There is something cold and unpredictable about Russian which attracts the curiosity of Western’s minds.

In a garage under construction slightly off from the fanciest Parisian areas, Gosha Rubchinskiy held his first catwalk ever with the help of Comme des Garçons, who backs him up since 2010. A certain meaningless excitement was spread among the intimate crowd of experts and friends which had the privilege of assisting to a new extraordinary beginning, announced by Sereja Sirotkin & band’s synthetic sound. Staying stick to his streetswear roots, Gosha Rubchinskiy presented a series of gymnasium inspired garments paired with tailored high-end outerwear pieces. Arctica, as the collection was entitled, reflected Rubchinskiy’s background experience of growing up in the post Soviet Russia during the 90’s, where the revival of religious and cultural Russian traditions coexisted with the sympathy for the rebellious vibes diffused through the underground music, techno and skate scenes of Germany and North America. The mix of slim and boxy silhouettes, sharp cuts and roughly simple patterns hit the eye like Kazimir Malevich’s suprematism art, maybe recalled in the squared patchworks that detailed the backs of the jackets. Prints baseball caps and beanies expressed the youthful sensibility of Rubchinskiy, while the Alien graphics soubtly referred to Siberian myths as well as rave party and music culture. The bare aesthetic was imbued with delicacy and suggested contemporary solutions that open up to future developments.

Wrapped into the sleek ice of old institutions, the flaming beats of surprise and rebirth keep the hearts alive.