Anouki, Ksenia Schnaider, and Lalo Are the Highlights of Day Two in Kyiv
Day two of Mercedes-Benz Kyiv Fashion Days started with veteran label of Ukraine Ksenia Schnaider by Ksenia and Anton Schnaider. The duo has long been known for their use of pixelated graphics, like digitized riffs of traditional Ukrainian motifs or the patterns of birch trees, but they have been slowly paring back their style. To make the point, some simple sweatshirts were emblazoned with “100% Cotton.” The locally sourced, bazaar-plucked look of post-Soviet labels like Gosha Rubchinskiy and Vetements has also infiltrated this label. Last season’s polished “shorts pants” were created out of denim from a secondhand market for a raw effect. Styled with a fitted zip-up polo, the look was 100 percent cool.
Next up on the top floor of an old Soviet building was RCR Khomenko by Yasya Khomenko. The collection was a continuation of a story that Khomenko has been telling for a few seasons now, which involves a lost girl who learns how to survive in the woods. Story aside, Khomenko has long known how to utilize a fun print: This time, she put colorful mazelike illustrations on a loose-fitting dress, cartoon-type faces on sweatshirts, and teardrop eyes on slouchy, boyish cropped trousers. But Khomenko is a skilled tailor, as well: A tan skirt paired with a wide-sleeve collared shirt married both of her strengths; it’s something we hope to see more of from the designer.
The young design duo Dima Chayun and Anton Yakshyn of Chakshyn caught the eyes of street style photographers last season with their cheeky blown-up versions of laundry labels on trenchcoats. This time, there were illustrations of masks stamped on sweet slip dresses and bulky oversize coats. My favorite piece was a tobacco-hued frock with slices of tight ruffles cutting across the chest and the shoulders, along with jester sleeves.
Homegrown talent Maria Bekh experimented with layering and proportions in a collection styled by editor Julie Pelipas. Slouchy pantsuits were worn on top of see-through checked crop tops, while oversize silk evening jackets had feathered embellishments running down the arms for an elegant effect. Playing with the idea of time and the gold standard, Theo Dekan of the label Theo infused shiny elements into his lineup. Metallic gold dresses were fastened at the waist with a rope belt or peeking out of the collar of a red floral-print dress. I preferred the ungilded looks: A deconstructed black zip-up dress made from thin puffer jacket material and an oversize lacquered black jacket with swathes of tied fabric acting as the collar were standouts.
Theo was followed by the Georgian export Anouki by Anouki Areshidze, a label that is a street style staple among the city’s high-flying It-girl clique. There were thickly braided knit sweaters (a style popular in Georgia right now), turtlenecks covered in shiny embellishments, and plenty of glint in Lurex-laced black skirts with thigh-high slits. Georgia’s Lalo Dolidze is especially well known for her knitwear, to the point where there are several copycat brands lurking on the Internet. But the Lalo style is distinctive, especially when it comes to outerwear, which encompassed blanket coats, wrap styles, and a shaggy cream number with a blue velvet fastener.
The buzzy designer Marianna Senchina was the closer for day two, showing her collection off-site at Kyiv’s Pinchuk Art Center. Senchina loves exaggerated quirks: Trousers were cropped in kicky shapes, while Victoriana collars were so high they hit the jaw. The collection had a romantic air, with embellished pink bralette tops layered over black blouses, and a halter-neck velveteen flapper dressed with feathered straps. Still, sparkle isn’t always necessary: The least flashy pieces, like the retro zip-up turtlenecks in sky blue and red, were a hit, too.
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