Is it almost fall already? Okay, so I’m late talking about this collection and there have since been three(!!!) more Alena Akhmadullina collections released, but I give myself permission to turn back the clocks and appreciate collections I like that I may or may not have just learned about. After all, the art of fashion is forever, so why not try to appreciate all of the beautiful things, even if they’re a few seasons old?
Now that that’s out of the way, let’s talk about the clothes. Hailing from the distant land of Russia where maximalist fashion reigns king, Akhmadullina piles on the layers of detail to fantastic effect. Scrolling through each look in this lengthy collection was such a pleasure to my eyes- The shimmer! The embroidery! The pastels! I’m practically swooning just looking back through the images again.
And as if to reach directly into my wildest dreams and pluck out my dream collection, it’s based on the myth of Lady Godiva, the story of a woman that rode a horse completely nude with only the coverage of her long, flowing hair to protest what she saw as oppressive taxation her husband levied on his subjects. If there is anything I can’t get enough of, it’s collections based on myths and stories because you can infuse details inspired by the myths and legends into each piece, creating something unique that serves as a new form of storytelling.
In this collection, Akhmadullina recounts the story of Lady Godiva through richly-embellished garments that sparkle in a thousand different ways, with a couple of dresses featuring Godiva herself, decked out in her own glimmering garments. This collection impresses me, not only because the shimmer and soft color palette appeal to my general aesthetic, but because Akhmadullina often creates her garments by hand. With such detailed embellishments and the sheer size of her collection, that fact should not be overlooked.
My favorite pieces include the loosely-fitted, copper-colored dress that shimmers in the same subdued manner as a candle flame, as well as the retro-inspired floral dress with puff sleeves and pockets outlined in a simple, yet stunning ruffle. It is this mashup of wacky maximalism and vintage subtlety that I love and crave when selecting pieces for my own evolving wardrobe. And while the rest of the fashion world seems to be getting tired of the zany, nonsensical maximalism pioneered in this modern age by Alessandro Michele’s Gucci, I can’t get over it, so designers like Akhmadullina keep my fashion fantasies alive and well for the time being.
Check out my favorite looks from the collection below:
All photos from Alena Akhmadullina via Vogue.com
