Rubakha

The basic element of any traditional Russian wardrobe was the rubakha, which
could be worn by both men and women. This is the old style of the shirt.
Rubakhas were worn as street clothes among the poor and as home clothes
among the rich. The overall look was what is now called ‘oversize’.. Depending on
the financial status, different materials were used for rubakha manufacturing and
tailoring, from cheap linen or cotton to expensive imported silk.

Kokoshnik
The kokoshnik is a decoration for the head and hair were also a part of the
common wardrobe. In the case of women, the way the hair was arranged could
tell a lot about civil status: young women could show off their hair arranged in a
single braid decorated with flowers and other elements. Married women were
not allowed to show their hair in public, so they covered their head with different
decorations.

Shuba
This is probably the only element of Russian traditional costume that has survived
over the centuries and is still popular in the country – severe climate conditions
are the reason. The shuba, a Russian word for fur coat, was an inevitable part of
both male and female wardrobes. Back in the day, the technique of assembling
fur coats was different: the fur was left on the inside of the coat, while the outside
was decorated with bright colourful textiles. Nowadays, the shuba design has
evolved to match modern fashions, but it still serves its primary purpose: keeping
Russians warm during long and cold winters.

Sarafan
A sarafan is a loosely fitting long jumper dress worn over a long linen shirt and
belted. A necessary component of traditional Russian dress, the belt was often
worn under the sarafan. Sarafans were made from homespun linen or
inexpensive printed cotton produced in the large textile factories of Moscow,
Ivanovo and Vladimir regions. For special occasions, they could be made from
brocades and silks and embroidered with gold and silver thread.
Sarafans were widespread in the northern provinces of the Russian Empire such
as Vologda, Arkhangelsk, Pskov and Novgorod.
The poneva skirt costume was commonly worn in the provinces south of Moscow,
such as Tula, Voronezh, and Tambov. The poneva costume is considered to be the
more ancient of the two. It consisted of the plaid or striped poneva skirt gathered
on a string or wrapped around the hips, a long loosely fitting shirt with
embroidered sleeves and an apron heavily decorated with lace and colorful trims.
The scarf or traditional headdress was a mandatory element of the peasant outfit.
On display are outfits originating from several distinct areas in northern, southern
and central Russia.
Traditional Russian clothing for men featured simple cuts. The shirt worn by men
had the shape of a tunic, and was made from basic canvas, folded along the weft.
In the center of the piece of cloth was a hole and a small cutaway. To make the
clothing bigger, tailors would add side seams and triangular wedges. In some
places, tailors would also add a slit on the right or in the center.
In the 20th century clothing became more practical. Tight corsets lost its way to
looser clothes. Comfort was key and simple sarafans, shorts, blouses and ties
came into fashion. Clothes for men and women had to be comfortable enough to
work in and easy to put on and move around. Shoulder pads were incoporated in
women’s clothing for a more masculine look and strict uniforms became part of
life. There was no room for individualism and the industrial production of clothing
hindered the rise of complicated cuts or decorations. At the end of the 20 th
century and after great changes within the Country the Russian fashion slowly
began to melt with the European one. For fashion designers it was possible to
open their own business, travel around the world and international brands could
open their stores in Russian cities. Many Russian designers began to specialize in
accessories and private individuals rather than following wih the mass production.
Nowadays a lot of Russian fashion designers have made their way to the top.

Russian fashion designers today

Gosha Rubchinskiy
Born in 1984 in Moscow Gosha Rubchinskiy first worked as a hairdresser and
fashion Stylist before showing his first menswear collection in 2008. His clothes
are a mix of sportswear with tailoring which helped him get a name in the
streetwear scene and he often references to Russia through the colours of the
flag or Cyrillic writing on his clothes.
He has become the symbol of modern Russian Fashion and many famous brands
like Adidas, Fila, Reebok, Burberry or Levis have reached out to him to help them
with new and fresh designs. His clothing store can be found in Moscow.

Vika Gazinskaya
Born and raised Moscow Vika is well known in Russia and abroad for her original
style, architectural cuts as well as her high-Quality fabrics. She likes to use strong
lines and graphic forms and incoperates many details like appliques, crystals and
artificial stones on her prints. She worked at the Fashion Magazine L’officiel
Russia which helped her gain all the necessary knowledge before she showed her
first collection in 2007. Her designs were featured in famous magazines like
Harpers Bazaar or in the American Vogue and are sold all over the world.