Alena Akhmadullina has been a driving force in the Russian market for some time now, with designs that appeal to a high-flying crowd of women. (Think: plenty of fur, intricate embroidery, and very specific themes of Russian folklore.) It’s pretty, sure, but the rich-on-rich style is not for everyone. With that in mind, Akhmadullina lightened the luxe load this season, scaling back the use of embroidery and fur. She also changed up the palette, which wasn’t as dark, mystical, or moody as it has been in past collections. A standout included a cheerful seafoam green robe coat that had dollops of red and pink florals, some of them in puffed 3-D form, a new technique for Akhmadullina. The decadent Swakara fur was still present with the designer’s signature intarsia embroidery, but this time the coat was cropped at the upper thigh and came in a soft hue of baby pink.
Though Akhmadullina has been simplifying her tastes, some pieces, like the royal blue bird-print blouse and bamboo-print striped trousers, were a bit visually hefty. But these are separates, something she has started to produce more of, which means someone without such a bold personal style could easily pair them with something else more casual.
Akhmadullina typically has stellar accessories. For Resort, there were rectangular box bags with little metal chicken feet, based off of Baba Yaga, a frightening, freakish witch from Russian fairy tales. The less than heartwarming inspiration aside, these carryalls have the potential to become a hit on multiple continents.
