It is surprising that not many people have heard of Nadezhda Lamanova. She was a famous Russian fashion designer who even attracted the attention of the Tsarina. She also designed for the theatre and won many competitions. An important Russian fashion competition is named after the influential designer.
Born in 1861, Lamanova was talented at design when she was very young. She studied with Madame Suvarova, a Moscow dressmaker, and served an apprenticeship with Madame Voitkevich in her atelier. After her father died and left the family relatively poor, Lamanova had to work to support her sisters. She opened her own fashion house at only 24. Her talent would soon come to the attention of royalty and the wealthy.
Lamanova's Career Before The Revolution
Lamanova became famous for her clean lines and forms. She was probably also the first designer to drape her clothes onto the models. The innovative designs of Lamanova captured the attention of the Empress Alexandra herself. This may have been after she showed her designs in exhibitions such as the First International Exhibition of Historical and Contemporary Costumes in St. Petersburg in 1902 or it may have been because of her good friend, the influential designer, Paul Poiret. She had studied in Paris and met Poiret there. Lamanova was now able to advertise that she was a “Supplier to the court of His Imperial Majesty”.
Some of the dresses that Lamanova made for Empress Alexandra are held in the Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg. The ones made in the early 1900’s show the Art Nouveau influences on her work. They are made of soft fabrics in pastels and are richly decorated. According to the website of The Hermitage, these characteristics are typical of this Art Nouveau era.
Stanislavsky, the famous Russian artist, asked Lamanova to design costumes for the Moscow Art Theater. She did this for forty years, creating costumes for plays such as Princess Turandot. They maintained a lifelong friendship. The designer also worked for the Vakhtangov Theater and other drama theaters in Moscow. Some of these theater costumes are also held at the museum.
Lamanova's Career After The Revolution
After the Revolution, Lamanova remained in Russia but she paid a high price. She was sent to jail for a time because of her noble blood. However, the artist Maxim Gorky helped to free her. She continued to design for the theater and she also attempted to introduce a new ‘Soviet’ style into her designs and did much work for the government. Lamanova apparently became very poor, however. She produced dresses out of towels and coats out of blankets. When she exhibited at the International Exhibition in Paris in 1925 the accessories which she designed were made of bread. She still managed to win the Grand Prix in her division!
Lamanova died at 80 after enjoying a brilliant career. One hopes that she will eventually become better known.
Sources
- Nadezhda Petrovna Lamanova
- Before There Was Chanel, There Was Lamanova
- Outstanding Russian Fashion Designer: Nadejda P. Lamanova
Lisa Sanderson - Lisa has been a freelance-writer for many years. She used to write for the topic, British Social History, for Suite 101 under the ...
