Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Zaitsev is a unique person who managed to create and spread the concept of "fashion design" and "fashion" in a country where such an industry did not exist in principle. Moreover, he brought the USSR to the world podiums, proved that the Soviet man can be perfect in this regard.
It is simply impossible not to fall in love with this person, not to be imbued with respect for him. Smiling, positive Vyacheslav Zaitsev is a part of the history of Russia, the founder of Soviet fashion, the peak of his creativity fell on the most difficult times for this direction. There was no fashion in principle, strict censorship literally stabbed his collections, but even in such conditions, he managed to break through to the leading catwalks of the world.
Biography of Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Zaitsev
Vyacheslav Mikhailovich was born in Ivanovo near Moscow in early March 1938. Soon after the birth of the boy, who was already the second in the family, his father went to the front, where he was captured. Mikhail Yakovlevich never returned to his family - after being released from the Nazi camp and returning to his homeland, he was condemned as an enemy of the people.
The Zaitsev boys were raised and "put on their feet" by their mother. She had to work in several places at the same time so that the children did not go hungry and had at least the bare essentials. Little Slava and his older brother tried to help their mother as much as they could - they took care of the house, studied well at school.
Despite the eternal employment, Vyacheslav Mikhailovich's mother managed to instill in children a love for art, music, literature. Slava sang beautifully, painted, dreamed of becoming an artist or singer. But the children of the "enemies of the people" were not admitted to cultural and educational educational institutions, and Slava entered the textile technical school after school.
The beginning of Vyacheslav Zaitsev's career in the fashion world
While still in college, Vyacheslav Mikhailovich realized that he had chosen the only correct professional path. He decided to continue development in this direction in the capital and came to Moscow with a huge supply of creative ideas. In 1962 he graduated from the Moscow Textile Institute as an excellent student - a Lenin scholar with honors. By distribution, Zaitsev ended up at a garment factory in Babushkino, where they sewed overalls.
World fame came to him at a time when rumors about a bold designer who created a unique collection of workwear reached Pierre Cardin himself. And simultaneously with fame, problems came to him - Vyacheslav Mikhailovich was summoned to the Lubyanka, where he was given a lecture about the fact that there is no fashion in the USSR and cannot be.
The "cleaning" did not stop the young designer, and, having worked the allotted 3 years at an average garment factory, he went to work at the legendary Model House located on Kuznetsky Most. There he managed to reveal his talent to the fullest, and at the same time to acquaint Soviet women with real fashion.
Vyacheslav Zaitsev - the founder of Russian fashion
The models of clothes created by the impudent designer were "stabbed" by commissions of various sizes, and, as a rule, did not go outside the fashion house on Kuznetsky, but this did not affect Vyacheslav Mikhailovich's positive attitude. As a result, rumors about the unique "red Dior" spread around the world, and the Soviet government had no choice but to release his collection for a show in Paris.
The show was enchanting, but the success was not appreciated in the USSR. Zaitsev had to resign from the Model House in Kuznetsky and become a full-time cutter at a small custom tailoring factory. On the basis of this factory, he later founded his own Fashion House, where almost all of his legendary, unique, inimitable clothing collections were created.
The creativity of Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Zaitsev is not limited to the creation of clothes - he is an excellent artist, photographer, since 1992 he has been producing his own perfume "Marusya", is the founder and first host of the popular TV show "Fashionable Sentence", in his costumes the audience for the first time saw the heroes of a huge number of films and theatrical performances, he sewed stage costumes for leading vocalists of the country and abroad.
Personal life of Vyacheslav Zaitsev
Vyacheslav Mikhailovich was married once, to a native Muscovite named Marina from a "good" family, as they liked to say in the USSR. The marriage was short-lived, lasted only 9 years. After the divorce, the father was not allowed to see his son Yegor. The boy was turned against the pope. Of course, this affected their relationship, but still Vyacheslav Mikhailovich managed to establish a bond with his son when he grew up.
After a divorce from his wife, Zaitsev could not come to his senses for a long time, practically stopped creating. An employee of the House of Models in Kuznetsky named Inna helped him to get out of depression. The couple did not officially formalize the relationship, but they lived together for quite a long time, eventually broke up, managing to maintain friendly relations. And even when Zaitsev got into a car accident and was threatened with amputation of his leg, it was Inna who again came to his aid.
Yegor Vyacheslavovich Zaitsev, the son of Vyacheslav Mikhailovich, followed in his father's footsteps - he is engaged in clothing design, but he failed to achieve the same heights as his father. Yegor communicates with his dad, they spend a lot of time together, attend social events, film premieres and fashion shows.
Despite the fact that Vyacheslav Mikhailovich recently turned 80 years old and due to his age his health is no longer the same, he is active and still positive. Zaitsev attends shows, helps young fashion designers, draws a lot.
