The ladies of cloak and dagger
I was prepared then to go
Through pain and even death for that
The only enchanting moment,
When I could shake your infant hand -
Oh, crazy! - one more time to shake!
Without knowledge of betrayal,
I gave to you my soul there;
And did you know the true value?
You knew - but I was unaware!
M.Lermontov
Every designer possesses a unique conception of a collection. Some represent paintings, others depict things and events and yet others – tell stories.
Nikolay Krasnikov’s every collection is a character of a great woman with her destiny. It's no coincidence that the designer names his collections after them: Kschessinska, Princess Zoe, Sybille Diplomatique. All of the above are extraordinary personalities with vivid natures, front-women of their times who would go against foundations; they possessed great powers and influence over others by virtue of what they changed the course of history. This is also the type of a woman for whom designer sews: with a virile character, her own opinion, ambitious and knowing what she is worth.
On March 31st at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia Nikolay introduced his new fall/winter 13/14 collection. The princess and the Lady-in-waiting of the Imperial Russian Court Dorothea Lieven – a spy and the first female diplomat ever – now stands alongside Mathilde Kschessinska and Zoe Paleologue. Alexander I called her Dorothea (not Darya on Russian manner) as there was some sort of invincibility and savageness in it. Alexandre Dumas, Honoré de Balzac, George Gordon Byron worshiped sense and beauty of Princess Lieven, née Benckendorff. Neither could resist her charm the most prudent statesmen: Metternich, George IV, Cunning and Guizot. And she in the meantime applied her thorough virile mind and insidious female speeches to receive secret information and send it to Russia. Lieven was the perfect weapon in the undercover battle and espionage.
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