Nature and folklore: the landscapes of Levitan, the illustrations of Bilibin and Vasnetsov. Kholuy whitework, used for the first time in the House's history.
The only couture collection of 2023 was shown outside the seasonal calendar and devoted to nature and folklore, its palette recalling the landscapes of the painter Isaac Levitan. Its inspiration lay in the wildflowers of the central Russian landscape, their forms appearing in the embroidery of jackets and coats.
In building the collection's looks, the House explored and reinterpreted elements of traditional dress: the embroidered peasant shirt became a weightless batiste blouse, and the padded telogreika jacket became an elegant fitted jacket with detachable sleeves.
Looks were finished with elaborate headpieces: kokoshniks and kichkas that referenced the fairy-tale illustrations of Ivan Bilibin and Viktor Vasnetsov. As is now customary, the collection drew on Yelets lace and crystal from the Gus-Khrustalny glassworks, but for the first time in the House's history it also used the distinctive whitework of Kholuy.
