Two prominent Russian fashion designers Vyacheslav Zaitsev and Valentin Yudashkin passed away

One after another, two days apart, Vyacheslav Zaitsev and Valentin Yudashkin, outstanding fashion designers, whose work for the whole world was a kind of hallmark of fashionable Russia, left this world.

Vyacheslav Zaitsev

Vyacheslav Zaitsev died at the age of 85 after a long illness. World-famous Slava Zaitsev became the first Soviet fashion designer, who in the 80s. of the last century, he began to show his collections at Fashion Week in Paris, where he was called the "Red Dior". Fashion defile masters saw in the US, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Japan. Zaitsev was a stylist for a huge number of Russian celebrities, he was engaged in scenography and theatrical costume. In 1989, Slava Zaitsev's Russian Seasons collection, which included chic Haute couture evening dresses, made a splash, for which the fashion designer was awarded the "Best Five Fashion Designers in the World" award at an exhibition in Tokyo.

Valentin Yudashkin

His student and, in a sense, follower, who also relied on the Russian cultural and visual tradition in his work, Valentin Yudashkin died on May 2, at the age of 59, after a severe and prolonged illness. The fashion designer has been the face of modern Russian fashion for many years. He annually presented his collections in the fashion capitals of Paris and Milan.

In 1991, Yudashkin showed his debut Faberge collection in Paris and almost immediately became a world celebrity. In 1993, he opened his fashion house Valentin Yudashkin, in 2005 he was admitted to the Italian Fashion Chamber, and in 2016 to the French Haute Couture Federation. 

In fashion circles, they wrote about Yudashkin’s style that he was “the embodiment of luxury, pomp and the triumph of beauty,” noting his Russian style, intricate cut, massive jewelry, and bright embroidery.

“Russian fashion for me is color. This is luxury in the color palette, as on the subject of iconographic art. It's about the details. We do not tend to treat things as things. In comparison with European costumes, we have always had more embellishment, more delicacy, handmade. There were no frills, but love for color is always, ”said the fashion designer in an interview. 

Under the Yudashkin brand, not only clothes were produced, but also perfumes, jewelry, glasses, household goods, and an interior studio also developed under this brand. 

In recent years, the designer has been battling cancer. Shortly before his death, Yudashkin's fashion house rebranded, and Galina Yudashkina, the daughter of fashion designer, became its creative director.