From pastila to goldwork embroidery: what Department Store RUSSIA will present at the 10th Russia-China EXPO in Harbin
From 17 to 21 May, the National Centre RUSSIA will present its flagship project, Department Store RUSSIA, at the 10th Russia-China EXPO in Harbin for the first time. The exposition will be located at a stand dedicated to the image of the merchant class as a symbolic interweaving of cultures and peoples. Decorative elements, including carved window shutters, a tiled roof, regional ornaments and natural materials, refer to Russia’s rich cultural legacy. Shared patterns and decorative compositions will also highlight the closeness of Russian and Chinese cultures.
Sweet tastes of the country from Kaluga to Tomsk
Visitors to the stand will be able to try crunchy sugar-free apple pastila from the Kaluga Region and healthy tea made with chaga birch mushroom from the Vologda Region. The Primorye Territory will bring a range of chocolate with unusual additions, including sea salt, cayenne pepper, salted almonds, ginger and honey granules, while Bashkortostan will present white chocolate with an exclusive ingredient, kumis.
The assortment will also include sugar-free fruit and berry pastila from the Samara Region, classic chocolate and the famous toffee from the Ulyanovsk Region, as well as airy corn sticks from the Lugansk People’s Republic. The Tula Region will bring Belev custard pastila and Tula gingerbread.
A gastronomic journey to the North deserves special attention: a set of chocolate bars with sea salt from the Arctic Ocean, wild northern berries, matcha green tea, Arctic kelp, cloudberries and reindeer moss, as well as jams, sauces and syrups made from Murmansk berries.
The Republic of Altai will bring sweets and bars with pine nuts and strawberries, as well as a collection of shaped chocolate. The Pskov Region will present its famous handmade cranberries in icing sugar, the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area — Yugra will bring natural marmalade made from wild berries and herbs, the Kaliningrad Region will present marzipan sweets with a high nut content, and the Tomsk Region will bring real taiga delicacies: candied pine cones. The Vladimir Region will be represented by fragrant Pokrov gingerbread.
Tea lovers will find signature blends from the Moscow Region at the stand, bringing together the tea-drinking traditions of different peoples of Russia, as well as hand-picked herbal teas from the Republic of Khakassia, developed with the participation of biologists and pharmacists.
Legacy in every item
The textile range will feature designer shawls and scarves from the Sverdlovsk Region with prints inspired by Russia’s cultural code, as well as classic Pavlovo Posad shawls from the Moscow Region. Traditional Orenburg down shawls will be presented at the exposition in a new designer interpretation, combined with silk, cotton and other materials.
Accessories will include bags and cosmetic bags made from tapestry fabric with designer prints from the Kaliningrad Region, leather bags from Sevastopol, whose creators drew inspiration from the nature of the Crimean Peninsula, and handmade leather goods from Saint Petersburg.
The Tver Region and the Republic of Karelia will present bags, cosmetic bags, interior cushions, glasses cases, toiletry bags and other items decorated with goldwork embroidery, one of the most labour-intensive types of embroidery, made according to old museum patterns.
Trades and crafts that have survived the centuries
The stand will feature items decorated with the famous Mezen painting from the Arkhangelsk Region, Dymkovo toys from the Kirov Region, and Yelets lace products, a traditional craft of the Lipetsk Region. The Moscow Region will be widely represented by Dulyovo porcelain, Zhostovo trays, Fedoskino lacquer miniatures and the famous Gzhel painting. An exclusive collection from the Gzhel Porcelain Factory, made in traditional shades of blue, echoes the traditions of Chinese Qinghua cobalt painting, bringing together the tea-drinking cultures of the two countries.
The Krasnoyarsk Territory will present designer accessories made from natural fur. They have been created in line with the best traditions of the original Russian furrier’s craft, carefully preserved by craftsmen from among the indigenous small-numbered peoples of the North. The Ryazan Region will introduce visitors to the exposition to Mikhailov lace, the only technique in the world in which craftswomen use bobbins to create expressive and cheerful patterns from dense multicoloured threads.
The Vladimir Region will bring Gus-Khrustalny crystal, designer ceramics and natural handmade cosmetics. The Tula Region will be presented not only as the capital of unique sweets, but also as the home of famous Russian samovars. The Sverdlovsk Region will showcase Ural-Siberian painting, a unique folk craft of the 17th-19th centuries known for its bright plant motifs and "two-colour" technique, with rosettes and water lilies as symbols of happiness and prosperity.
The exposition will also feature porcelain tableware with designer prints from the Republic of Buryatia, crystal vases from the Bryansk Region, items decorated with Khokhloma painting from the Nizhny Novgorod Region, and unique handmade carpets with floral ornaments on a black background from the Tyumen Region. The Russian capital will be represented by a collection of handmade ceramics inspired by the fairytale world of Lukomorye.
Symbols of friendship and cooperation: exclusive collections at the Department Store
A special part of the Department Store exposition in Harbin will be a clothing collection featuring quotes by the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin: hats, T-shirts, hoodies and baseball caps. This line was created by special order of the National Centre RUSSIA and has already become popular among international visitors to the venue. Visitors to the exposition in Harbin will see a new collection in pink, symbolising kindness, purity of thought and spring renewal.
An exclusive joint project by a Chinese brand and Russian artist and designer Liza Anisimova also deserves special attention. Each look is distinguished by impeccable execution and refined silhouettes inspired by the legacy of Russia and China, revealing an artistic dialogue between two great cultures through the language of haute couture and contemporary art.
In addition, especially for the exposition, the Department Store, together with the Kotovskaya Nevalyashka factory, has prepared a special collection as a sign of friendship and respect for the culture, legacy and spirit of the Chinese people. One of the nevalyashka dolls (roly-poly dolls) is based on the traditional colours of China, red and yellow, while its costume is decorated with an image of a wild plum, a symbol of renewal, resilience and the ability to overcome difficulties. The second toy will be presented as a child in a panda costume, one of the main symbols of friendship, harmony and warm relations between Russia and China.
The Department Store exposition awaits guests in Harbin, so that everyone can not only see, but also take away a piece of Russia: vast, diverse and hospitable.
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