How fashion and culture develop regions: an open discussion was held at the National Centre RUSSIA

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An open discussion titled "How Fashion Brands and Cultural Initiatives Transform Regional Life" took place on April 8 at the National Centre RUSSIA. It was held as part of the expert programme on architecture and urbanism "Looking into the Future" and was organized in collaboration with the digital publication PEOPLETALK.

Participants of the meeting discussed why it is important to develop local projects and what concrete steps are being taken to make regions more attractive. The moderator was Ksenia Anosova, the editor-in-chief of PEOPLETALK.

"In recent years, the Russian cultural code has undoubtedly been on the rise. New brands are emerging that produce goods representing traditional Russian crafts. We see how models walk the runway at Fashion Week wearing kokoshniks, thus emphasizing Russian fashion and traditions. This is a very pleasant trend," noted Ksenia Anosova.

The owner of ASKERI GALLERY and popularizer of contemporary art, Polina Askeri, shared her experience in creating an art residency for artists in Zaraysk, Moscow region. According to her, many artists are actively working with the cultural code of Russia lately. 

"I have been curating the Contemporary Art Festival in Zaraysk for several years. It's a wonderful little town in the Moscow region. We brought a large number of Russian artists to Zaraysk. In the second year of the festival, the city administration allocated a second large building for us. We filled this space with meaning," said Polina Askeri.

The festival hosted world-renowned Russian artists Masha Rudenko and Max Goshko-Dankov. Over the course of two months, 15,000 people visited it. People not only explored the exposition but also discovered Zaraysk itself.

"Together with the collectors of my gallery, we began restoring the local church. We are currently in the final stage. In addition, people are coming and opening hotels and cafes, thus developing the infrastructure necessary for increasing the tourist flow to the city. You can come there for a weekend with your family and have a great time. I found a place of strength for myself there," shared Polina Askeri. 

Designer of the conceptual brand Gapanovich from the Far North, Alexandra Gapanovich, shared how in her work she rethinks the uniqueness of Russia, transmitting national identity through the local code of the northern regions, particularly the Murmansk region. Founder of the Keep Looking Group, Ksenia Shipilova, presented the "Threads" project — a nationwide fashion industry competition aimed at developing the design environment in the Ivanovo region. Designers from all over the country gather for the competition.

Artistic Director of the art park "Nikola-Lenivets" and the "Archstoyanie" festival, Nikolai Polissky, talked about how a small village in the Kaluga region became the largest art park in Europe. According to Nikolai Polissky, he is interested in sharing his experience with other regions of Russia, so that vibrant artistic projects can develop there as well.

At the conclusion of the discussion, Ksenia Anosova emphasized that personal interest and motivation are crucial: one person can influence the development of an entire city or even a region.