Big girls and crisis-busting couture

Even as the crisis is nibbling into your budget, Slava Zaitsev kicked off Russian Fashion Week with a bid to prove that it's still possible to dress well.

Russia's best-known designer traditionally opens the festival with a flamboyant display, but his "Despite" collection featured less elaborate and extravagant creations than usual. They were still gorgeous and supremely elegant, but embroidery had been replaced with print fabrics, lines had become simpler and straighter and cheaper materials like knits and jerseys were seen in abundance. The designer himself wore a simple long white jacket instead of the red brocaded, embroidered and embellished jacket he wore the last time around.

Although the majority of the collection was in simple black and white and red, there was a smattering of more colourful ethnic influences - warm stripes, chunky bead accessories and cheerful light hats inspired by conical straw hats, the kind worn by rice farmers in southeast Asia. Although much more subdued than his previous luxurious collections, Zaitsev still impressed with a strong inimitable accent.

A notable element of this show was "Daina by Chistova & Endourova", which presented a collection dedicated entirely to plus-size women. Designers Chistova and Endourova designed the collection for mail-order service Daina, which has a wide range of sizes up to 5XL. Featuring singer Eva Polna (whose last name means "stout" in Russian) in the end, the models ranged from moderate to large. Unlike some of the stick-insect like aliens modeling other collections, many of these models looked much healthier - but they were undeniably much less used to the catwalk. Although they were not wearing stiletto heels, they still walked with some slight discomfort and did not have the polished strut of catwalk models and most looked at least mildly unsure of themselves.

Sadly the clothes were equally uninspiring, some seeming slightly drab and not innovative in any way. While the designers' intentions were good, concentrating on more practical and conservative designs, the clothes, in shades of brown, dull pink, muted navy, beige and grey, were not attractive enough to catch the eye. Hair and makeup were definitely unflattering, with the hair looking like a pudding basin cut with a permanent wave, and strong red lipstick.

Go wild in Moscow’s parks (5,838)

Moscow has an extraordinary diversity of habitats, even within the city itself. The many parks and forests that interrupt the high-rise suburbs are teeming with birds and animals. Here are some the most interesting wildlife encounters you can have within the city limits - plus a couple just outside it.

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 713