Gosha Rubchinskiy has been bringing the skate parks of Moscow to an international audience since his debut collection in 2008. Quite the polymath, since then he has explored the paradoxical conformity and rebellion of youth subcultures through documentary photography and film as well as fashion. Presenting his AW14 lookbook, the collection is entitled ‘Epic Aces’, in honour of Moscow’s skate community: ‘They are my friends and I dedicate it to them’, he says. Alongside logoed sweatpants, hoodies and beanies there’s a soft, playfully flamboyant feel, with multicoloured fake fur jackets and relaxed knits. For this collection, Gosha explored the downtown culture of 1980s New York with its convergence of breakdance, graffiti and skate styles. The Old Skool inspiration seeps through in his use of corduroy, worked into dungarees and suiting. Renowned for his collaborations – in the past he’s worked with Vans, Supreme and Comme des Garçons – this time he’s been given access to the archives of Camper to re-interpret their classic styles.
In keeping with his commitment to authenticity, Gosha has eschewed conventional models, opting instead to shoot the looks on 15 year old Pablo, a party planner of sorts: ‘I found him from friends in Paris. It was his first time and he is ideal for this collection. I shot it in a very clean and simple way – I like the natural street feeling here’. Gosha is often spoken of as a voice for alienated post Soviet youth, but right now he’s keen to emphasise the unifying effects of skate culture and his own particular brand. ‘I like now that young kids from America and Russia look the same and have the same moods and hypes. This is all about it: this is the modern universal young man.’
Here Gosha Rubchinskiy shares the YouTube clips that inspired his collection. Grainy footage of New York skaters in the late eighties jarrs against the glitchy hyper-stylised videos of New York skaters today. Add to that clips of Moscow's skaters encircling city squares at night and comandeering abandoned swimming pools, and you come to see that despite 25 years and 4500 miles distance, a board and a beer will always be universal:
EIGHTIES NEW YORK SKATERS
GOSHA RUBCHINSKIY LOOKBOOK CREDITS
Styling Lotta Volkova Adam
Photography Gosha Rubchinskiy
Hair and make up Jenny Jansson
Model Pablo Attal
