Nashi Hits the Runway
By Sean at 7 April, 2008, 9:47 am
Patriotic panties for Putin. That is basically the idea behind Nashi wear designed by model, fashion designer, and commissar Anatonia Shapovalova. Shapovalova’s patriotic fashion line for Nashi activists debuted last summer at Camp Seliger and caused a sensation in December when Nashistki strutted the catwalk bearing more than just the slogan “Vova! I’m with you!” at a Nashi rally on Red Square.
Shapovalova’s fashion is part of several of Nashi’s current campaigns. According to internal Nashi documents obtained by Novaya gazeta, Shapovalova’s purpose remains “unclear.” It’s most likely a commercial venture with a Nashi ideological twist. Shapovalova even has a store in Moscow where you can buy t-shirts with Yuri Gagarin, “I want three,” “Vova, I’m with you!” “I love people,” Let’s go!” “1945,” and “Anti-fa”.
Nashi’s backing has certainly shot Antonia Shapovalova up the Russian fashion world. Her “Fall-Winter 2008-09” collection was featured at this week’s “Fashion Week in Moscow.” It also shows how fashion and celebrity have become integrated into the Nashi cause. According to a Nashi press release, Russian pop stars such as Aleksandr Panaiotov, Dom-2 reality show starlet Kseinia Borodina, the boy band Chelsea, and the girl quartet Tutsi have all embraced the Shapovalova design. Score one for “this new look at youth fashion and new method of educating young patriots.”
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Sean, thanks for highlighting this. These types of ventures make Nashi much less “unclear” – it is a way for ideologically indifferent careerists to further their personal interests using a state-funded platform.
If you don’t mind the self-plug, a while back the Vova panties got me thinking about feminism in Russia (albeit in a sort of superficial way).
On the other hand, I have nothing but cheers for the smart designer breaking in and satisfying a developed demand. Market is market.
Sure it stinks to exploit ideologically driven, but hey, it is a free country now in this sense. Not like people are forced to by anything or even join Nashi. No difference from ultra left or ultra right T-shirts sold from multiple websites in the US, or the carefully cultivated market for “health supplements” or “organic food”.
Capitalism FTW!
I agree, Amen for capitalism. It’s not like you can’t find the same stuff here on cafepress.