Gosha Rubchinsky

Film by Renata Litvinova for the brand Gosha Rubchinsky.

The Moscow-based fashion designer Gosha Rubchinskiy has spent a year showcasing his collections across Russia, incorporating elements of Russian avant-garde. He started in Kaliningrad with a collaboration with Adidas, moved to St. Petersburg to launch a partnership with Burberry, and recently presented in Yekaterinburg, referencing Boris Yeltsin and Russia's 2018 World Cup. His latest collection, featuring backgrounds by artist Erik Bulatov, emphasized youth unity and anti-establishment themes. The event, held at the Boris Yeltsin Presidential Center, was more of an art performance than a conventional fashion show. Collaborations with Levi's and Dr. Martens symbolized togetherness and defiance against political divides, resonating with the young generation globally.

This is the first generation of Russian youth to have grown up after the fall of the Soviet Union, and are looking inwards to the Eastern Bloc for inspiration, rather than the wider Western world. With designers like Gosha Rubchinskiy popularising post-Soviet style around the world, we discover what effect the former Soviet Union has had on modern creativity, the impact of this cultural explosion on the rest of the world, and what it is to be young in Russia today.