Kokoshnik, a symbol of Russia

photo source

Who hasn't heard about kokoshnik? Now and then one can see kokoshnik-inspired modern creations on podiums and in fashion magazines. I believe it is the most known and recognisable garment of a traditional female costume of Russia. This very elaborate married woman's head-wear was common in the northern and central provinces of Russia and was worn on everyday basis as well as on festive occasions.

Orenburg fluffy shawl

Orenburg fluffy shawl is one of the symbols of Russia. This hand-knitted fine beautiful garment is so loved in the country that there is even a song dedicated to it.

Tonight, when there's frost and there's blizzard

When the snow storm is roaming the road

Will you cover my shoulders, sweet darling,

With an Orenburg downy shawl.

In its present form the Orenburg knitting industry was started up by the Cossacks about 250 years ago, in the second half of the 18th century, joining together two older crafts. One of the predecessors of the fluffy shawl with its cobweb pattern was the thermal Kalmyk or Cossack shawl, which was worn under light clothing in fierce frosts, and knitted in plain stitch from the softest goat's fleece. The other was the fine lace shawls made by Ural Cossack women.

The Diamond Fund's jewelry collection

In the Kremlin Armoury Museum of the Mocsow Kremlin a uniique and rare collection of the state's treasures called The Diamond Fund is housed. It is similar to that of the Tower of London in England. On display there are Russian diamonds, rare jewelry from the 18th and 19th centuries, gems from the Urals, the imperial regalia, orders of knighthood and nuggets of precious metals.
The exhibition was opened to the public in 1967 to mark the 50th anniversary of the Soviet state. Initially, the collection was to be on display for a year. However, considering great interest in it and a vast number of visitors, it was decided to make the exhibition permanent.
In this post I want to show you a few pieces of the Fund's vast jewelry collection.

Russian filed diadem. Platinum, gold, diamonds. 1980

This diadem was the first in a series of works aimed at recreating pieces of 19th century Russian jewellery that had been lost. Unfortunately many fine works of that period did not survive. They can only be seen in portraits, a few rare photographs or drawings, so it was decided to give a second life to some of the lost works of those years.

Evening dresses of the last Empress of Russia

These evening dresses of 1910 belonged to the last Empress of Russia, Alexandra Feodorovna. Now they are in the collection of the State Hermitage Museum in St. Peterburg.
The Empress followed fashion but didn't like any extravagance and extremity in clothes. Her evening dresses are simple yet elegant. She liked long, flowing folds and light colours. Most of the dresses are decorated with embroidery and beads. Most of her clothes were created by the local designers and tailors one of which was famous Nadezhda Lamanova.

Beautiful handknit dresses

I am in love with these knitted clothes by a very talented Russian designer Anna Lesnikova. She creates different things like sweaters, coats, cardigans, dresses, skirts, jackets. I like her bright colours, interesting ideas and style. In Russia she is called "the Queen of knitwear" and she deserves this title.

Russian nobles at the fancy dress ball of 1903

On the 13 February 1903 in the Winter Palace a grandiose fancy dress ball was given. Called "The 1903 Ball", it remains the most celebrated festivity arranged in St. Petersburg during the reign of Nicholas II, the last Emperor of the Romanov House. Costumes for the ball were created according to the illustrations by the artist Sergei Solomko with the help of the costume consultants. The 17th century was the chosen period for the masquerade. Ladies wore sarafans and kokoshniks, while men sported dresses of archers, falconers, etc. The Empress Alexandra Feodorovna was dressed as Tsarina Maria Ilyinichna and the Emperor Nicholas II as Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich.

Ethnic costumes of Russia in photos

One more post dedicated to traditional costume of Russia. These photos were taken in 1979 by Aleksandr Bozhko during ethnographic expedition around different regions of Russia. The costumes themselves date mostly from the 19th - early 20th centuries and are from the collections of different ethnographic museums of Russia.

Russian beauties of the 19th century in traditional costumes

Northern Russia, Province of Arkhangelsk

These photos were taken in the end of 19th century and now are kept in the collection of the Russian Museum of Ethnography. The women on the photos are wearing traditional costumes of different regions of Russia. And though you can see many regional differences in the outfits there are two similar basic elements - sarafan and kokoshnik. Sarafan is a sleeveless, high-waisted dress either cut on the bias or gored to give fullness at the hem. A chemise is needed to be worn underneath.  Sometimes there is an opening down the front, with buttons. The sarafan could be very rich looking, trimmed with lace, ribbon or gold braid, or very homemade looking.

Pogo, a traditional adornment of the Khakassian women

In south Siberia there is a small republic called Khakassia. As in many other countries married Khakassian women traditionally has a special adornment which signals about their married status - pogo. It is really impressive and looks a bit like a bib embroidered all over with beads, corals and mother-of-pearl. Pogo are highly formalistic in shape, size and decorative style. The central pattern is formed by the large mother-of-pearl circles or buttons easily recognizable as the eyes, nose and ears. A genuine pogo was always a costly garment. It used to be given as a dowry, and years were spent saving up to buy the corals, semi-precious stones and mother-of-pearl for its decoration.