Goodbye, Red Dior and Russian Cardin: how fate brought together Vyacheslav Zaitsev and Valentin Yudashkin – two fashion kings

The news agenda of the last few days looked colorful and tragic at the same time – like life itself. All the media – from the tabloids to the glossy “Bible” – wrote on one page about what to expect from the upcoming Met Gala, on the other – that Red Dior Vyacheslav Zaitsev died in the hospital at the age of 85. “The era of Soviet-Russian fashion is ending,” the experts concluded.

Two days later it ended completely – as the book slammed. Valentin Yudashkin left after Zaitsev. Russian Cardin.

A person may not know all the vicissitudes of the complex biographies of both masters, but he does not understand that for Russian fashion – although there is fashion, culture in general – these names have become synonymous with “titans”, it is impossible. Together, Zaitsev and Yudashkin forced the whole world to look at the Soviet podium – and reckon with it. Together they created this stage, one might say, and created it.

Vyacheslav Zaitsev – a child of the post-war years – was of course the first. He burst into the world of Soviet fashion, which was rather conditional at the time, with such reformist ideas that it was not difficult to decipher his genius. How does it feel to offer to change clothing factory workers from gray suits to skirts with Pavlovo Posad patterns? As expected, the authorities did not appreciate the vision of the reformer Zaitsev. But he appreciated Pierre Cardin.

Rather, Paris Match was first interested in the work of the Soviet fashion designer, and from there Cardin already learned about him. And as a fisherman, a fisherman, he immediately considered a visionary in a young colleague and even flew to Moscow several times to see his friend: while Vyacheslav Mikhailovich was not allowed to leave the country, Pierre himself crossed the border. The fame of the designer from the Union quickly spread, and now on the pages of Western newspapers, Mr. Zaitsev is called “Red Dior”.

Then came recognition at home and the post of artistic director of the Model House on the Kuznetský most. And their own brand and the honor of holding a haute couture show in Paris – that’s what fashion designers fought for years, decades. And the Soviet genius got it. And he decided to remain forever just “Slava Zaitsev”.

“When I was born, a portrait of Molotov hung in our house, and even my father was Mikhail and they called me Vyacheslav. Vyacheslav Mikhailovich. When I found out that Molotov was such a reckless man, he treated his wife so badly, I thought: My God, I don’t want to be Vyacheslav Mikhailovich! That’s why everyone calls me Slava – Slava Zaitsev, “shared the master. But despite the modesty, “only Slava Zaitsev” became a beacon – even for Valentin Yudashkin’s generation.

His first collection was exhibited in Paris in 1991. At that time, Zaitsev had already presented “1000. anniversary of the baptism of the Russians” in Paris and New York and brought his “Russian seasons” to Paris, so the world was already ready for “red couturiers” in one way or another.

Perhaps that is why, five years after his Paris debut, Yudashkin became a member of the High Fashion Syndicate, which received the right to show couture collections twice a year. Although we are not detracting from the enormous talent of the master himself: what he did was couture in its purest form. And this fact could not be ignored.

The success of Valentin Abramovich’s personal brand was colossal, the victory thundered one after another: in 1997, the designer opened the first boutique in Moscow, in 2005 he launched the denim line Yudashkin Jeans, in 2007 he launched the pilot line of watches with Jacob & Brand Co, in 2014 – a collection of amber jewelry.

When Yudashkin Fashion House received membership in the French Federation of High Fashion, Pret-a-Porter and Fashion Designers in 2016, Zaitsev received an unsatisfactory diagnosis – Parkinson’s disease. The fashion legend began to appear in public less and less, but she did not stop creating in her home. And when he still came out, no one doubted: before us is the same Red Dior, because of which the news about him once burned the front pages of French newspapers.

In the same 2016, Valentin Yudashkin was diagnosed with oncology. The designer fought the disease long and bravely, while gossip continued in the media – who would win the fashion house. But the couturier stood at the helm and kept a steady hand – until the very end.

“It seems to me that everyone says they want to retire at 60. But if this person is a workaholic, and Valentin is one, then I don’t think he will go anywhere at the age of 60. Knowing him, I can say that work gives him life, strength, interest, he is very happy to do it, ”said Galina Yudashkina about her father in the Life commentary, talking only about the upcoming creative break. Unfortunately, the words came true, but tragically.

Valentin Yudashkin still left – at the age of 60. As they now write in the news, following their friend and another king of Russian-Soviet fashion, Vyacheslav Zaitsev, with whom they traveled two very different paths, merging from the peak of history into one highway. It was they, the great Red Dior and the Russian Cardin, who opened the way to the front row of the national fashion show for the West.