When a family creates beauty: a gold embroidery brand at the Department Store of the National Centre RUSSIA
The family brand "Gorlitsa-Art" was born from respect for the traditional craft of the owners’ hometown, a love for beauty, and family support. The workshop produces women's accessories and home textiles, carefully preserving the traditional technique of gold embroidery. The brand's creator, Yevgeny Vasilyev, shared how to breathe new life into a folk art craft by combining classic design and fashion trends.
From craft to brand
At the core of any successful brand, there is always a personal story, a sincere desire to create, not just to earn money. This is exactly how the "Gorlitsa-Art" workshop appeared. Not through an abstract business idea, but through real work with the famous craft in Torzhok, a deep immersion in the art of gold embroidery, and through communication with the craftswomen.
"As a commercial artist, I worked for the gold embroidery factory in Torzhok: I designed their logo, catalogues, and outdoor advertising. Gradually, I saw the enormous potential of these beautiful products, but unfortunately, not everyone realises it even now. A turning point in my work was the reaction of the craftswomen to the catalogue I designed. They were delighted, they couldn't believe these were their products. Then I understood how important it is to show the craft in a new way — both to the masters themselves and to buyers," said the creator of the "Gorlitsa-Art" brand, artist and designer Yevgeny Vasilyev.
From the very beginning, Yevgeny worked together with his brother Sergei. Initially, the Vasilyevs planned to focus on selling and promoting products made by other masters. The idea to establish their own brand was born when it became clear: only their own production would allow for further development.
"We collaborated with various workshops, but constantly ran into limitations. Small batches, high cost, and most importantly — it was very difficult to control quality. At some point, it became clear: the only way forward is with our own production," he said.
By the way, the name for the brand was chosen quite quickly, but not at all by chance. It combines "gornitsa" — the high, honoured place in a traditional house where girls did needlework, and the image of a turtledove ("gorlitsa" in Russian) — a wild dove. It is symbolic, considering that six doves are depicted on the coat of arms of Torzhok. Thus, a symbolic, yet at the same time very understandable and warm brand image, was formed.
Beauty for every day
"Hand embroidery with gold is always a long game: high cost, a large amount of manual labour, and rare specialists. But it is precisely the mass and more accessible collections that allow us to keep the craftswomen, take on complex orders, and preserve the technique itself. It is important for us that gold embroidery does not freeze in a museum, but lives and develops," he added.
A landmark test for us was the collaboration with the House of Fabergé. They asked to reinterpret recognisable motifs in fabric and thread, and to do it in such a way that these motifs would look impressive on velvet and velour, where small details often 'sink' into the pile. Together, our team sought new solutions for pattern, scale, and technique. The final collection became a real victory both for the brand and for each of the craftswomen.
Women inspire us
Although the creators of the "Gorlitsa-Art" brand are men, almost the entire assortment is aimed at women — and there is no contradiction in this.
"A true man always wants to please a woman. We work for our customers, and together with them: we ask them, listen to them, and observe: how they handle things; what is convenient for them and what is not; what they are missing. It is precisely the feedback, impressions, and joy of our clients that help us create our collections," noted Yevgeny Vasilyev.
Alongside the "Gorlitsa-Art" items, the Department Store presents other brands that reveal the richness of gold embroidery in their own way. One of them is the legendary "Torzhokskie Zolotoshvei" (Torzhok Gold Embroidery Needlewomen) from the Tver region. This enterprise traces its history back to the end of the 19th century and has become a mainstay for an entire craft: here, traditional techniques and work with metallic threads are preserved; and clothing, accessories, and souvenirs with the characteristic shimmering embroidery are created. This is the 'classic of the genre' factory where a school was formed that has inspired more than one generation of masters and designers.
Another striking example is the brand "Zolotaya Nit Pomorya" ("The Golden Thread of Pomorye"), reviving the traditions of northern gold embroidery in Karelia. Founded by designer Natalia Lysenkovskaya in 2021, it combines ancient Pomor motifs and contemporary forms: bags and accessories, brooches and earrings, elements of clothing and interior textiles. Here, gold embroidery becomes a way to tell about Pomor culture and pass on a living, not museum-like, tradition to the younger generation.
Together, these brands show how differently the same art form can resonate. In the space of the National Centre RUSSIA Department Store, they create a common context: gold embroidery turns out to be not a forgotten craft of the past, but a relevant and sought-after art form.
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