What Soviet fashion was like in the 1980s? (PHOTOS)
Experiments by Soviet fashion designer Slava Zaitsev, catwalks by young, up and coming designers and all-Union fashion designer competitions. Take a look at what the industry looked like in the final decades of the USSR in our latest gallery.
Since the mid-1960s, Slava Zaitsev has been one of the most notable Soviet fashion designers, whose work was highly praised by Pierre Cardin himself, as well as the management of Christian Dior. The photo below reveals a dress from one of his 1980 collections.
Zaitsev headed the experimental and technical workshop at the main Soviet fashion company – the ‘All-Union House of Clothing Models’ on Kuznetsky Most Street in Moscow.
Zaitsev could be called the ‘Diaghilev of fashion’, as he first showed Europe his ‘Russian Series’ made from Ivanovo chintz and did not shy away from using the vibrant colors of Khokhloma and other national patterns.
The ‘All-Union House of Clothing Models’ on Kuznetsky Most’ (‘ОДМО’) was considered the flagship of Soviet fashion. The photo below shows a presentation of a new 1987 collection by its designer Natalia Orskaya.
Leningrad had its own ‘House of Models’. Its designers participated in the International Clothing Model Competition in then-Soviet city of Tallinn in 1988 with work like in the photo below.
In the 1980s, designers finally got the chance to express more freedom in creativity and experimentation.
New forms, colors and accents appeared. Clothing was no longer perceived merely as utilitarian and fashion no longer had to consider the interests of the mass buyer.
Authorial collections by young designers combined rock and roll hairstyles and the atmosphere of the 1980s…
…with fantasies about Russian avant-garde.
Despite bold experiments, many designers believed that the main thing in women's fashion was femininity. In the photo below, an evening dress made with transparent chiffon by Mila Nadtochy is showcased.
At the same time, fashion designers thought about how to transform everyday attire. Below is one such fantasy on this theme, a women's suit by designer Nina Burtseva.
And this is a women’s suit proposed by designer Natalia Orskaya.
It wasn't just fashion that was transformed, but also fashion photography and shows. Below you can see one such stylish demonstration in front of the ‘Conquers of Space’ monument in Moscow.
All Soviet fashion designers had to also work on state orders. For example, under the USSR Committee for Light Industry, there existed the ‘All-Union House of Knitwear Models’, where shows of new women's clothing collections were held until 1991.
