Kumar Bahukhandi
Moscow Fashion Week has successfully concluded, reaffirming its status as a dynamic and essential platform on the international fashion calendar. The event served as a powerful testament to Russias growing role in the global cultural conversation, featuring collections from designers across 13 countries and fostering significant international dialogue, particularly with a strong and influential delegation from India.
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Shantnu & Nikhil at Moscow Fashion Week
The prominent participation of top Indian designers was one of the highlights of Moscow Fashion Week. Architectural silhouettes were expertly blended with elaborate draping and hand embroidery in the renowned brand Shantnu & Nikhils debut all-women’s couture collection, ‘Armour’, which was inspired by the 1930s. Pawan Sachdeva displayed his distinctive urban, well-tailored styles in the showroom, which attracted a lot of attention from both young audiences and buyers.
“Since Shantnu & Nikhil is one of the most prestigious and respected brands in the Indian fashion industry, we believe that attending Moscow Fashion Week is the ideal and distinguished way to introduce ourselves to the Russian market,” stated designers Nikhil Mehra and Shantnu Mehra.
The event also served as a powerful showcase for homegrown Russian talent. Designer Ianis Chamalidy presented a collection defined by strict architectural cuts and a minimalist aesthetic, creating looks that appeared as sculptures in motion. Kisselenko captured audience attention with a collection rooted in Eastern culture and strict geometric silhouettes, where every detail reflected a refined sense of style and craftsmanship. Stas Lopatkin offered an avant-garde take on classic tailoring, blending Eastern and Western cultural elements in a collection that functioned as an artistic manifesto. Emerging brand Vira Plotnikova‘s ‘Diva’ collection highlighted the harmony between tradition and modernity with its technologically innovative feminine silhouettes.
Moscow Fashion Week’s global reach – spanning Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas – was further emphasized by the presence of international runway stars, including David Tlale, one of Africa’s leading couturiers, and Turkish designer Emre Erdemoglu, known for styling world-famous celebrities. This cross-cultural exchange was a recurring theme, with many designers drawing inspiration from Russian culture. Brazilian designer Mayari Jubini of Artemisi explained her influence:
“I was influenced by sculpted cinema, especially the works of Andrei Tarkovsky, where each frame evokes time, memory and sensory depth. These references led to the creation of garments that blur the line between the real and the surreal, combining advanced techniques with refined manual techniques.”
Held concurrently, the BRICS+ Fashion Summit became one of the industrys largest and most significant business events. As a founding member of BRICS, India sent a large delegation to Moscow.
Pawan Sachdeva, who is also a member of the Board of Governors of the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI), participated in both events. He affirmed that “these events serve as a powerful platform for cross-cultural exchange and international collaboration in the fashion industry. Traditional textiles, local motifs, and indigenous techniques are brought to a global stage, increasing appreciation for lesser known fashion traditions.”
Moscow Fashion Week and the BRICS+ Fashion Summit have firmly established Moscow as a thriving fashion hub and a platform for cultural exchange. The events gave partners like India a valuable chance to showcase well-known designers internationally and strengthen connections with global markets. Moscow has eloquently shown that fashion is a universal language, speaking to audiences across every continent.
