Fall-winter 2016/17

Red Square, one. The beginning of time.

As she passes one of the city’s main adornments, the heroine of A LA RUSSE Anastasia Romantsova Fall-Winter 2016 collection glances at the majestic space that grew to become commonness amid the daily fuss. She recalls an inmost darling feeling this place always awoke in her childhood. She can almost hear the echo of warm, dear memories, and promises to come back to her origins, to herself, the very next weekend she can.

She walks along the Red Square that turned for her a revelation of a long forgotten feeling both overcome and new on one of those foul winter weekend evenings. She steps the paved streets in her velvet shoes and plunges into the memories of days once spent at the Red Square, school field trips and lectures.

Heavy, rough fabric of her long cape, decorated with hand-embroidered symbols of lion and unicorn, shields her from the winter chill. Her look is modest and elegant, the volume of the sleeves highlights the beauty and fragility of feminine arms. Fabric texture contrasts air-light lace.

She pauses for a moment to ask herself: “Where does the story of this magnificent space begin? Does the Red Square have a number one building?” The famous treasury of State Historical Museum unveils in front of her. As she opens the heavy oak doors of the front entrance she gets carried away by the richness of hall decor. Our heroine passes the arches as if they were portals, she cannot get enough of the museum’s atmosphere as she runs from hall to hall, randomly stopping for a few minutes to admire the ornaments.

Aristocratic and proud posture, ruff collar, accentuated waist and shoulders create a silhouette that is simultaneously strong and fragile. Her gown’s colors are out of time while the transparency covers her body like a cloud slightly inkling on the nuances. Bright floral prints mixed with pineapple fruit, a symbol of abundance and match frescos of the dome.

Now her journey across time and space is over. Our beautiful heroine exits the museum to be blinded by the striking brightness of winter sun.

A deep breath. She inhales a new light, a new time, a brand new herself putting a beginning to it.