Down with OPG (Yea, You Know Me)

Rynok chic!

Fashion designer Denis Simachev recently opened his first mono-brand boutique on Stoleshnikov Pereulok, Moscow's haute couture row. It's the one that looks like a present. Two months on, they still haven't taken off the wrapping. My only gripe is that it's obscuring the Agent Provocateur boutique.

Bang! Bang!, his men's fall-winter 2007-2008 collection, is inspired by the Russian criminal lifesyle. Says Simachev:

The hero and inspiration for the show is courageous and masculine. He prefers bright, contrast colours, gold chains and a mixture of classic and street free style. The predominant colours of the collection are red, black, white, beige, grey and gold. The fit of the collection is slightly oversized double-breasted jackets with wide shoulders and loose slacks with tucks on the waist. The classic suit is trimmed with a contrast fabric and lined with a famous "khokhloma" print. Both formal and casual clothes are embellished with gold detail. Sportsjackets and T-shirts are embroidered with the State Emblem of the USSR. Sneakers, brogues and massive boots, with thick heavy soles, have gold zippers on the front. White and black leather parkas with raccoon fur, trimming, raccoon fur coats and mink trimmed fur coats were shown as outerwear. Mink fur hats in black and brown colours covered with gold spray accompanied the looks. The main slogans of the collection are written on the T-shirts in Russian “I ♥ ОПГ” (ОПГ from Russian organized criminal gangs) and “dude has said — dude has done” with the image of a cross on a heavy golden chain.

Photos: Denissimachev.com