Within the framework of the Provincial Style festival, Inna Klochko spoke about the Pygmalion competition for young designers, which is taking place in Vladivostok.
“This year the Pygmalion competition has celebrated its majority. Yes, indeed, the number of participants - perhaps due to the economic crisis - was a little less this year, but, nevertheless, the final show showed that more and more collections are closer to the prêt-a-porte direction. And the design itself, the very approach to design has changed somewhat. There are no fewer ideas - maybe there are no opportunities, and it is the universities that provide such an opportunity. The Pygmalion Festival has existed for 18 years. Over the course of these 18 years, designers from more than 100 Russian cities have taken to the podium. In the last 3 years the festival has had the status of an open regional competition, since we entered the program of the national project "Education" and the winner receives the President's prize in the field of education."
“It is impossible to say that universities have no money and ask“give us money to go to the competition”- you need to earn money yourself, money is under your feet, you need to bend down, not be lazy and raise this money. And you can now, without leaving the walls of this educational institution, your educational institution, earn this money - in order to travel, to develop, to meet with your peers, to meet with venerable masters in the fashion industry, to learn from them."
"What is Pygmalion?" Maybe the concept will change, maybe the format will change, but the main task of holding this festival will not change - the support and promotion of creative youth on the big podium, into the big life."
“Our designers are in demand everywhere, because our education is the best, the strongest education, which gives everything, from such a step to such a height. Maybe in the future someone leaves, but "Pygmalion" is the school that allows you to feel like a "big" designer, to go to the podium - when will you still be able to go to the podium? Going on stage is one thing, but going to the podium, going out with your collection, going out into the hall, bowing so that the hall would greet you, appreciate your work - it's all Pygmalion.
“What does Pygmalion give? I will not deceive you if I say that this year 50% of Vladivostok designers and 50% of visiting designers reached the finals. The judging was absolutely objective, and everyone who was present at the competition said that this year the final was strong - that's exactly strong. And any collection? let it be prêt-a-porte, avant-garde, performance (by the way, we introduced the performance category for the first time this year) - any collection should be shown, it should not lie, the designer should be found out, and the designer should find out how they accept it, that is, hone your creativity.
The next Pygmalion will take place in April 2012
Also, Inna talked about various programs of air travel to Vladivostok (~ 7 thousand round trip from Moscow), that there is no need to be afraid of distances - all this is compensated by the sea of impressions from the nature and people of Vladivostok. True, this year, in connection with the preparations for the APEC summit, everything looks like a large construction site, but soon, very soon, Inna promised to amaze all the guests of the competition with the beauty and hospitality of her land. Also, if you do not forget to take your passport with you, you will have the opportunity to visit Beijing at a very favorable price.
Inna Klochko - Executive Director of the Pygmalion Young Designers Competition, Associate Professor of the Department of Service and Fashion at VSUES, Vladivostok.
