Original Gangsters

Ulyana Sergeenko is taking over the world, one couture dress at a time. SHEENA KHEMANEY meets the duo behind this rising Russian empire

- Sheena Khemaney

ULYANA SERGEENKO, A face that most industry insiders are already familiar with, is living a (high) fashion fairy tale. After launching an experimental first collection in Moscow in 2011 with her longtime business partner, Frol Burimskiy (who is with us during the interview), this Kazakhstan-born socialite eventually earned a spot on the prestigious haute couture schedule. Her debut couture show, which took place in the French capital in 2012, was well received by editors and the crème de la crème of society. Besides being one of the most successful couturiers today, Sergeenko is also a regularly photographed fixture on the street style circuit. To say that this Moscow-based multi hyphenate knows the ins and outs of the fashion industry is, well, an understatement. During the world’s fashion weeks, this style savvy siren is often spotted on the streets wearing her signature towering heels and scene-stealing ensembles. For Autumn/Winter 2017, Sergeenko’s creations stay true to her heart (there are a ton of references to her upbringing and Russian influences) and chic design aesthetic. The powerful necklines and feminine silhouettes — and pretty much everything in this collection — are truly fit for royalty.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR NEWEST HAUTE COUTURE COLLECTION.

Ulyana Sergeenko: The newest couture collection is about gangsters of all time. After World War II, in Russia there were a lot of bands of gangsters because of the poverty at that time.

Frol Burimskiy: It was not so easy to control people, so you had thieves in the suburbs of Moscow and some mafia gang leaders. Normally, Ulyana looks into something more romantic but this time it’s about the beauty that everyone possesses.