachable and attachable elements like removable belts and collars and other details that facilitate a variety of ways to wear and layer many pieces throughout the day.”

Still, the core of the VASSA brand aesthetic is the marriage of Modern Art and fashion. And where some fashion brands that attempt to enter the US market mirror sportswear, and high-fashion collections that have been reproduced ad nauseam, VASSA strong aesthetic places the brand in a class by itself. “When I come to visit New York City one of the first things I do is go to the MOMA. I love to look at Picasso and I get very inspired and those inspirations end up in my collections. And you find that each season we have one motif and that motif will carry throughout the collection like in my “Black Square” collection from a few seasons ago … I emphasize simple, minimalism but strong silhouettes with minimal details mostly on black and white with a touch of color.”

Boxy clothes via Mrs. Khrushchev indeed!! VASSA is sold in its own stores in Russia and the Ukraine, stores in Berlin, Geneva, and specialty boutiques in New York and California. For more information, go to vassa.com.

—William S. Gooch