RUSSIA: “Reflections on Fashion”: 9th National Contest of Children’s Costumes Studios and Fashion Theaters (5 April 2005)

Summary: The final of 9th National Contest of children’s
costume studios and fashion theaters have
taken place in Moscow on April 2nd at Slava
Zaitsev fashion house. Initiated 9 years ago
by the Association Golden Needle this contest
has developed to a sustainable tool to
promote children’s creativity upon young
people’s particular interest in mode and
Russian cultural traditions.

Moscow - The final of 9th National Contest of children’s costume studios
and fashion theaters have taken place in Moscow on April 2nd at Slava
Zaitsev fashion house.

Initiated nine years ago by the Association “Golden Needle” this contest
has developed to a sustainable tool to promote children’s creativity upon
young people’s particular interest in mode and Russian cultural traditions.

Key concept comprises that children themselves sew clothing and display it
on stage within a real theater performance to a wide auditorium including
both peers and vogue and arts professionals. Through participation in this
movement children can develop wide scaled knowledge and skills ranging
from history of arts and costume, sewing and design up to diverse forms of
expression and motion. For many children it widely impacts their choice for
future education and profession.

Existing creative teams, now operating in many parts of Russia and
recently abroad, have to pass through local and regional contests to be
then eligible to meet in Moscow to a highlighting final.

This year’s contest organized towards 60th Anniversary of the Victory and
the end of second war and focused on ”Reflections on fashion” could
gather 40 creative theater teams coming from different parts of Russia
(Central Russia, Volga region, Ural, Caucasus, Siberia, St. Petersburg and
Moscow), Kazakhstan and Estonia.

Within a fairly colourful festival 360 children (aged from 9 to 16) could
perform a show as young “couturiers and models” and present a wide
range of various traditions and new trends in fashion. Mr. Slava Zaitsev, a
world-known Russian couturier and designer who has been presiding the
jury for many years, emphasized a high level of the works and
performance. He argued that it was not easy for him and his jury
colleagues “to select the best of the best.” Anyway none of young artists
went home without an award.

The annual contest sums up big preparatory work done by children and
those adults who help them in this particular form of self-expression and
self-awareness. Among them are professionals, teachers, volunteers,
parents, arts museums, youth centers, local authorities, foundations and
mass media.

The event was supported by Youth department of Russia’s Ministry of
Education, Moscow government department for public relations and the
International Union of Children’s NGOs (UPO-FCO).

For more information please contact:

Mrs. Galina Choubarova, President
Association “Golden Needle”
Novaya Plostchad 6,
109102 Moscow, Russian Federation
Tel/fax: 095 206 87 58
Email: [email protected]
Email: [email protected]

Tags: 

Please note that these reports are hosted by CRIN as a resource for Child Rights campaigners, researchers and other interested parties. Unless otherwise stated, they are not the work of CRIN and their inclusion in our database does not necessarily signify endorsement or agreement with their content by CRIN.