Fashion is superficial? Niet, says top Russian Vogue editor Aliona Doletskaya.
Daughter of two surgeons, she has a doctorate in comparative linguistics from Moscow State University—and mentions designer Yves Saint Laurent and poet Alexander Pushkin in the same sentence.
With a deep, whisky voice and clipped British accent, Doletskaya has a flair for the dramatic, whether trend-spotting or creating bold covers with top photographers Steven Meisel and Mario Testino.
Not that it’s easy. “We’ve seen crises,” she says. “Only strong, talented, beautiful people survive.”
All three, she shares her magazine’s philosophy and how it satisfies increasingly affluent Russian readers.
“Fashion is a world in which everything is gorgeous, stunning, caramel on top of caramel, and cream on top of that,” she told The New York Times.
How have you been cutting-edge despite your locale?
Getting high-calibre photogs and models was tough the first few years. I heard, ‘Moscow what? Russian who?’ People didn’t have a clue of how powerful Russia is as a country. But now we command the respect of Paris Vogue or Vogue Italia.
Our success comes from the passion and ambition I’m putting into my job and my editors. Our magazine is designed to impress, surprise and captivate with photography and our editorial mix.
How do you and your staff choose which designers you feature?
We attend international and Russian runway shows, then discuss who was outstanding. On average, 80% of fashion we cover is international and 20% is Russian. Who gets coverage depends on the season. For autumn 2009, we loved what Donatella Versace, Peter Dundas for Pucci, Alexander McQueen and Lanvin’s Alber Elbaz did.
Why do you use mostly models on your covers?
We’re about design. Because of a surplus of magazines with celebrities in Russia, Russian Vogue stands out by remaining a fashion bible, thus using mainly models such as Natalia Vodianova, Naomi Campbell and Anna Selezneva instead of recycling celebrities.
How has the Russian retail environment changed?
Quite fast. Before glasnost in the ’80s, the fervid hunt for beautiful items became practically a blood sport. Flagship stores—Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Bulgari, Gucci—have doubled in the last five years, making Russia a fashion powerhouse.
How has the global economic slump affected retail in Russia and how is that reflected in Russian Vogue?
We haven’t been hit as badly as America. Our advertising has dropped 10% to 15%, and consumers are spending 25% to 30% less on clothes and accessories. But Russians love fashion very differently than Americans. Russians love spending money, so we don’t focus on savings. The secret of luxury is its impracticality. You can choose not to run across snow in heels, but saying to hell with comfort and practicality in the name of beauty brings intoxicating pleasure.
What leads you to look beneath the surface of fashion, referring to literature and art?
I’m surprised by fashion people who talk just about now. Fashion references the past and future. That’s why I’ve said, “Young Russian designers are inspired by what the great fashion designers like Yves Saint Laurent did, almost subconsciously, like any Russian poet would have Alexander Pushkin in his mind.”
Do you have any plans to leave Russia, say to work in the United States?
I very much enjoy what I do here. For me it’s not where I am, but who I’m with.
Any fashion and trend predictions for the future?
Predictions are Russian roulette. But the love of beauty and elegance never will disappear in this country, and Russian women never will fall out of love with fabulous jewellery and beautiful fashion.
Former fashion editor Michele Meyer has written for W, Travel + Leisure and Arts & Antiques.
Photography Olga Lavrenkova
