Passages from Aleksei Balabanov’s films «Brother» and «Brother 2» are cited everywhere nowadays. The social agenda and style tune into the spirit of the times we live in. The both films have become a fashion encyclopedia of the 90s, which the Creative Director of Red September, Olga Vasyukova, leafs through and reviews absorbedly in the FW 22-23 season. The designer has always gravitated to the aesthetics of that time – the brand’s DNA is built on the realities of the Russian 90s, Olga’s reflections on that decade and her childhood memories. In her new collection, designer regardfully plays up the images created by the costume designer Nadezhda Vasilyeva, Aleksei Balabanov’s widow.
While black motorcycle jackets flash on the camera, Olga Vasyukova has heavy leather signature jackets dyed in clockwork orange color. «Crimson jackets» turn into celestial blue and ultramarine ones, while Danila Bagrov’s sweater is transformed into a cardigan. Russian gangsters’ checked floor-grazing coats remain almost unchanged as well as the general idea of an oversized cut.
Some stills from «Brother» are used as prints for shirts and dresses, while the conceptual line of printed items which started in the past seasons is followed by vodka labels in the new one.
With FW22-23, Red September is gradually moving away from the fantasy cut of the past years and Tetra-Pack shoulders but still sticks to its philosophy – the collection comprises a lot of oversized outerwear and denim. A principle of layering is welcomed: boys wear checked pleated skirts over trousers, while girls put on trousers over dresses. Such outfits do not look overdosed but rather prompting to be examined and taken apart like a construction set. Each separate item is worthy of attention. You just need to turn on «Nautilus Pompilius» and put on Red September.
