Vasiliev Alexander: fashion historian, personal life. The secret personal life of fashion historian Alexander Vasiliev: wife, children, sexual orientation

Valentina Oberemko, AiF: Alexander, you say that most women in Russia love you. Share with our male readers: what's the secret?

Alexander Vasiliev: They love me because I don’t pinch women by the buttocks and don’t drag them to bed, because a woman knows what this leads to: to unwanted pregnancy, venereal diseases... And to moral drama... You need to treat a woman like a friend, smart person... To talk, to travel, to go to the cinema, to the theater, to exhibitions, and not to communicate on the principle of “come-give-bring-take-go-go”. When men understand this, women actively look at them. But this is not often the case. And this is awful.

But our women come to dress for your program precisely for the sake of the attention of men. And should I try so hard?

Certainly! When you come to a store, how do you choose a product? By packing! Clothes, makeup, hair - this is a woman's packaging. If you want to be successful in all walks of life, you have to be well packed. Although this does not mean that you have to wear heels all the time, dye your eyelashes in the morning or have perhydrol on your head.

- Or shake in a minibus in mink coat that you see all the time ...

The lack of men in Russia makes women not relax 24 hours a day. She thinks: "What if I meet my prince in the minibus!" So they dress the way they dress for the most important date of their lives. I often visit Vladivostok. And once he witnessed a wild car accident - a head-on collision, two expensive sports cars, both were blondes. I saw the smashed cars, and next to them were two corpses in minks and diamonds. I will remember this nightmare for the rest of my life.

- Therefore, when a Russian woman comes abroad ...

“… You can always see her. She goes for the first time, for example, from Ivanovo to Paris and thinks: "I shouldn't lose my face in the mud!" I recognize ours by dyed hair, because the majority of Russian women resort to paints of rather radical shades - they replace the kokoshnik that has gone down in history. We need to always have a crown on our heads. And since crowns are no longer worn, perhydrol hair took its place.

We like the gold, embroidery, trimmings are part of folk culture... We do not scold the Japanese for their shapeless clothes, the Scots for their addiction to the cage, the Spanish women for their desire to play with a fan in the summer. This is their style. We have, from time immemorial, a passion for bright colors.

So it will not work to make Europeans out of us. We have a different build! Women are much taller than Europeans, larger - they have larger breasts, more magnificent shape. Well, the soul is wider! And they emphasize this breadth of soul with bright colors. I am not against this - I am against the fact that Russian women are ashamed of themselves and all the time ask: "Do I look like a Frenchwoman?" No, it doesn't look like it! Why do you need it?

They were considered style icons
Lyubov Orlova		Marilyn Monroe		Marlene Dietrich
The USSR had something to oppose to Hollywood - we had our own blonde!		For a long time, she made all girls (including natural brunettes) become blondes.		The first actress to "register" men's suit in the women's wardrobe.
Brigitte Bardot		Raisa Gorbacheva		Carla Bruni
Her "babette" (the hairstyle of the heroine from the movie "Babette Goes to War") has become fashionable for a long time.		In the literal sense, the first lady of the USSR, whose outfits and hairstyles were copied by the whole country.		After she came to the official reception in a dress on a naked body, she was dubbed a style icon.

Openness is not in vogue

- Have you ever felt embarrassed for ours abroad?

Sometimes. But no longer for clothes, but for behavior. I have a mobile school. Every month with my students I go to Paris, then to Venice, then to Istanbul. On one of these trips to Paris during an excursion in the museum, one of the students grabbed a 17th century vase, lifted it over her head and said: “I have a similar one at home. I want to see what kind of company it is. " I could only say: "This is not a store, dear, this is a museum!" Women come to my exhibition in GUM and touch the dresses with their hands. They want to feel - solid matter or not. I tell them: "If you feel, it will be fragile!" Ashamed! There is a feeling that wild people live here.

- Are we wild in fashion too?

No, our women began to dress more stylishly. I believe that this is partly my credit. The Russians began to understand that it was not necessary to show all the best at once. Now there is a general tendency towards closeness. Openness was fashionable in the 2000s - this style was called porno. Now modesty has replaced him. This is due to the global crisis. The worse the economy, the longer the skirt, because with a long skirt you don't have to spend money on new tights and new shoes.

Once a lady of 70 years old asked you for advice on how to be fashionable and not be funny. You said it's too late to be fashionable.

Exactly. At 70, you have to be no longer fashionable, but elegant. Fashion is the lot of young, rich loafers. After that they will write to me a lot of angry remarks: "My grandmother is 70 years old, and she is coming out!" It is a rarity. Although I have a friend in Paris, the ballerina Ksenia Tripolitova. She will soon be 99 years old. She drinks champagne with me until 2 am, walks without a stick, takes care of herself and complains that it has become more difficult for her to walk to the 5th floor - shortness of breath began to appear. I once asked: "Ksenia, maybe it's age?" “No, no, what an age! - she looked at herself in the mirror and remarked: - Although, it seems, I have started to appear wrinkles ... Maybe I'm getting old?

- You advised to fight depression with shopping. But, as they say, this is a disease - shopaholism.

Shopping doesn't mean spending all your money. Shopping is amazing therapy. But, when a person is inclined to spend a lot, I advise you to go to the store, where everything is 36 rubles. There is no need to drive into people's heads the idea that everything that brings them pleasure should be treated. For example, I collect vintage costumes. I have about 50 thousand exhibits. But I just can't open a museum in Russia. The public wants it, but the officials do not want it. Because then it will immediately become clear how badly they lived in the USSR and how good it was under the tsar.

- Where do you keep all this?

I have three repositories - in France, Lithuania and Russia. And only Lithuania offered me to use the state museums for storage. And our museums are still gnawing at envy. It is generally accepted that the fashion of the XX century. - this is too commonplace. As a result, no one else has such a collection but me. Imagine how many people had to be bypassed, how many to bow at their feet and say: “Give me the dress Valentina Tolkunova or Lyudmila Gurchenko! " But I bowed!

Alexander Vasiliev is a well-known fashion critic, an imposing man, owner of the Moscow design studio "Interiors of Alexander Vasiliev", former co-host entertainment program « Fashionable verdict", A sincere patriot of his homeland, a connoisseur of Russian traditions and customs.

Childhood in an intelligent family

Vasiliev was born at the end of December 1958. He was brought up in a family of hereditary intellectuals. Dad is a famous Moscow artist, mom is a theater actress. Grandfathers and great-grandfathers are educators.

Alexander Vasiliev in his youth

Alexander's childhood passed in a creative atmosphere that still does not leave him. One of the hobbies little boy was the creation of outfits for dolls, decorations. At school, he was the favorite student of most teachers.

Fashion guru Alexander Vasiliev

After graduation, Vasiliev entered the studio of the Moscow Art Academic theater... The graduate got a job as a costume designer on Malaya Bronnaya.

The hard way of an extravagant man

At the beginning creative path loving Vasiliev marries Maria Lavrova, a student of the philology department of Moscow State University. Due to the marriage and the mother-in-law's move to another country, the young family is moving to a new place with her. The acquaintance with French culture did not go as smoothly as Alexander had imagined.

Alexander Vasiliev while working in France

At first, the young art critic could not find a job. Maria was not ready for financial difficulties... Alexander, in order to somehow earn a living, sang Russian songs on the street and begged for alms. The purposeful young man managed to pull himself together, and entered the Louvre School at the Faculty of Interior Design. In parallel with his studies, Vasiliev was engaged in self-education - he studied the history of fashion and style.

Alexander Vasiliev with his mother

In the fall of 82, the talented guy was invited to decorate the production of Papess John, which premiered in 2 large theaters France. Costume designer and decorator Alexander was in the performances "Palace Gallery", "Triumph of Love". A few years later, Vasiliev received an invitation to collaborate with one of the leading theaters in Iceland. There he prepared costumes for productions: Plato, Wild Honey.

Alexander Vasiliev and Valentin Yudashkin

Since 1986, Alexander's career has gone up. See him in your creative team many wanted European theaters... Vasiliev opted for the Royal Flanders Ballet. Its leaders Galina and Valery Panov offered him the position of artistic director.

Alexander Vasiliev opened a museum of fashion history

The costume guru collaborated with a Japanese director on Tchaikovsky's musical The Nutcracker. Parallel to theatrical activities Alexander successfully works in cinema. All outfits cast films: "And the war is passing", "My friend is a traitor", "Manzhklu" were created by an eminent artist.

Alexander Vasiliev gives master classes

In the early 2000s, Vasiliev returned home to Moscow. Where does it begin new stage in the career of a famous Russian Frenchman. He tries himself as a TV presenter on one of the Russian TV channels, creates the author's design studio "Interiors of Alexander Vasiliev".

Alexander Vasiliev, Evelina Khromchenko and Nadezhda Babkina, hosts of the "Fashionable Sentence" program

National love and popularity came to Alexander after the release of the entertainment project "Fashionable Sentence". The maestro of reincarnation told ordinary Russian women how to correctly place accents, hiding problem areas, demonstrating advantages with the help of clothes. For several years, the program occupied a leading position in the overall rating of television entertainment projects.

The mysterious life of the forever young Vasiliev

Alexander's first love and official wife is Maria Lavrova. Frequent business trips, striving for creative excellence, irritated the chosen one of the fashion critic. Maria long time she persuaded her husband to change his occupation, to become a teacher of the Russian language. Not finding a compromise, the family broke up.

Alexander Vasiliev with his first wife

There was no more official relationship in Vasilyev's personal life. It is known that the polygamous and loving Alexander has a woman of heart, but who she is and what her name is, remains a mystery. Now the eccentric maestro continues to lead an active lifestyle, writes author's books, gives lectures, participates in television and radio programs.

Alexander Vasiliev with his beloved pug

Biographies of famous public figures read

On December 8, 1958, a unique person was born, a true patriot of his great homeland Alexander Alexandrovich Vasiliev. Now he is called: a fashion historian, one of the best art historians, talented writer and a brilliant TV presenter. But first of all, on that memorable winter day, the country received a great patriot and connoisseur of Russian traditions.

Youth of Alexander Vasiliev

The whole life of Alexander Alexandrovich was devoted to culture. Born into an intelligent family, where his father, Alexander Pavlovich, worked as the chief artist of the Moscow theater, and his mother, Tatyana Ilyinichna, fascinated the viewer with her play dramatic roles on the stage. Alexander simply did not have a chance to escape his fate.

Their first costumes for puppet show he developed at only five years of age. And at the age of 7 he was already happy young viewers in the TV shows "Bell Theater" and "Alarm Clock". For a rather serious production of "The Wizard of the Emerald City", the boy created the costumes and scenery when he was only 12. So it is not surprising that, in 1974, as soon as he turned 16, and the legislation allowed Sasha to issue a work book, he Immediately he was hired as a prop at the Sovremennik Theater, where he worked until the Moscow Art Theater. Vasiliev finished school at the age of 22 and moved to work as a costume designer on Malaya Bronnaya.

The role of women in the life of Alexander Vasiliev

It is not known how the fate of the great art critic would have developed, if not for his whirlwind romance with Masha Lavrova. Young hot blood I wanted to always be with the woman I loved. But her mother married a Frenchman, taking her daughter to another country.

- "You must come to me there - to this most beautiful city on earth!" Alexander Alexandrovich still remembers these words. And he promised to come. The 21-year-old had no idea how then, but firmly believed that he would succeed.

The opportunity presented itself two years later. A French girl, Anna, came to Moscow State University to improve the Russian language. She became Vasiliev's pass to Europe.

In 1982, young people seal their relationship with marriage and leave the country of the councils.

Alexander Vasiliev in Paris

Paris meets young man its contrasts, dark alleys gave way to flowering Champs Elysees. Night city just sparkled from lightboxes outlandish to Russian people. In Paris there was a choice, there was freedom. Even the ordinary restaurant menu amazed. The newlyweds lived in the 14th district in a small apartment on the fifth floor.

That house didn't even have an elevator. After the 100-meter Moscow chorus then. But freedom was more expensive. Freedom and that beloved girl, whom he promised to change his life two years ago.

Then there was a trip to a villa in Arcachon, a paradise on the coast Atlantic Ocean... Wonderful beaches and simply delightful horizons could not leave you indifferent creative person... Genius for a long time spends near the sea.

The only thing that aroused protest was the monotony and monotony. Dinner at the same time, the same dishes, the same orders. And all living things in Alexander played, demanded reforms. The first thing that the artist changed was the old bedspread on the matrimonial bed. But even to such a trifle, he approached with all his talent and creativity. Everyone appreciated his choice.

Don't trust your friends - Alexander Vasiliev.

Three months flew by quickly, the visa expired, Sasha applies for an extension of his stay in France, and his request is satisfied. Now it sounds mundane, but at the time, it was at the level of fantasy. It was only many years later that Vasiliev learned that this was facilitated by the KGB itself, which had its own plans for the Russian decorator.

First steps in Europe

The idleness is over. The artist enters the school at the Louvre, and after graduation he goes to graduate school. theater faculty Sorbonne. Already in the fall of 1982, Vasiliev was invited to decorate the play "Papess John", which took place in the theaters "Poitiers" and "Cartoucheri". Then there were the scenery and costumes for the plays "Galleries of the Palace", "Triumph of Love", "Galleries of the Palace" ... He has to work with such stars as: Valerie Dreville, Recep Mitrovica, Michel Vitold.

Unfortunately, the wife did not share her husband's aspirations, and after he refused to be a teacher of the Russian language at the local lyceum, they parted.

Confession of Alexander Vasiliev

As it turned out, Vasiliev did not risk in vain. His talent did not go unnoticed. Already in 1985 he was invited to Reykjavik. Where he prepares costumes for Plato and Wild Honey. The performances were waiting for a full house, and the artist's recognition.

In the same 1985, Vasiliev began to work for ballet performances... That, a year later, brought him to Galina and Valery Panov, who give him the position of artistic director at the Royal Flanders Ballet. The genius is literally snapped up, he is literally bombarded with offers by the leading theaters of all European countries.

Fashion historian Alexander Vasiliev - about school uniform

In 1989, Alexander Alexandrovich was invited to Japan. Where Masako Oya invited him to design Tchaikovsky's ballet The Nutcracker.

Vasiliev was also noted in the cinema. Working closely with Roberto Enrico, he designs costumes for the movie And The War Comes Down. And also for films: "My friend is a traitor" by Jose Giovani and "Manzhklu" by Moshe Mizrahi.

Vasiliev - teacher

The ability to work of this person is simply amazing, performing a colossal amount of work, he finds time to teach. Lectures and seminars in higher schools arts of London, Paris, Beijing, Brussels, Nice ... and this is just an incomplete list of Vasiliev's achievements as a teacher. In 1994 he presents his lecture program in 4 languages. This work is read all over the world.

Alexander Vasiliev today

2003 year. And again Alexander surprises the world. Having opened in Moscow, yes, in its hometown, design studio "Interiors of Alexander Vasiliev", it amazes the audience with an unusually rich collection of antique clothing. The vintage costumes purchased at various auctions are truly unique. And with them, the collector, does not part for any money. Although the money, just for the rental of things, was not small.

In 2009, for health reasons, the famous fashion designer Vyacheslav Zaitsev left Channel One.

Alexander Vasiliev is invited to take the place of the host of the popular TV show "Fashionable Sentence". In the same 2009, he holds the post of head of the Moscow Academy of Fashion, which is organized at the Moscow Institute of Television and Radio Broadcasting "Ostankino".

Now the great fashion historian, despite all the years he has lived, is still 18. He is full of energy and initiative. He writes books, gives lectures, is the host of many television and radio programs.

Alexander Alexandrovich Vasiliev is a unique person in all respects. As one of the few to be honored with the title of Fashion Historian, he has always sought to diversify the world around us, using his unsurpassed talents as a designer and fashion designer.

The wife of Alexander Vasiliev, a fashion historian

A widely gifted man, Alexander wrote several books on the history of fashion, as well as on cases from his amazing life... But one of these stories remained undisclosed to the general public.

Little is known about Vasiliev's personal life in modern times. They say that he meets several women at once, but he is not going to connect his fate with any of them, giving himself up to work on television and writing. But it was not always so.

The first and only love of Alexander Vasiliev is Maria

In 1979, Alexander met his first love. Her name was Masha Lavrova, she was a young student at the Moscow Art Theater School, the same one where Vasiliev himself studied. He was 21 and she was two years younger. The passion that suddenly flared up between them captivated the young Sasha.

She was quiet girl short, the one whose image was usually described by the Russian classics as "modest beauty." But Maria dreamed of going abroad, wanting to visit Paris - a city praised by many as the capital of fashion and love.

Alexander, of course, would like to board a plane with his beloved and take her wherever she wants. Unfortunately, it was practically impossible to do this in the Soviet Union. To go to Europe, Masha decided to take a forced step - to marry a foreigner who could take her with him. She did not stop loving Sasha, just like he did her, but the dream is to find herself outside Soviet world outweighed the feeling of love.

Having entered into a marriage with a journalist who came to Moscow for work, Maria changed her last name to Winber and moved with her mother and new husband to France, while Alexander, along with his feelings, remained in Moscow.

An unexpected turn, similar to what happened in the fate of Mary and Alexander, strange way repeated. In 1982, just a few months after the departure of his beloved, Vasiliev meets Anna, a French woman who came to the USSR to hone her knowledge of the Russian language. She was a refined, light-hearted woman. They met, and he could not refuse her request to become her husband.

Anna fell in love with him, but the same cannot be said about Alexander. He saw in a marriage with a foreign woman only an opportunity to leave the Union in order to meet again with Maria Varlamova and never let her go. He felt nothing more than sympathy for his wife, but he was grateful for her honesty and sincerity.

Arriving in Paris with his wife, he almost immediately rushed to find a way to meet his first love Masha. She pushed him away, believing that her current husband, a renowned French journalist, was the best choice... After a while, she realized that this was a mistake.

Alexander lived on two fronts for several years. At first Anna was really faithful to her husband, but later she began to cheat on him. Vasiliev himself was not very worried about this - he devoted almost all of his time to relations with Maria - his first love.

After a divorce from his wife, Alexander Vasiliev tried to establish a joint life with Maria

When Anna broke up with him and went to her lover, Madame Winberg-Varlamova was also divorced. Alexander and Maria tried to improve their life together, but after Vasiliev's refusal to go to work as a teacher of the Russian language in one of the local schools, they finally dispersed.

After some time, Maria remarried, once again changing her surname. The marriage was short-lived - the husband, having learned that Maria would have a child, left her just a month later. She wanted to return to Alexander, but he no longer harbored the old feelings for her, and nothing happened.

Alexander Vasiliev - world famous theater artist, an interior designer, as well as an art critic and fashion historian.

Alexander Vasiliev was born on December 8, 1958 in Moscow into a famous theatrical family. His father, folk artist Russia, Alexander Vasiliev Sr. (1911 - 1990), Corresponding Member of the Academy of Arts, creator of scenery and costumes for more than 300 performances on the domestic and foreign stage. Mother, Tatyana Vasilyeva - Gulevich (1924 - 2003), dramatic actress, professor, one of the first graduates of the Moscow Art Theater School.

From childhood, Alexander Vasiliev was brought up in a theatrical environment. At the age of five, Alexander created his first costumes and sets for puppet theater, at the same time he took part in the filming of children's programs on the Soviet television "Theater Kolokolchik" and "Alarm Clock". He designed his first fairy tale play "The Wizard of the Emerald City" at the age of 12, showing extraordinary talent for theatrical design and costume making.

Particular influence on young artist was an example of his father, not only a classical decorator, but also the creator of stage costumes for Lyubov Orlova, Faina Ranevskaya, Igor Ilyinsky. At the age of 22, A. Vasiliev graduated from the Production Faculty of the Moscow Art Theater School. Then he worked as a costume designer at the Moscow Theater on Malaya Bronnaya. In 1982 he moved to Paris, where he immediately began working for French theater Ronde Pointe on the Champs Elysees, at the Bastille Opéra Studios, Lucerne, Cartoucheri, Avignon Festival, Bale du Nord, Young Ballet of France and the Royal Opera of Versailles.

Alexander Vasiliev - the creator of scenery for operas, theatrical performances, films and ballets for many famous theaters and troupes. For example, collaborated with him National Theater in London, Scottish Ballet in Glasgow, Royal Ballet of Flanders, Oya Masako Ballet in Osaka and Asami Maki Ballet in Tokyo, Ballet of Nevada, Santiago Opera and Ballet Theater and many others. ".

Alexander Vasiliev lectures in 4 languages ​​at many colleges and universities around the world as a visiting professor in the history of fashion and stage design. Alexander Vasiliev is the owner of one of the largest private collections of costumes from the Russian period. Alexander showed this collection in many countries of the world - in Australia, Chile, Turkey, Hong Kong, Belgium, Great Britain, France and other countries. Awarded for the promotion of Russian art with the medal of S.P. Diaghilev, V. Nijinsky medal, Patron Order and Gold Medal of the Russian Academy of Arts. Twice winner of the "Tobab" prize in Turkey.

Alexander Vasiliev is the author of the book "Beauty in Exile", which went through six editions - in 1998, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005. - and translated into English language in New York in 2000. In 1998, Beauty in Exile was named Best Picture Book of the Year. He is the author of the book "Russian Fashion. 150 Years in Photos", in which there are more than 2000 photographs, dedicated to history Russian, Soviet and post-Soviet fashion, starting from the 50s of the XIX century and ending early XXI century. The book contains texts from fashion magazines different eras, excerpts from interviews with fashion models, famous people, film actresses, fashion designers. How social, political and economic reasons influenced the nature of the clothes of the Russian person, how the silhouette and fabrics were modified, how the canons of beauty were formed, posture, facial expression and gleam in the eyes changed - this is the range of issues discussed in the book. According to the author, he intends to later publish this work in New York, "since nothing is known about Russian fashion, not only in Russia, but also abroad."

Alexander Vasiliev is a co-author of the book "Lyudmila Lopato. The Magic Mirror of Memories". Zakharov, Moscow, 2003. Alexander Vasiliev worked for the Russian editions of the magazines "Vogue" and "Harper" s Bazaar as a special correspondent in Paris.

Since 2002, Alexander Vasiliev has been on the Kultura TV channel as the author and host of the Breath of the Century program. This cycle is based on the book "Beauty in Exile". In 2005, the Kultura TV channel will begin broadcasting a new 10 serial television series "Breath of the Century - 22," based on the book "Russian Fashion. 150 Years in Photos." Russian universities and colleges. Since 2000, under the direction of Alexander Vasiliev, the fashion festival "Alexander Vasiliev's Volga Seasons" has been held in Samara.

In October 2003, a design studio "Interiors of Alexander Vasiliev" was opened in Moscow. The aim of the new project is to present the rich Russian tradition with a Parisian polish. In Russia, Alexander Vasiliev lectures at the Faculty of Management and Fashion Theory at Moscow State University, in the lecture halls of Samara, Yekaterinburg, Omsk, Novosibirsk, Vladivostok, Ufa, Perm, Barnaul, Murmansk and many other cities.

In February 2004, the exhibition "Russian interiors in photographs" was held, where Alexander Vasiliev presented 55 rare photos, previously never published or exhibited, devoted to the theme of Russian interiors of the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. This prolific author has plans to create a book on Russian interiors.