From the historical and political to even the geographical, the Russian fashion industry has faced its share of challenges to growing in the domestic and international markets. Yet despite these realities, the industry has undergone significant change in recent years and it appears to have finally broken free of its stagnant past.
It's hard to believe that only 20 years ago, the concept of a fashion industry was not applicable to Russia at all. During the Soviet era, talented Russian fashion designers were working their craft under a centralized system, unwittingly laying the foundations for a next generation of fashion designers that would be operating in a capitalist society. Today, Russia is a country with its own fashion houses, churning seasonal prêt-à-porter and haute couture fashion weeks.