Fashion Fringe winners: Turning women into elegant nymphs

Launched in 2010, Fyodor Podgorny(Russian/Latvian) and Golan Frydman (German/Moroccan) created a fashion brand built around reinvented opulence through luxurious fabrics and handmade textiles, only befitting of a sensual, more-experienced woman.

Behind the creative label Fyodor Golan, lurks a young duo alumnus of Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp and Istituto Marangoni. Having received the unique experience at Alexander McQueen, Dries Van Noten, and Issey Miyake where designers accumulated their professional skills, they lately come with an idea of their own fashion label.

RBTH: How have you become a fashion duo?

FG: We were working for other designers and at the same time consulting each other in certain way. As you may see, we had worked separately, before we found out that our art vision has a lot in common. I would say that we grew up being influenced by each other.

Fyodor Golan's collection. Source: Elena Pochetova

RBTH: Tell us about your latest collection. 

FG: This FW 13\14 collection is inspired by Luis Bunuel’s 1967 film ‘Belle De Jour’. We have watched a lot of movies from 60’s, and all of them were about the ‘girl that discovers her sexuality’. We were impressed by the idea of a girl becoming a woman.

She seems to be very expressive but also very risky in her thoughts, and in the way she lives through. Let’s say, the story is about the inner sides of her soul and hidden instincts, and how she explores her desires.

Fyodor Golan's collection. Source: Elena Pochetova

Our woman is very elegant, but at the same time she is not afraid of trying something new, exploring herself, and after such a risky experiments, becoming an elegant nymph again. 

Basically this type of woman is always looking for something opposite, sometimes wants to be romantic, but in a second you see here strong sides. We believe that in each woman these characters do exist.

RBTH: How can you describe Russian audience? What is the difference between European customers and Russian ones?

Fyodor Golan's collection. Source: Elena Pochetova

FG: I would say Russians as customers are very much opposite to the Europeans. They are more demanding in some way. People here are not afraid to take risks and to wear something which is off-the-wall. That’s why we want to “speak” with this audience.

Important to notice, their debut Autumn-Winter 12/13 collection, unveiled at London Fashion week, inspired by myth of the Romanov family's missing daughter Anastasia. “This legend matches brand’s creative philosophy” – Fyodor noticed. Furthermore it’s also connects them with the Russian roots behind duo: Fyodor is half Latvian, half Russian.

RBTH: Are you digital persons? Do you feel that technologies modify your style and works?

FG: We are a bit old-fashioned in this term. No doubt our Facebook page is a great instrument to keep in touch with our audience. It would be worth saying that we make a lot of collaborations with the different artists who we usually meet on Facebook.

We will lift the veil of our future plans; saying that we met an incredible director through the Facebook, and soon you will see our new collaboration: a fashion video for the new season. Generally speaking, we met huge amount of the creative and unusual people in the social networks.

But still, we are not much about social networks and all of these digital activities yet. Even when it comes to our works, we are drawing everything by ourselves. For sure it takes time, but it brings unrepeatable experience of creation a unique masterpiece.  

RBTH: What do you think about fast fashion? Would you create a capsule collection in collaboration with mass-market label?

FG: Today trends are dictating fashion to be more “down on earth”, and you may quite often see this in the form of collaboration of a high end luxury fashion labels with mass market brands. For us it would be a one off experience.

But for sure, it’s the right opportunity to present ourselves. We are very conscious of the textiles, and sometimes, in certain shops, it’s very difficult to relate to their sales policy. I guess, we just need the right retailer to come and give us the freedom to be as specific as we want.

Talking about everyday clothes, we want to admit: in previous collection we were trying to translate our vision into everyday options by biker jackets, suits and turtleneck dresses. As you may see, we are trying to keep the balance between couture-like creations and some everyday options.

When it comes to their vision for their fashion brand and future plans, they looks completely in-sync one with another. Debuting their first collection two years ago, they already become a must-see show on all future Fashion Weeks.

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