Valentin Yudashkin A/W 11

While researching this designer, I came across an interesting fact that he designed a new set of military uniforms for the Russian armed forces. This was very interesting as I have always been intrigued by the attires of the armed men as it has a tendency to be not only striking, but utterly flamboyant too at times. I found out later that the new uniforms were not adopted due to lack of funds, a pity as they really display a nice heritage of old Russia mixed in with some modern touches.

I remember a movie, about the Japanese writer Yukio Mishima and in the final scene, before he did his coup, he was meeting with his superior and he was asked about his uniform attire and it was a double-breasted coat and he mentioned it being done in France by a designer. I thought that was impressive, assuming Mishima was an aesthete, this really shows his idealism all the way down to his buttons and threads. Looking sharp and stunning is common in the military, although it tends to break off in a certain ugly and crude style made fashionable by Khruschev and any other tin-pot dictator and medallion-swathed autocrat.

The designer who did those interesting pieces also did a show recently, unveiling his Autumn/Winter 11/12 collection. The first thing I thought of looking at the collection was how traditional it looked, heavily inspired by embroidery that could only come from the looms of the women living her life sewing in some isolated hamlet, replicating and swerving slightly the age old patterns. It has a very ethereal feel, something one of the elves in Mr. Tolkien’s novels would wear on a ‘night out’.

All the while, Mr. Yudashkin offers a contemporary spin to the designs, using embroidered materials, and giving it a sleek, linear-shaped look by using shorter skirts and dresses and even adding pants. Also, the shapes become more aligned to the body. Also, by adding what is some of the most striking of bright tones of yellow and orange, he reverses the trend of the cooler seasons by using strong contrasts that comes right off a painting, like Van Gogh’s sunflowers.

The use of hats here is also intriguing. It almost seems like a tripartite axis where we see masculine mode coupled with vintage patterns and modern style all playing together in one wondrous synthesis. Though I mention the fantastic here, it is worth noting that this does not imply any relation with the Romantic designers such as McQueen, Galliano or even Lacroix, who seem much more inspired by poetry and paintings whereas this is raw feminity gushing right out of the seams.

The fine line where a women can look rich and extravagant on one spectrum is differentiated with the other line where we see a much more joyous and dynamic female, ahead and powerful and being able to channel her character through clothes. This is one important point I would like to mention, though men’s attire can be varied, but it is for the most part clothes to instill a quality. The standard for men, a suit or even a tuxedo that is well-tailored, is meant more to display the quality of men to feed and support, and it needs to break apart in order for men to have the same radicalized fashion that females have to much joy.

All images via Fashionising