From Russia with Love: Miroslava Duma

Few days back i received an email from local sushi restaurant, OKKU inviting to an evening with Miroslava Duma, former fashion editor to Harper's Bazaar Russia.

"Well, Who Dat?" i thought to myself.  See, i'm not very familiar with russian fashionistas, save Ulyana Sergeenko, Renata Litvinova and maybe a one or two more.

Apparently, Ms. Duma is young, petite, well connected and well dressed lady.

Russians, who still have quite a few "class issues" are often snicker at her accomplishments and style, saying that she is simply fortunate enough to be born into a right family - her father is a senator of sorts.

Well, lots of girls have rich and connected daddies, but not all of them manage to become fash editor of a prominent publication at the tender age of 25, get noticed for their individual style and make a name for themselves among artsy types.

Anyway, Miroslava Duma was in Dubai to star in a marketing campaign for a local store Symphony, Dubai Mall.
Check it out:

Dress by Alessandra Rich

Dress by Rachael Zoe. BANANAS!

Dress by Jason Wu

Dress by Luisa Beccaria

Not sure what is this, but whatever it is is by Naeem Khan

Shoes by Charlotte Olympia.  Awesome!

Pix from www.symphony.ae

From Russia with Love: Renata Litvinova

Director, movie and theater actress, TV personality and oftentimes subject of scandalous celebrity gossip, Renata Litvinova is also an interesting study in personal style.

While not a conventional beauty by modern standards, Ms. Litvinova nevertheless made a name for herself among Russia's show-biz and artistic crowd largely due to her unique fashion sense.

Renata Litvinova defines and perfects her image - perhaps, even brand - with red lipstick, vintage finger-curls, and mono chromatic, but mostly black clothing inspired by 1930-1940's.
Her elfin features and boyish body type cut rather contrasting figure among in-your-face curves of modern Russian movie stars.

I haven't watched a single movie with her or by her, and from what I read she possess rather annoying theatrical mannerism. However, I find her way of presenting herself to the world inspirational and tastefully glamorous.

Take a look-see:

Modeling Her Own Clothing Line

From Russia with Love: Lyubov Orlova

Back the 1930th, when Soviet Union was just a young country, isolated from the outside world by the "iron curtain", and whose citizens had very few necessities and none of the luxuries, the STAR was born.

Well, the star in question was born back at the beginning of the century, but she became an idol and reigning queen of Soviet cinema sometime in 1930-ies.

Here's another amazing transformation of a pretty, young, theatrically inclined girl named Lubov Orlova. She was a bit player in some minor theater productions and this is how she looked before she met her husband, famous Russian movie director.

Director fell in love with our young actress, promptly divorced his wife, married Ms. Orlova and began an interesting process of making a mega star out of her.

Clearly, she was molded as a Russian Greta Garbo - Lubov Orlova became blond, lost weight, her teeth were yanked out and a new set of perfect pearly whites were installed - dental feat unheard of in Soviet Russia.

Career-wise Ms.Orlova was a sort of Jennifer Aniston- her specialty was rom-coms and her only director was her husband. She had immense screen presence and charisma and I personally remember her very well in one of my fave old Russian movies "Circus". Coincidentally, she played an American dancer defecting to Soviet Union.

She looked stunning even in her twilight years.

From Russia with Love: Ulyana Sergeenko

  

Ulyana Sergeenko

This post is two-fold:

One: I have an agenda - I think that Russian girls have been misrepresented in the western media since the beginning of Cold War and I plan to do something about it.

Every time there's a Russian female character anywhere in the entertainment media it's usually either a crazy-ass fug - SNL skits are most famous for that - or a materialistic, ruthless gold-digger.

Not all Russian women look like Fred Armisen in a wig, y'all!
 

So with this post i'm starting a short series "From Russa with Love" to educate those who think that all russian girls have one leg like a sicle and another like a hammer and they all are after your hard earned cash.

Second: I see a lot of post on New York Fashion Week and it's the same old stuff over and over.  There's much more beauty in the fashion world than just the handfull of Marcs, Toms and Viviennes.  You can find wonderful and inspiring designs if you venture off the beatten path and open your eyes and hearts to the new.

Check out Ulyana Sergeenko - certified fashionista, decent photographer, budding designer and all around beautyful woman. 

Her first collection Fall-Winter 2011 debuted in April of this year and to me it looks like Dior's New Look but with A La Russe twist.  I love everything about this photoshoot - the clothes, choice of the models, make-up, accessories and even background - it's all very russophile but not cartoon-ey.

Ulyana was born in the 1970s, so there's a nostalgic nods to that time - and Soviet Union- in her mini dresses. For instance, i had exactly same uniform like a girl with brown dress and black pinafor.

Maxi:

Midi:

Mini:


Ulyana Sergeenko as she is:

If you can't get enough of her, go to her official blog http://www.ulyanasergeenko.com/ and tell her i sent you!