Fashion Meets Socialism: Fashion industry in the Soviet Union after the Second World WarThe Soviet Union was not renowned for its fashionable clothing. However, after the World War II the Soviet Government opened several parallel organizations of fashion design with fashion houses and ateliers all over the country. The post-war decades witnessed hot debates on destalinization, economic and social reforms and the increasing importance of the public opinion. The cold war and the peaceful competition between the two systems left their marks on clothes fashion. Fashion offers a good insight into Soviet economic planning. Despite increasing opulence, Soviet consumers were not satisfied. Soviet experts on fashion propagated small series of fashionable clothing and the opening of boutiques which never seriously challenged industrial mass production. Using a great variety of unique historical sources the book analyzes the changing economic, social and cultural conditions of Soviet fashion which faced many problems but had real achievements to show too. |
Contents
Acknowledgements | 8 |
Economic Development and Standard of Living in the USSR | 57 |
The Early Years of the Moscow AllUnion Fashion House | 78 |
The System of Clothing | 92 |
Center of Clothing Design TsOTShL | 125 |
Fashion at GUM the State Department Store at Moscow | 133 |
A Gateway to the West | 173 |
The Public Discussion of the Culture | 192 |
Conclusion | 244 |
Notes | 253 |
Appendices | 279 |
References | 286 |
| 296 | |
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Common terms and phrases
according activities addition administrative aesthetic appearance artistic ateliers authorities beautiful became become beginning better centers central changes citizens clothes collections consumer council created culture customers demand demonstration direction director discussed dress early economic enterprises established example exhibitions expected fact factories fashion design fashion houses fashion journals functions garment House of Fashion important included increasing individual instance institutes interesting journals kinds leading Light Industry mass meetings Ministry models Moscow needs ODMO official opened ordinary organizations particular Party pattern planned popular population practical presented problems production professional published question readers reason received regional regularly reports rule Russian sewing shoes shows social socialist society Soviet fashion Soviet Union standards started style Tallinn taste textiles took trade trousers typical units USSR various wear West Western whole women workers