Long before streetwear, skateboarding, or any form of modern youth culture as we know it were even a figment of someone’s imagination, Russia was being cast as an impenetrable, almost alien entity. From the mysterious occult figure of Rasputin, to Cold War, nuclear Armageddon tinged intrigue, to the post-Soviet depiction of the country as a kind of track suited Wild West, Russia has been portrayed as something separate, something “over there.”
Fashion world darling Gosha Rubchinsky and creative partner Tolia Titaev counter these old clichés, with an outpouring of creative energy from a new generation of Russian youth. Challenging outmoded perceptions with a skate label is a tall order, but Rassvet has certainly captured the fashion world’s attention.
Rassvet (PACCBET in Cyrillic) is Russian for dawn or daybreak. The new day, open horizons implications of the name Rassvet both highlights the trite stereotype smashing drive and invites viewers to experience these new ideas for themselves.
