I was both thrilled and alarmed to be invited to this year’s Moscow Fashion Week; it’s slowly but sure-footedly trailing back to normal after the pandemic shutdown. Thrilled because this is not my first visit to the event. I have made friends and enjoyed the fashions presented, especially its very edgy street-wear. Alarmed because Russia has upped the ante on its war with Ukraine for two years now, and a fashion week would probably be the last thing on any Russian’s mind, I thought.
I was wrong. Life in Russia moves on as if war is nothing but a part-time pursuit. I land in one of Moscow’s three international airports to be driven to Metropol, my luxury hotel, in a swanky new Mercedes. Mercedes Benz was the erstwhile title sponsor of the Moscow Fashion Week. Now the week has no title sponsors, just a small fleet of partners, none of whom are openly credited.
Since Russia escalated its war with Ukraine in 2022 (making it the largest conflict in Europe since World War II), Europe, the US and the UK have placed several economic and trade sanctions on the country. European and American companies cannot sell several products to or purchase from Russia. Among these are technology and luxury goods. Credit cards connected to Mastercard, Visa and Amex also cannot be used in Russia, making it mostly a cash economy for those who don’t have local bank accounts.
Birkins and Kellys on display at Tsum
At Tsum, a luxury department store in the centre of Moscow, I was surprised to learn leading brands are available. Latest collections from Dior, Saint Laurent, Chanel and Gucci are stacked on pristine shelves. In fact, the widely coveted Hermes Birkin and Kelly bags are also sold over the counter here. This is unusual as Hermes has an unwritten policy of not selling its Birkin and Kelly bags to customers over the counter unless they purchase an equal amount in other goods from the store. This is their way of creating a snob value for these bags, by encouraging the notion that you can’t buy a Birkin, it has to choose you.
But yes, these labels have no signage in their respective sections, you will only have to recognise the bags from their style or their logo. Russians have become resellers. The bags are purchased from several other countries, especially the UAE, and re-sold here at a 25 to 30 per cent markup. And yes, you may purchase them (with cash) right away. The Birkins and Kellys start at roughly 31 lakh rubles for the leather ones (they cost upwards of Rs25 lakh in India).
Gum, the historic shopping mall at the Red Square, where Dior, Cartier and Chanel still own stores, wears a forlorn look, except for tourists like me here for its famous hand-churned ice cream. These stores have their lights on but nothing on display, just a notice on the front door saying they are temporarily closed due to technical reasons. Local Russian brands, such as my favourite Red September, are thriving on domestic sales alone.
Starbucks is now Stars cafe, KFC is Rostic, and McDonalds is ‘Tasty and That’s It’. Apple products and iPhones are resold, too, and luxury cars manufactured in Chinese factories are imported here.
Despite the sanctions, Russia’s economy is on an upward swing and is outperforming European countries. The Russian Central Bank has disclosed its GDP to be 3.6 per cent in 2023, making it one of the fastest growing major economies in the world. Russian president Vladimir Putin has stated that European sanctions have not affected Russia. “We have growth, and they have decline,” he said.
X@namratazakaria