At Moscow Fashion Week, Sergei Sobyanin talks about new opportunities for the creative industry / News / Moscow City Web Site

Over 1.6 million people visited Moscow Fashion Week. That’s what Sergei Sobyanin wrote in his blog.

“Over 450 Russian fashion designers presented their fashion statements for the new season at iconic venues in Moscow: Zaryadye, GUM, VDNKh, Mayakovskaya metro station, Tverskaya and Revolution Squares. Lots of new names were among them,” Moscow Mayor wrote.

Guided tours, round tables and import substitution

There were four marketplaces to service the visitors, offering products for every style where everyone could by designer apparel, shoes and accessories and a professional showroom at Gostiny Dvor to run business negotiations in. Deals for over RUB 60 million have been made there.

Everyone who had an inclination could join the traditional Day Without Turnstiles event and attend open guided tours to 24 fashion industry and consumer goods factories. Also in operation were: the Fashion Capital urban fest, dozens of meetings, presentations and discussions in libraries and museums, a kids’ program and so on.

Moscow Fashion Week gave support to a huge industry employing about 40,000 Muscovites: designers, tailors, shoemakers, marketing staff, stylists and professionals in many other fields.

Sergei Sobyanin pointed out that the fashion industry is going through tough times now because of the disrupted supply chains, growing textile and accessory prices and other sanction-related difficulties.

“At the same time, this is a unique chance to replace the competitors that have left, and make yourself widely known. That’s why the import substitution issues took the spotlight on the Moscow Fashion Week business agenda. Over 180 industry experts participated in more than 50 sessions, round tables and master classes included in the business agenda,” Moscow Mayor revealed.

Representatives of leading factories, designers, procurers, experts from major education and research institutions discussed key challenges the industry is facing and shared perspectives on implementing in-house and outsourced production projects, innovation materials and digital technologies application, fashion education, marking, certification and expansion into new foreign markets.

“The results of Moscow Fashion Week make me confidently say that the creative industry in Moscow will use this chance to the fullest. We, in turn, are going to keep on supporting it,” Sergei Sobyanin concluded.

From folk traditions to digital apparel

Russian fashion designers presented over 3,000 looks on Moscow catwalks. Over 2,700 models, 208 stylists and make-up artists helped create them.

The main venue of the week was Zaryadye Park hosting over 70 shows.

The Fashion Week reduced the distance between the vendor and the buyer to nothing. From four shops, any visitor could buy designer apparel, shoes and accessories by 225 brands.

249 wholesale buyers from 40 Russian cities, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Vietnam visited the showroom at Gostiny Dvor. They agreed about 230 deals worth over RUB 60 million. Over 800 potential agreements are still in negotiation.

“The Russpass: New travel Culture public talk draw great interest. The attendees discussed the links between fashion and tourism, and which places or brands one should pay attention to while traveling around Russia,” pointed out Sergei Sobyanin.

New Manege was the place for digital fashion aficionados. There, young digital artists presented their work combining Russian artistic traditions with digital art. Young artists displayed their pieces based on traditional Russian ornaments. Visitors also enjoyed digital shows of virtual clothes, with 3D avatars modeling on virtual catwalks.

The Moscow Fashion Week. Fashion Capital festival was spread over 35 venue, with Tverskaya Square being the central one. There were over 1,300 master classes, 110 music shows, about 50 fashion shows dedicated to various periods in history and young designers’ collections, 42 talks, 105 film showings. Over 300 animator programs have been presented.

VDNKh hosted Fashion Technograd, a family event about kids’ fashion and style. The high point was a show of children’s apparel collections from Russian designers and brands, as well as from industry beginners. 32 collections were displayed.

“The main Russian exhibition space has also became the venue for the Tech in Fashion program dedicated to the technology aspect of fashion. The Robostation pavilion displayed groundbreaking items developed by Russian innovation startups,” Moscow Mayor added.

Among them were: a smart fitting room, a personal apparel and shoe designer and accessories made of recycled plastic.

The space near the Friendship of Peoples fountain hosted shows by established and beginner fashion designers and a cosplay festival called Phaneron. City of Dreams. Music bands also performed there.

“Those seven days of haute couture fashion gave a splendid boost to the very important industry you can’t imagine Moscow without. Events similar to the Fashion Week will take place regularly in Moscow.” Sergei Sobyanin summarized.