IZMAYLOVA

Ever checked out the Izmaylova website? No? Well you should. The motion graphics are of clouds, as if you’re travelling through them like a pilot flying his plane. There are also statistics in the right hand corner of the destination you ‘wish’ to travel to. There is a choice of Moscow, London and Paris. Why those three cities? Well, the two creative forces behind Izmaylova, Antonina Izmaylova and Nathaneal Gam, hail from Moscow and Paris, and now have a common habitual ground of London. So there you have it, locations and bearings indentified. So what brought this pair, who are separated by 4,100 miles, together? Was it fate, destiny, serendipity? It’s slightly simpler than that, it’s just two individuals who share the same creative vision to constitute modern luxury. Perhaps you could call it destiny, if you take into account that Antonina’s graduate collection at Central Saint Martin’s was what merged her vigor with Nathaneal’s, who is accountable for International Relations and promoting British Fashion Worldwide within the British Fashion Council. Antonina has been compelled to textures and the perfect silhouette of the female form since a young age, which are reminiscent of trips to stylish boutiques accompanying her mother. Her forte is not only in fashion; she also possesses qualifications in Art, Sculpture and History. Whilst Parisian Nathaneal, continues to drive his ambition to develop Izmaylova into a luxury lifestyle group, all whilst protecting their image, beliefs and principles. Upon realizing they shared the same ideals, objectives and dreams, the idea for ‘Izmaylova’ was conceived. A trip to Florence helped fortify their intention of wanting to translate a feeling of desire and emotion through fashion. They drew stimulation from Botticelli’s ‘Birth of Venus’, Michelangelo & Leonardo da Vinci at the Uffizi Gallery and adhered to the idea of art inspiring fashion. Their latest campaign for AW10/11 is aptly named ‘Edge of Darkness’, though I don’t think they are referring to the lack of seasonal sunshine. “Set in a futuristic post-apocalyptic world, far beyond the realm of our imagination. This is a journey beyond fashion, as it exists in the present, taking the customer into an extraordinary experience. Fashion and craftsmanship teleported through time to a parallel universe; where the iconic woman is finally fashioned into ultimate perfection; a fusion between tough independence and ladylike poise.” This correlates well to their resolute ambition and a good understanding of commerce, “One of the dreams we had was to redefine what is considered luxury. Luxury is about being subtle it is not about being overt rather the detailing and finish the garment should speak for itself” says Izmaylova. “We’re influenced by a new era with a distinctive futuristic sensibility, grandeur, grace and careful attention to detail” and these are all evident in this new Russian inspired luxury brand. Well there’s always Louis Vuitton and Fendi should you need something with a brash logo, I suppose. They don’t believe in one-hit wonders that are relentlessly duplicated by the high street either “The brand epitomizes a combination of couture expertise and wearable elegance in a graceful style that is made to last. Using only the finest materials, each piece of IZMAYLOVA is hand crafted to the highest standard, every detail gently completed by our skilled couturiers. Delicate in design and completed with longevity, IZMAYLOVA garments are timeless pieces that can be treasured for years to come.” You could look at this as an anti-thesis to the status of ‘fashion’ and ‘trends’ today. There is such a fast turnaround of what is available at our disposal now; that the sentiment of buying something that lasts is now a distant memory. And hey, if you didn’t catch it the first time around, surely there will be something similar next season? Designers don’t only bring out main season collections, there are the ‘cruise’ collections, the collections ‘for when it’s kind of sunny, but not quite rainy, but you definitely need a coat’ collections...and in the midst of all this, Izmaylova offer something that maybe, just maybe you could pass down to generations after you. This craftsmanship is not to be discarded to the back of your wardrobe after approximately 6.5 weeks, it’s the kind you store in acid-free tissue inside moth proof bags, and bring out to wear again and again. Imagine the complimentary mints you receive after a rich, heavy meal where you probably indulged in excess, and now let’s revel in the refreshment the fashion world has been craving for a very long time.