IQ test for fashion lovers
Published 31 March, 2009, 18:28
Oleg Biryukov is praised for his intellectual approach to fashion. He likes to quote fashion guru Suzy Menkes, who said in one interview that fashion reflects a designer’s culture.
If that’s true, Birykov’s IQ and his creations are well matched.
“I’m carried away by art, films, St. Petersburg…I feel happy when the sun is shining, I’m reading a book and enjoying an exquisite meal…”
The Russian designer is a true perfectionist. He has his style – casual smart – from which he doesn’t waver. Some call it ‘minimal art’. Biryukov describes his manner as ‘laconic, reserved and precise’, saying he doesn’t like extravagance in clothing.
Shape and silhouette are very important to what he does, as well as fabrics and colors:
“I don’t have a favorite color. It depends on the situation. I like brown, dark blue and beige.”
Biryukov says his latest collection was inspired by Byzantine art. His outfits have a vintage feel without looking old-fashioned. You can wear his elegant dresses and cozy jackets to work or to a trendy dinner – they are modest but not dull, original but to the point.
He found his fashion identity in the mid-nineties and set up his own brand – ‘Biryukov’.
“I graduated from university in 1991 and started working in the fashion business straight away. I’ve learnt a lot about clothes and fashion tools. But I’m not an ambitious person – I know perfectly well where Russian designers stand versus their western counterparts.”
Valeria Paikova, RT
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