Meet the Designers of Kazakhstan's Fashion Week

I just came back from Kazakhstan, where the main fashion event in Central Asia has successfully come to an end. Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Almaty is a newborn-so far only two seasons have passed-but as Kazakhstan is experiencing a rapid growth spurt, a hunger for all things cultural and fashionable is felt in the air. Inevitably, the shows attract a talented and stylish crowd, among whom you will find a 17-year-old designer (Danilo Okai a.k.a. Khan Kuchum) and the publisher of a local fashion magazine in her mid-20s (Karine Somerset of Étage).

Zherebtsov

The fashion week itself is organized by my team from Kiev and a talented trio of Kazakh fashion influencers: Zhanel Bertayeva is a founder of the Kazakhstan Fashion Institute, Zhamilya Abilova is in charge of Boulevard magazine, and Yan Ray is a famous photographer. If I were asked to describe Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Almaty in one sentence, I'd say it is a blend of international standards and raw talents-a great mix for the oversaturated fashion industry.

Mechanical Piano

Both established brands (with existing stores or ateliers in the city) and young talents who just graduated (many of them overseas) showed their work. Today I will focus on the veteran group.

Leonid Zherebtsov showed his collection in London at Fashion Scout one month ago, and after polishing it till the very end, he presented it in Almaty. Zherebtsov is still shaping his style, but he is doing so in a confident manner. Mechanical Piano, founded by Aygul Kuandykova, is a very-well known label among local trendsetters, and opened the shows in Almaty.

Omelya

One of the week's guest stars was a designer from Ukraine, Kostya Omelya. Omelya's line offered a good take on pajamas and 'easy chic' in general. This collection was a great success with buyers when he showcased it in Paris.

During the second day of shows, Alima's leather detailing and variations on corsets were loved by the international guests. Pentatonica, a label from duo Kira Maysheva and Saule Dzhamil, created a whole new runway experience. The idea was the life cycle of a woman, from a little girl to a teenager, from a student to a bride and eventually a mother. We saw women of all generations on the runway-and that's what fashion is about: to appeal to every kind of woman.