Yasya Minochkina Ready To Wear Fall Winter 2013 Kiev
Given fashion's self-avowed obsession with the past and the future, an ouroboros quest that leads yesterday's garb to become tomorrow's must-haves, Yasya Minochkina drew the wardrobe for the trifecta of the Thirties's decadent belles, the Sixties naughty heroines and the Seventies glamorous divas, by pulling together the drama, sensuality and class of these three periods into a fall collection that withstood the test of a last-minute show rescheduled twice due to bad weather.
Moments before, a nervous Minochkina could be seen fretting over the bare-bones arrangements for models and runway. She needn't have worried. As the first exit came into view, a textured moss green sporty jacket atop a flouncy skirt, it was clear that her clothes were strong enough to go without artifice. Ultra-classic cuts hint at a Katharine Hepburn's arousing nonchalance that sees elegance dressed down with a dash of sportswear that were most palpable in the deep décolletage of a jumpsuit, or the austere red-carpet appeal of a dress' floor-grazing mermaid flounce. In short, an excellent reinterpretation of trends that say "timeless", not "tired".
Minochkina herself is a porcelain doll of a woman equally at ease in a pretty dress as she is in a more utilitarian jeans-and-sweater combination, and her delicacy shines through in her work. No doubt have her studies abroad (Central Saint-Martins and Antwerp Royal Academy of Arts) and the wide range of cultural delicatessen experienced through these stays have nurtured her desire to create refined yet understated garments. As she explained over Skype the day after her show, she sees her collection as an opportunity to "make a statement that Ukrainian girls are beautiful and have a good fashion sense", despite what she coins as "a love for bad taste glamour". Considering the speed at which this young designer is not only soaking up the constructive comments she's been gathering via various international platforms such as her Fashion Scout presentation last February, but also expanding her retail base in Eastern Europe, her message is being heard loud and clear.
- Lily Templeton