If you are a foodie on Instagram — hello! — you probably already know the delicious account that brings all the foodies to the Bay Area. The name @bayarea.foodies is just descriptive, but the person behind it is extremely creative! Meet Tim Cheung who has turned his curious appetite and a keen eye for detail into a viral campaign to support local minority-owned businesses during and beyond the pandemic. Historically, the Bay Area has some of the widest variety of cuisines in the United States. It is a seriously challenging mission to experience and highlight them all. Pioneering spirit of the region never backed down from a fight for progress, so Tim took his passion seriously.

What turns a place into a post on your account?

There isn’t really a “magic ingredient” that is required. I decide my next spots based on curiosity. Ideally, the food needs to not only be delicious, but have a rich cultural backstory that I think is important to tell through each dish.

What has been your relationship with food cultures growing up?

My parents didn’t really like cooking. Since we would eat out a lot, I got to explore the different cuisines quite early. It also pushed me to learn how to make some delicious home cooked meals for myself. It is now part of the content I offer that is easy to follow along.

What is your earliest food justice memory?

In high school, I used to frequent this taqueria with my friends. I always wondered why they didn’t have a lot of customers, because they were delicious. Then one day they shut down and I realized that there were a lot of hidden gems that people just didn’t realize ever existed. I didn’t want other small places to get overlooked.

Outside of the Bay Area what is your next foodie justice destination?

In Los Angeles, the Bopomofo Cafe stands up for the representation of Asian people in the media and I really respect their hustle. Another spot would be Leo’s Taco Truck. They are known for their Al Pastor. I just love how it shows that good food can bring people from all different backgrounds and cultures together to enjoy a good taco. On the other side of the country, it would be Xi’an Famous Foods in New York for their noodle dishes. The owners are the immigrants, and their success is the embodiment of ‘The American Dream’.

What was the most engaging story for your audience in 2020?

Definitely, the Cloud Bread video. It has amassed over 9.2 million views, 338K likes, and 1800 comments. Other people who created content about the ‘Cloud Bread’ never really spoke on how it tasted. I was one of the first to talk about how it was only for aesthetic purposes and not really a tasty dish. People really liked my honesty. It also inspired me to hone my video craft!

What is your ideal Bay Area Foodie Brunch menu?

My best-of brunch would start with Nashville hot chicken nuggets from Hot Bird, followed by a bowl of Pho (a traditional Vietnamese noodle soup) from Pho Ha Noi in San Jose, then a matcha crepe cake by U:Dessert Story, and ending with boba milk tea from Tea Hut. That is San Francisco on one table!

When armed conflicts break out, it is difficult for many people to not get emotional and pick sides. We often gravitate towards quick solutions that bring peace because our perspective is limited. We rarely have awareness about the bigger picture, about what happens over the longer term — how to make peace sustainable. To talk about the bigger picture, specifically utilizing economics and finance solutions for war-torn regions, we sat down with Fariz Huseynov, a tenured professor at North Dakota State University in Fargo. Professor Huseynov is currently working on a number of papers on economic development in post-conflict states.

Please tell us a bit about yourself and what you do?

Originally from Azerbaijan, I went to college in Turkey, continued my education in Indiana and Tennessee and ultimately ended up in North Dakota. I teach courses in corporate finance, international finance, and investments. Most of my research is focused on empirical corporate finance and some on international finance.

How did your path lead you to the US, and specifically North Dakota?

I first came to the US to pursue a Master’s degree and the most challenging part was figuring out what to do next. I served as a Teaching Assistant for one of my professors and I really enjoyed it. He noticed that I had a knack for teaching, and suggested that I go for a Ph.D. Excited about research and potential work-life balance, I took his advice and applied for a program at the University of Memphis, Tennessee. After graduation, I ended up becoming a professor at North Dakota State University.

What is it like living in North Dakota?

Located on the border of North Dakota and Minnesota, Fargo is a great town to raise a family. It is a very diverse community. It is safe, friendly, not too small and not too big, just right. There are around 250,000 people in the area. It is not just a college town. Plenty of things happen here and Minneapolis is close, if you want a big city with a lot going on.

What is challenging about being a finance professor in general, in the US, and specifically at NDSU?

Well, getting tenure is incredibly tough. Also, my work is paid for by a land grant. Universities in the area were given their lands to cultivate agriculture and to do engineering many years ago. As a result, they have a mission: they require quality teaching and impactful research from professors and also demonstrations of how they impact their community and their students’ lives. I have been able to balance all of these pretty well, but it is challenging. In today’s world, when state and federal funding is being cut, higher education is not as valued as before, and scientists are not respected as much as in the past — as a professor and public employee I have to constantly explain the value of what I do, of learning. The changing structure of higher education and the move to online education means that we have to be very adaptable. In addition, in finance things change incredibly fast. My students want to know what’s happening right now. That means I have to offer quality, relevant teaching, impactful research and I also have to constantly engage with outside industry, so that I don’t become obsolete. And all I have is 24 hours a day to do all that.

Please talk about your research.

My research is mainly in empirical corporate finance. I have done research focusing on factors impacting corporate decisions, and their implications on financial markets. I have studied corporate tax avoidance and accounting manipulations. I am currently looking at information channels between markets and corporations, focusing on bidirectional learning. We are examining how algorithmic trading and other high frequency trading is making an impact on this.

Have you done any work in financial and economic development?

I have always been interested in financial and economic development of war-torn, post-conflict areas. I have been working with some institutions in Azerbaijan for a while, trying to find new finance solutions for small and medium sized businesses, and overall, policies to develop Azerbaijan’s economy. The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict erupted this summer, and I started thinking about making peace sustainable. I realized that we need to focus on economic development. We need people to live prosperous lives, and value economic ties with each other. How do we put together a sustainable, inclusive economic development plan that makes peace stay and the economy prosper? I am applying for a fellowship at NDSU that will fund research on economic development, immigration and international finance. I am also working on a couple of op-eds that draw attention to the conflict, not only about the political side, but also focusing on economic plans. When the war ends, peace will not just happen by itself. We have to put an economic ingredient there.

How would you talk about the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in financial/economic terms?

The United Nations roughly estimates that about $50 billion of damage was inflicted in economic terms in the 1990s, though I am not familiar with the exact methodology that they used. Thousands of economic entities have been destroyed in the region. You had a lot of agriculture and an industrial complex in Nagorno-Karabakh. You had lands for livestock, a lot of meat production and food processing, forestry, and obviously educational institutions and so on. All that was destroyed in the conflict in the 90s. Immediately after both countries had high inflation. Azerbaijan’s infrastructure in the area was destroyed. Hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons had to leave and move elsewhere in Azerbaijan, putting a lot of pressure on other areas. Social and other spending increased and there was not enough of a safety net at the time. Azerbaijan’s economic condition worsened, as economic relationships were broken. The Soviet system was famous for tying regions together with infrastructure and industry. All of the factories and plants that the Soviets put in place there were destroyed. There was no real middle class to create consumption to drive the economy after this crisis. So for many years, until the oil money started coming in early 2000s, it was really tough. While Armenia probably suffered from war as well, Azerbaijan suffered significantly more, because Nagorno-Karabakh and other occupied lands are about 20% of its territory.

What about missed opportunities?

To talk about missed opportunities, think about transportation routes between North, South, East and West. You can’t use them because of the conflict. You can draw capital to oil and gas industries, but you can’t draw capital to non-oil industries because of the risk of escalation. You have a frozen conflict that can erupt anytime. You have a ceasefire, but it can be broken anytime. This entirely elevates risk for any investor. See, if I am thinking about a large investment in the area — the South Caucasus region — I would like to know if this crisis has been sustainably solved. And the answer is no.

So what can be done to bring about a sustainable solution for this conflict?

We have to think about how to bring economic prosperity while we negotiate peace. We need to find a peaceful, sustainable solution that works. According to the UN Security Council resolutions Nagorno-Karabakh and the other 7 occupied areas are Azerbaijan’s lands, so first we need to restore Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, and not just that. It is about bringing economic prosperity to the region. Azerbaijan has a responsibility and a right to cultivate its lands and provide prosperity to its people. And we need support. We need it to be internationally managed. Well, like the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil consortium, for example. We bring in multiple stakeholders. We build a plant. We have a pipeline and take oil to the Mediterranean Sea. And the money from this project is going to bring prosperity to this area. We need this kind of mindset. And Azerbaijan has it. It has several plans on how to bring different projects to the area, and it has adopted UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

So both Azerbaijanis and Armenians would benefit from the economic development of the disputed lands?

The way I see this all citizens of Azerbaijan, whatever ethnicity they are, have a right to economic opportunity. In other parts of Azerbaijan there are many people of different religions and ethnicities, and we don’t talk about them in ethnic or religious terms. We have to approach investment in Nagorno-Karabakh from a different angle: those who are from underdeveloped rural areas, low income, women, small and medium sized business. While we are talking about military and diplomacy, we have to also talk about the economy and we should have a plan on the table about how to develop these areas. And this plan looks like this: multistakeholder, bringing different interests together and ensuring that we are tied together economically. I think that makes it more sustainable. It is obviously not going to come in one day. It’s a long-term solution. But I think it would be a good experience for Azerbaijan and an opportunity to showcase development and prosperity.

Tell us more about the economic development plan for the area. What kind of projects are you proposing?

This should be an economically viable project. It should be profitable for all participants. But there should be mechanisms in place to protect foreign interests, and ensure their investment return and earnings. Azerbaijan definitely wants to open up for foreign capital. We want to develop this area, our lands. Give us a chance, and not only that, support us. I can definitely see organizations like UNDP or the World Bank coming in first. They usually participate in these kinds of projects, they receive funding from different institutions and different companies participate. This area has a lot of potential for water, mining, transportation projects. We definitely need basic infrastructure there. All of this needs capital, experience, and all of that brings different stakeholders together. I think there is room for Western, Russian, Turkish, even Iranian companies. Companies from any part of the world should be able to participate. After all, it’s a business proposal.

Will it be like the BTC?

With the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan international consortium, we brought in several companies and each received different percentages. It was easier because there was clear participation and distribution of income. It won’t be as simple in Nagorno-Karabakh. There will be different types of projects than oil and gas, different income distribution models, and socially minded, impact based investments. That makes it a bit complex. And I don’t think there is one simple formula there that can be used.

What should the US and the West do to help find a solution for this crisis?

The US, Russia and France took on responsibilities as co-chairs of the Minsk Group. They should return to the basic principles they forced both sides to agree upon. They can’t just say ceasefire — checkmark, our job is done. They can’t continue blaming both sides for not wanting to give concessions. They have an agreement. How about implementing it? You brought the sides together, you have to take an objective stance, you have to get it solved. If you are not enforcing or implementing such agreements, what you are doing is just kicking the can down the road and actually increasing the risk of future escalation. What happens if people lose trust in peaceful mechanisms? War. Do you think people will just forget? No, we know a family who 30 years later still keep keys from their apartment in Nagorno-Karabakh. How can you say we are going to reach a peaceful agreement but not implement it, and expect that both sides will just move on? We need to understand that economic prosperity must come to these lands, and you can’t reach that by freezing the conflict. With time, economic opportunities are lost, and all you get is decay.

With over one hundred designers, fifty-two SS20 runway shows, and ten presentations from established, emerging, and international designers — Moscow was overflowing with an impressive attendance of international press, buyers, influencers, clients, and fashion enthusiasts alike!

From the streets to the runway, it’s crystal clear that self-expression and personal style has and always will be the first and foremost of importance in Russian culture. The resurgence of the bourgeois style seemed like the most popular look on the streets. Manifesting this look through furs, tailored overcoats, neck scarves, tweeds, and crisp button-ups, we weren’t surprised as this trend has also taken off in many major cities, including Paris, Milan, and New York.

A few street style details which caught our eyes that are worthy of mentioning are; all leather ensembles made modern with oversized fits, monochromatic pairings in a mixture of patterns and textures, and lastly, power shoulder suits with cinched in waist belting.

Get inspired by our handpicked selection below!

All images are courtesy of MBFW Russia

She has built and decorated luxury residences, restaurants, commercial centers and hotels all around the globe, with high society buzzing as she changes the way people think about interior design in Central Asia and beyond. Trained as an architect in Kazakhstan and having to lead large-scale construction projects at the start of her career, Assel Baimakhan quickly learned how to create perfect living experiences. She also discovered that her true passion lies in interior design and small details. As a result, she soon developed her own design business, which over the years has completed countless projects in Kazakhstan, Russia, Dubai, Spain and France, and Assel herself has become an internationally renowned design professional, famous for her unique touch and for creating trends. She has now opened a design studio in New York, with a goal to take over the US market. Expats familiar with Assel Baimakhan’s work are excited to have her in the area and seek her interior design advice and services.

Assel, please tell us about yourself. How did you become passionate about design? You started out as an architect, what made you move into the interior design space?

I started my career in Kazakhstan with a degree in Architecture. My first job was assisting one of the country’s top developers on a large construction project. Then the client asked me if I could work on the interior design of the new property as well, and I said yes. The project turned out to be really fun. I loved planning every detail, from the type of materials to use, to furniture and accessories. Soon after that, I focused on interior design full time, and founded my own design company. Today, I am one of the top interior designers in Kazakhstan, and also work on projects all around the world, in Europe, Asia and the United States.

What makes for good interior design?

Good interior design is what happens when the space is both functional and beautiful. Good design is when the space is original, keeps feeling fresh and new to the owner, and yet remains comfortable and cozy.

What is your design philosophy? How do you approach new projects?

In the interior design process, it is important to plan the space. This is why I try to be really thoughtful about how my clients use their space. I sit down with them early on and really try to understand how they move through their life every day and what they need in their homes. Once I have an idea of how the space should function, I combine my clients’ requirements with their desired aesthetic and atmosphere, and create a concept for the space. Any design project starts with a vision. I think globally. I try to tell a story with the interior coming together, with all the different elements and pieces. When working on my projects, I am adamant about picking high quality materials. Ideally, I work with natural materials like wood and stone or fabrics like wool, linen, or silk. I want to make sure that my design is put together to last. Authenticity is another design quality that is key to my work. I try to tailor every project for the user, beyond their taste or preferences. I ensure that I integrate their everyday belongings, as well as heirlooms and antiques. Those items, unique to everyone, can make any room more interesting, more original.

How do clients shape your design vision? What kind of questions do you ask them?

I sit down with all of my new clients and chat for a couple of hours over coffee. I try to learn every single detail about their lifestyle to get a clear picture of how they plan to use the new space. We talk about their day-to-day movements, habits, travel plans, and how they entertain guests. I have all the right questions in front of me and ensure that I have all the information I need, before starting to work on a project.

Give our readers an advice: How to freshen décor for the upcoming spring?

Much before Marie Kondo started to encourage us to cleanse our homes of things that are not sparking joy, I was telling my clients to unclutter their space and keep their homes minimal as a first step to refreshing their interior design. We do not realize how much unnecessary stuff we collect. To make our space seem fresh again we need to clean it up, and let the stuff we do not need go. My second tip is to add greenery. You can’t image how much homier and brighter your space becomes with a few potted plants or flowers. And the good news is that you don’t have to even get real flowers. If you have a busy schedule and you can’t take care of your plants, there are plenty of gorgeous artificial options, including those made of silicone.

What inspires you, and why?

I am inspired by travel, arts and culture. When I travel, I explore museums, visit beautiful buildings, and learn about local architecture and design. I get to know the local art scene and bring back pieces by local artisans and artists that speak to me. In my own work, I always focus on my clients’ heirlooms that they pass from generation to generation, as well as the defining pieces that my clients bring from their travels. I often start by reviewing these items with a goal to harmoniously integrate them with the new elements, putting them at the center of the story I tell through interior design. These may be little figurines my clients have bought in a far-away land. Well, I will make sure then that they are front and center to the interior design of the place.

Nature is another key inspiration. From spring blossoms and fall foliage, to winter sky and clouds, I use nature to guide my choice of color schemes and combinations. I also turn to nature for positive energy, and to balance ideas.

Which project are you most proud of? Does it reflect your style as an interior designer?

I really liked working on the Mountain House project that my team and I executed in Kazakhstan several years ago. I am proud of it because my team managed to use interior design to highlight the natural beauty of the property’s landscapes and its panoramic views. Every detail seemed to come together, from construction to the ultimate choice of accessories. It all started from an existing building that we had to completely renovate and partially rebuild to turn it into a country house meant for family vacations and hosting friends. We used modern architecture and materials to complement the stunning location in a tree-shaded mountainous area. We stuck to a limited natural color scheme focusing on beiges, greys and greens and accented the space with lots of plants to utilize the natural light and highlight the house’s unity with surrounding it nature. We worked with texture and combinations of materials, such as stone, wood, metal and textiles, to ensure that the space looks conservative and yet has a modern feel. My team ensured that the new space is all about comfort: the house has a swimming pool, a sauna and a Jacuzzi. Its first floor houses a large living room and kitchen, while the second floor is dedicated to guest rooms and bathrooms. A part of the structure’s flat roof is turned into a rooftop terrace meant for watching the sunset. Finally, I really enjoyed working on a winding staircase — the central piece of this project, which served as a focal point of the entrance, and played an important role in bringing the whole design vision together.

What are your plans for the near future? What are some of your biggest inspirations?

I recently opened my design studio in New York City, while also pursuing a Master’s degree at Parsons School of Design. I still travel to Europe and Central Asia, but work there more remotely. I am already working on several interior design projects in New York and hoping to help those passionate about interior design in the US take it to a whole new level.

In your opinion, what makes you different from interior designers in the US? How can American clients benefit by choosing to work with you?

Well, first of all, I am incredibly flexible and sensitive to cultural differences and my clients’ sensibilities. I come from a Central Asian country but constantly travel and work on projects in Europe, the Middle East and now the US. As a result, I am very familiar with both Western and Eastern aesthetics and mindsets. Because of the global nature of my design services, I am also well-versed in the latest interior design trends and high quality manufacturers all over the world. I work with exciting design elements and wonderful vendors completely unknown in the US market. As a result, I offer my clients in New York new and unique ideas at reasonable prices, showing them what vendors in Greece, Portugal, Turkey, Lebanon, Eastern Europe or Scandinavian countries can do for them. Combining new elements and products from all over the world together with US needs and sensibilities, I help create unique spaces, while also staying on budget.

For instance, I have noticed that much of US-made furniture is incredibly expensive and yet bulky and uncomfortable. It does not work for certain types of spaces, especially smaller ones. Part of what I do is help my clients select elegant pieces from France or Italy that bring out the best in their homes. I help them find design elements that are impossible to find on the US market.

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MOSCOW, RUSSIA — OCTOBER 15: A model walks the runway at the SORRY, I’M NOT show during day three of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia SS17 at Manege on October 15, 2016 in Moscow, Russia. (Photo by Oleg Nikishin/Getty Images)[/caption]

Yet, a dissonant aftertaste lingered… Sure, Vetements has reset “design collective lead by a visionary” as the new maison. It’s a brave new default modus operandi of Moiseenko & Co. Yes, street couture is all the rage: Dior does backpacks, Chanel doubles as a supermarket, Gucci is one never-ending bohemian party. Sorry, I Am Not collection titled ‘Burn That Witch,’ aims for the niche, but falters on landing.

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MOSCOW, RUSSIA — OCTOBER 15: A model walks the runway at the SORRY, I’M NOT show during day three of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia SS17 at Manege on October 15, 2016 in Moscow, Russia. (Photo by Oleg Nikishin/Getty Images)[/caption]

I saw two distinctly different offerings by Sorry, I Am Not brand. Several womenswear pieces were singular. There was creativity and daredevilry therein. Too bad the younger Bowie is gone and the older Gaga is Country Western now. This type of glorious freak style is in desperate need of its next global icon. But, I digress.

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MOSCOW, RUSSIA — OCTOBER 15: A model walks the runway at the SORRY, I’M NOT show during day three of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia SS17 at Manege on October 15, 2016 in Moscow, Russia. (Photo by Oleg Nikishin/Getty Images)[/caption]

The problem is the other clothes. Whenever the collection veered from its one-off theatrics, the garments appeared almost as an afterthought to the art statements they were trying to make. A hoodie dress slouched off the shoulder to reveal a heart-shaped cleavage line? Any Halloween/mall store has that look down.

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MOSCOW, RUSSIA — OCTOBER 15: A model walks the runway at the SORRY, I’M NOT show during day three of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia SS17 at Manege on October 15, 2016 in Moscow, Russia. (Photo by Oleg Nikishin/Getty Images)[/caption]

Menswear was particularly dispiriting: half unwearable, half a joke. I couldn’t help but to ask myself: Is Moiseenko a fashion stylist disguised as a fashion designer? Maybe. But could Moiseenko pull of Nichola Formichetti and rise to the occasion? It’s evident he savors the grandeur.

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MOSCOW, RUSSIA — OCTOBER 15: A model walks the runway at the SORRY, I’M NOT show during day three of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia SS17 at Manege on October 15, 2016 in Moscow, Russia. (Photo by Oleg Nikishin/Getty Images)[/caption]

A business model built on spectacular publicity pieces with a sporadic “limited edition” T-shirts or totes or whatever else to stave off the style-hungry is hardly the way to sustain any fashion business, especially in the emerging fashion market like Russia.

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MOSCOW, RUSSIA — OCTOBER 15: A model walks the runway at the SORRY, I’M NOT show during day three of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia SS17 at Manege on October 15, 2016 in Moscow, Russia. (Photo by Oleg Nikishin/Getty Images)[/caption]

To survive in the fashionsphere, beyond audacity, to sell nationally as well as globally — Sorry, I’m Not must focus not on the butterflies under model’s nose, as delightful as those were, but on becoming a brand with long-term vision.

Stephan Rabimov, Alexey Timbul

GO SORRY or GO HOME: Sorry, I Am Not Spring/Summer 2017 was originally published in Depesha on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

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MOSCOW, RUSSIA — OCTOBER 17: A model walks the runway at the VIVA VOX show during day five of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia SS17 at Manege on October 17, 2016 in Moscow, Russia. (Photo by Oleg Nikishin/Getty Images)[/caption]

While the official propaganda machine mines Washington-Moscow politics for blame-game distractions, he delivers an all-you-can-eat Mickey Mouse buffet complete with monochrome cowboy hats, paparazzi-proof Jackie O sunglasses and those jackets the First Lady made ubiquitous in the Reagan era. The collection comes short of waving a star-spangled banner.

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MOSCOW, RUSSIA — OCTOBER 17: A model walks the runway at the VIVA VOX show during day five of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia SS17 at Manege on October 17, 2016 in Moscow, Russia. (Photo by Oleg Nikishin/Getty Images)[/caption]

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MOSCOW, RUSSIA — OCTOBER 17: A model walks the runway at the VIVA VOX show during day five of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia SS17 at Manege on October 17, 2016 in Moscow, Russia. (Photo by Oleg Nikishin/Getty Images)[/caption]

However, Viva Vox has made a stellar reputation on ingenuity and craftsmanship, not international scandal. Far from becoming a blatant Disney pastiche, these clothes attract and hold attention for their construction and styling, eclipsing the cartoon(ish) origin of the inspiration behind them. No small feat, mind you, since an estimated 98% of children aged 3–11 are aware of the character.

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MOSCOW, RUSSIA — OCTOBER 17: A model walks the runway at the VIVA VOX show during day five of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia SS17 at Manege on October 17, 2016 in Moscow, Russia. (Photo by Oleg Nikishin/Getty Images)[/caption]

The designer elevates the discourse on fashion iconography flawlessly mixing cultural phenomena with expert innovative tailoring. This collection is bigger than Moscow, larger than Politics, more fun than TV. It’s a career re-defining statement. Oleg Ovsiyov is no puppet. It’s time to get him onto a larger stage.

Alexey Timbul

Mind The Puppeteers: Viva Vox Summer/Spring 2017 was originally published in Depesha on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

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MOSCOW, RUSSIA — OCTOBER 13: A model walks the runway at the Artem Shumov fashion show during day one of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia SS17 at Manege on October 13, 2016 in Moscow, Russia. (Photo by Oleg Nikishin/Getty Images)[/caption]

The premise of a young Russian designer mining retro-athletics for inspiration triggers inevitable comparisons to the breakout success of Gosha Rubchinskiy. However, Shumov averts such easy parallels. Where Rubchinskiy relishes his homoerotic post-Soviet nostalgia, Shumov offers no precise cultural geotagging.

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MOSCOW, RUSSIA — OCTOBER 13: A model walks the runway at the Artem Shumov fashion show during day one of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia SS17 at Manege on October 13, 2016 in Moscow, Russia. (Photo by Oleg Nikishin/Getty Images)[/caption]

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MOSCOW, RUSSIA — OCTOBER 13: A model walks the runway at the Artem Shumov fashion show during day one of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia SS17 at Manege on October 13, 2016 in Moscow, Russia. (Photo by Oleg Nikishin/Getty Images)[/caption]

His aesthetic is of the globalized now even if Warhol-esque platinum wigs softly queered the lens. He boldly staked his signature brand item on a jumpsuit, of all garments, and he does it justice with about half a dozen styling options. The tracksuit business suits succeed in walking the tightrope over tackiness: they might not be exactly wall-street, but nail it for every other circumstance where going bespoke is taking a step too far.

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MOSCOW, RUSSIA — OCTOBER 13: A model walks the runway at the Artem Shumov fashion show during day one of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia SS17 at Manege on October 13, 2016 in Moscow, Russia. (Photo by Oleg Nikishin/Getty Images)[/caption]

Shumov’s press release notes described the target persona as someone who “has figured out what he wants in life, but needs some extra time to enjoy the present, take care of himself, get fit and everything… before he moves to the next level, the next goal in his life”. An assured collection, it should land Artem Shumov on the industry’s next-level-watch list.

Alexey Timbul exclusively for Depesha

Right On Track: Artem Shumov Spring/Summer 2017 was originally published in Depesha on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia will be held from October 12 to October 17, 2016 at the Manege Central Exhibition Hall in Moscow. Over 70 fashion designers from Russia, Georgia, Ukraine and other countries will present their collections. Most of the designers and brands will demonstrate their spring/summer collections, but some will exhibit the current season or mixed collections, following the ‘see now buy now’ trend.

DEPESHA has renewed it commitment to help support emerging fashion talent and joins Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia as one of its international media partners.

“For more than 15 seasons DEPESHA has been cultivating a fashion dialogue between Russia and the United States. Partnership with Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia opens new channels to raise awareness about talented Russian designers internationally. We are very excited to partner with such an influential project and lend our support to the growing Russian fashion industry,” said Stephan Rabimov, Founder/President of DEPESHA.

This season DEPESHA is especially proud to support the National Fashion Council grant winner designer Artem Shumov, who will be presenting his S/S 2017 menswear collection at MBFW Russia on October 13th, 2016 @ 19:00. Over the past four years, Shumov has become one of the most popular menswear designers in Russia, with large followings in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Shanghai.

Thanks to DEPESHA’s curatorship over the years many extraordinary fashion influencers have also officially visited Russia, most for the first time: designers Thom Browne, Custo Barcelona, Rubin Singer, as well as Dr. Valerie Steele, director and chief curator of the Fashion Museum at FIT, legendary NYC stylist Phillip Bloch, and many others.

In partnership with the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in New York, DEPESHA presented in 2013 many talented Russian designers for the first time, including Pirosmani by Jenya Malygina, Arscenicum by Dmitri Loginov, Alexander Khrisanfov, and BEssARION to the New York Fashion Week industry guests and the general public in America.

We invite everyone to watch the livestream of all the shows from the MBFW Russia, right here on our site:

mbfw // livesignal.ru

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia and DEPESHA Unite to Promote Russian Fashion Industry was originally published in Depesha on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Sorry, I’m not. The brand name turned hashtag reverberated through the stampede of people trying to get into designer Nikita Moiseenko’s debut presentation at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia. This was positioned as the do-or-die show to check-in at for the younger fashion set. Front row included an Anna Wintour lookalike and a gentleman in bright red tracksuit with a giant fur hat. When it comes to style, no one ever accused Muscovites of being highbrow. Brace for faux pas bravado.

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First look out: the burka adorned with open midriff shark jaws. Wow, reset expectations to shock-and-awe. While you’re scurrying around for a critical lens — Halloween, Islamophobia, political martyrdom, wtf??? — the show must and does go on. Here come a few bona fide gowns, legitimately any red carpet ready. There go a couple super cute hipster-proof dresses with poodles, giraffes and medusas. Enter a men’s fur coat with an epic collar worthy of a supporting role credit in any Russophile film starring Ralph Fiennes who’s already adapted Pushkin and Turgenev, and working on a Rudolf Nurieff biopic next. I digress, but so does the collection.

The luxury silk boudoir pieces come with transparent plastic raingear. The vinyl is covered in graffiti. The ballet leotards are hand-painted. Some psychedelic fleece is followed by a look with exquisite lacework. This is a generous smorgasbord. Those who were led to expect a Russian “Jeremy Scott” likely walked away kinda let down. Which is great news for Moiseenko. Sorry he ain’t nor should be. This sure was fun and, above all else, he showed great promise.

However, those familiar with Russian fashion circuit have developed a certain immunity to runway love at first sight. Moscow has seen its share of discovery launches for young designers with sizable talent backed by don’t-ask-don’t-tell investors with seize-able assets. Now that the well-deserved riotous afterparty is over, all eyes on next season. Sorry, I’m Not clearly knows all about viral marketing and trends watch. Here’s hoping it knows about business survival, too.

Alexey Timbul exclusively for DEPESHA

BEGINNER’S *UCK: SORRY, I’M NOT was originally published in Depesha on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Фотограф: Натали Арефьева Стиль: Олег Овсиев Make-up: Полина Важенина (Krygina Studio) Hair: Елена Логинова (ORIBE) Модель: Маша Изюмова[/caption]

Leave no box unchecked: luxury, sportswear, monochrome, camouflage, gown, fur. Over the last decade, Viva Vox has built a strong enough brand following to guarantee stay-afloat sales amid ruble crisis. But that’s not what makes its creative director Oleg Ovsiev the most intriguing Russian designer today. The fall-winter 2016 collection presented at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in Moscow proves Ovsiev is a brilliant strategist hardwired to geopolitical and cultural zeitgeist. While many Russian designers continue to mine folklore and propaganda for elusive style gold, he opted to source inspiration in one of the most dramatic rise-and-fall sagas in fashion history: the life and times of Romeo Gigli.

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The Italian couturier shot to fame in the late 1980s with voluminous shawl necklines, bandeau bonded tops and flower bud silhouettes; all are duly cited and exquisitely upgraded herein. Gigli was hyped to join the ranks of Dior and Balenciaga as the next iconic game-changer for the industry. Instead, severe mismanagement and ill tempers brought the house down. Each invitation to the last show in 1991 was delivered with a single white flower, a symbol of mourning. Ever since, the designer has been unable to relaunch his career. You know what else crushed into oblivion in 1991? The Soviet Union. This is where Ovsiev’s stylistic allusion becomes a meta-reference, almost too dangerous to entertain in the current political and economic climate in Russia. So let’s circle back to the garments.

[caption id=”attachment_7773" align=”aligncenter” width=”512"]

Фотограф: Натали Арефьева Стиль: Олег Овсиев Make-up: Полина Важенина (Krygina Studio) Hair: Елена Логинова (ORIBE) Модель: Маша Изюмова[/caption]

The patterned sensibility of floral and camouflage prints is a good fit for Paris. The stoicism in the cuts and pleats would not be out of place in Milan. The streetwear styling and graffiti gradient would make London proud. There is a decidedly fresh European aesthetic coursing through the lifelines of Viva Vox. You could namedrop Dries-Miuccia-Stella and still walk away with something different. This is very good and pretty and wearable and exciting stuff, pick you adjective. Yet make no mistake. It’s also a cautionary tale wrapped in hindsight warnings inside a heads-up cocoon of subtle gestures. By honoring the fleeting nature of fashion notoriety and imperial ambition, Ovsiev effectively becomes the one to watch.

Alexey Timbul exclusively for DEPESHA

THE QUIET COUP OF VIVA VOX was originally published in Depesha on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.