Cossack-style clothes for a night out on the steppes were the key seasonal offerings at a|wear's autumn show, held in Ireland's only Russian bar, Pravda, to the strains of a live gypsy band.
At a time when the snows are melting in Siberia, the stereotypical Russian look of flared military greatcoats, fur hats and folksy border-print skirts has never been hotter. Black was everywhere.
A|wear's inexpensive take on the Dr Zhivago theme meant heavily embroidered gilets and braided jackets, border-printed jersey dresses and trousers stuffed into high boots.
Lightweight but chunky looking rollneck sweaters and shawl cardigans belted over Russian doll skirts kept the mood, along with fur trim capelets and tight, toggle-fastened jackets.
Telling accessories were ornate belts, carpet bags, riding boots and fake fur muffs. All that was missing were printed babushka-style scarves and ice skates.
According to Annmarie Flood, managing director of a|wear, the Russian theme started at the Premiere Vision fabric fair in Paris a year ago. "Seeing fabrics and trimmings like border prints and military buttons starts to give you a very good idea of colour palettes and themes," she said.
The fuller skirt, widespread this summer, has propelled the folksy trend into winter, but a|wear's alternative theme was "English Eccentrics" inspired by Vivienne Westwood, being a mixture of Victorian-style lace blouses in bronze and chocolate shades tucked into cropped tweed trousers and topped with waistcoats or fitted pinstripe jackets.
If puffball shapes and plus-fours present a scary prospect for keen followers of fashion, the pencil skirt is the coming season's less alarming alternative; a|wear's versions came in black lace or sparkle tweeds. Though some of the velvets looked cheap rather than plush, signature items in the show were chunky tweed trapeze jackets, embroidered coats and little tapestry capes.
