Concept
A rapid ascent or a brief brand history
The Nina Donis brand was founded in 2000 by the design duo Nina Neretina and Donis Pupis, graduates of the Kosygin Moscow Textile Academy.The brand quickly gained recognition in the fashion world, winning an award for best collection in France, and began participating in the London Fashion Exhibition as part of London Fashion Week.
Neretina and Pupis have been named «Designer of the Year» in Russia numerous times. The authoritative British magazine i-D included Nina Donis in its list of 150 most influential contemporary designers in 2003.
Nina Donis regularly presents her collections twice a year: through fashion shows until 2013, and later in the form of lookbooks and campaigns.Various figures from the fashion industry attended the shows and became true admirers and friends of the brand—such as Alena Doletskaya, former editor-in-chief of Russian Vogue; Olga Karput, founder of the concept store KM20; Ekaterina Pavelko, stylist and former fashion director of Russian Esquire; and many others. Their clothing is actively worn by musicians, artists, and museum staff.Today, the brand still exists, but in a more closed format: collections are limited to small capsules and are only posted on social media.
Key Sources of Inspiration
Designers possess a distinct visual language that sets the brand’s collections apart from those of other domestic designers. While they avoid the most popular and stereotypical elements of the Russian aesthetic, some still consider Nina Donis the most authentically Russian of all.
The Soviet Era and Beyond
One of the main sources of inspiration for the design duo is the art of the Soviet period: cinematography, cartoons, illustrations, posters, design objects, everyday items, and elements of Russian costume.
Avant-garde art
Uniform
Indie Pop and Post-Punk
Key Motifs
Filming and Showcases
Conclusion