Red or Dead

In a land of legendarily beautiful women, Slavic male beauty is unsung, to say the least. A lifelong male figure skating fan, I had been duped into thinking I'd be arriving to a land of Ilya Kuliks, but instead it's Evgeny Plushchenko after freaky Evgeny Plushchenko. So it makes sense that Russia's top male model is a red-haired Skeletor named Danila Polyakov.

Long auburn hair, neon white skin, Karen Carpenter thin — a biological aberration, Danila. Only 300 years ago, he'd have been put to death by frenzied hordes of villagers with torches. Once he sidled on me in Five Star and I nearly choked on my club sandwich. Fashion photographers have a habit of dressing him up like a girl on account of his flowing mane, but he's reportedly not gay, despite abounding photos like this:


And videos like this:

He's not just Russia's top male model, he's Russia's only male model. Prolific internationally in his younger days, Danila is now the go-to guy for anything Russian fashion related — Afisha spreads, Simachev shows, even contemporary art.

Let the Ginger Go!

That's from the mixed media series "Action Half-Life" by Russian art collective AES+F Group (artists Tatiana Azamarzova, Lev Evzovich and Evgeny Svyatsky plus glossy photographer Vladimir Fridkes). They celebrated 20 years together with a retrospective that opened in the secret Triumph Gallery on July 19. It featured a new project "Othello," all about a black man trying to molest a blonde. Oh my.


Before you log off, don't forget to decorate your instant messenger with Danila Polyakov avatars.



And join the Danila Polyakov livejournal community. And buy from his fashion line, 100% Vanilla, modeled by the world's whitest man below. His sports shirts are on sale at the boutique Chic Blesk Krasota/Emperor Moth starting July 26.


And here's some more hot Danila Polyakov action ganked from the deep recesses of the internet.


Triumph, 40 Novokuznetskaya Ul., Metro: Novokuznetskaya, Tel. Its a Secret
Emperor Moth, 16 Mal. Bronnya Ul., Metro: Pushkinskaya, Tel. 290-3888

Photos: mainpeople.ru, aes-group.org, stormmodels.com