It seems that Russians have grown tired of the insipid sameness propagated by the USSR and later IKEA. The country is experiencing a genuine boom in local designers, who are making unique products literally with their own hands. Here are the most curious we managed to find (some are available to order online).
The distinctive features of this brand are smooth lines and minimalism. Alexandra Batyreva, a ceramist who hails from St Petersburg, pays particular attention to form (as the name of the project implies) and texture. The brand creator says that it is inspired by the geometry of modern architecture – her motto is “Every form is a world.” Stylish plates, serving boards, you name it, everything is done manually.
The brand was created just five years ago by two graduates of the Stroganov Moscow Academy of Art and Industry, Ruslan Sherifzyanov and Mikhail Zhaglin, yet already they are making dishware for many trendy restaurants in Moscow. Among the brand highlights are cups of various sizes for espresso, americano, tea, etc. The killer feature is the pink/green faux marbling.
Khokhloma-style wooden spoons are one of the symbols of Russia. Elena Litvinenko decided to revert to old-fashioned eco-production, but modernized in terms of form and color. Her products are made using a vast range of wood, with natural oils and waxes. Ideal for the dacha or country house.
The brand creator, Lada Arzumanova, used to head the fashion department of glossy magazine INSTYLE, so she knows firsthand all about comfort and style. Applied to her minimalist underwear made of hypoallergenic cotton are unobtrusive, sophisticated drawings and Matisse-style handwritten lettering.
Rosemary and grapefruit, sweet lime and sage, cumin and tangerine – such tempting combinations are used by brand founders Yulia Yeltsova and Olga Garanina in their new body care line. Eschewing flashy packaging and excessive marketing teasers, they opted instead for minimalist natural oils and ingredients. Incidentally, the women came up with the idea for their own cosmetics in a hotel room, inspired by the compactness of hotel care products. The brand does not test any products on animals.
Behind the brand (which translates as “For the sake of beauty”) stands Anna Kikhaeva of Novosibirsk. She creates small, elegant tapestries in a trendy, national style with unique patterns that impart the atmosphere of an old Russian village house. They readily combine with any interior, from classic to hi-tech.
The founder of the brand, Ksenia Kubasova, is an actress at a leading Moscow theater. As a result, her clothes bear a light touch of theatricality and are inspired by retro motifs, including old black-and-white movies. Ksenia is keen to stress that her clothes – made of natural materials (cotton, satin, flax) – are for people in love with life.
Those in love with pastel shades will be crazy for the linen costumes made by the two Anastasias behind this brand. The creative namesake duo are sure their pajama costumes will look great not only at home, but on vacation or on a hot summer day in the city, too.
Founder Yulia Selyakova graduated from Bauman Moscow Technical University, but soon realized that her vocation was polymer clay. Since then, she has been manually making lovely little spoons with fairy-tale characters, princesses, and (you guessed it, or maybe not) macaroons.
When Yevgeny Badzher acquired some Jack Russell dogs, he realized that Russia was short of stylish furniture and accessories for pooches. So he retired from his good job at a large company and went to live in the countryside to try his hand at making beds, bowls, and blankets for pets. In Russia, Yevgeny is a true pioneer of interior solutions for animals.
If using any of Russia Beyond's content, partly or in full, always provide an active hyperlink to the original material.
Subscribe
to our newsletter!
Get the week's best stories straight to your inbox
