Pearl stitcher Johann Nikadimus dreams that the historic kokoshnik will turn out to be a part of planet fashion. The designer himself helps make gorgeous hats and teaches other people how to make them. In an interview with RIA Novosti, he talked about primitive customs for Russian princes, Manizhi moon and Cartier crowns.
You created the to start with kokoshnik in 2014. How did you come up with the plan to get started these a uncommon craft?
This ingredient of women’s costume has constantly fascinated me. In the gift store you can locate kokoshniks that appear absolutely nothing like what they are essentially sporting. I was fascinated in a selected merchandise and sewed it the crown of the Arkhangelsk province, resembling a snowflake. But eight years back, I had no mission to rekindle interest or conserve society. I was just accomplishing something that concerned me.
Kokoshnik invented in Russia?
Some students declare that it came from Byzantium. Other folks generate that, judging by the benefits of the excavation, it is an historic Russian creation.
I think people everywhere are confronted with the similar manifestations of mother nature, like human mother nature. So we see related things everywhere you go. Any lifestyle is a combination of various cultures.
You you are a mixture of cultures …
Yes, the father is Assyrian and the mom is Russian. I was born in Kazan, I dwell in Moscow. At the starting of the twentieth century, the Assyrians fled from oppression. Nicholas gave them asylum. As a final result, they settled about the world.
Did any of your ancestors put on fascinating headdresses?
Grandma normally wore two braids plaited about her head. And she lined them with a scarf. In accordance to historical custom, the lady would stroll in a one braid and would not hide her hair until she received married.
In common, Russian headdresses can be divided into two teams: girls and girls. The initially lets you to present your hair unfastened or braided these can be a variety of forms of headbands and tiaras, like my 1st kokoshnik “Snowflake”.
There are quite a few area traditions in our place, which in some cases differ significantly from just about every other. There are traditions of village, town or status to show location.
Kokoshnik from the deal with of A single Manizhi Russian Lady It truly is also your perform. In it, the singer came to the purple, or relatively, turquoise carpet of Eurovision in 2021. Reactions to the outfit were diverse: anyone said it was a demonic symbol, another person joined a flash mob to support it on social networks.
This is a lunnik, a kokoshnik of the Vladimir province, 18th-19th. It has museum prototypes of centuries. A purely traditional Russian headdress, unmatched in any tradition.
These kinds of kokoshniki had been worn in the Volga location and central Russia. They have been more substantial or smaller sized in sizing, they have been worn by city girls in the 18th century. This is a usual title for that time. High-priced, like today’s Iphone.
Your assortment consists of kokoshniks influenced by Cartier crowns. Tell us why this is a Russian tale in the first spot?
In 2021, the exhibition “Cartier: Continuing the Tale” was held, dedicated to objects from the Hermitage. At the exact time, a shut presentation of the new selection took place, in which the jewellery home brought crowns established 100 decades in the past for Russian princes and princesses. But if at the end of the 19th century Cartier was impressed by Russian ornaments and kokoshniks, now they made a decision to do the reverse. They invited me and I produced a couple titles using old technologies.
You are making an attempt to revive the fascination in standard handicrafts in the Style and design Workshops. Any fascination in this now?
Indeed. As in the whole entire world. Present day designers are intrigued in the national costume, developing their individual interpretation. I desire the number of masters dealing with historical embroidery approaches to improve.
The most popular is the Luneville crochet or cross-stitch. But they came to Russia from overseas, along with manner. I would like people to know more about historical neighborhood methods, decorative characteristics. It is a distinctive nationwide characteristic and beautiful to the total world. We are interested in observing Japanese tradition, we distinguish it simply. So it ought to be with Russian tradition.
You are sewing pearls. How and when did it appear in Russia?
The very first mentions date back again to the 9th century. Nowhere else in the world does this technology exist. You might experience this in some European cultures, but these large stage of decorative function existed only in Russia. And the stone itself was thought of purely Russian: right until the next 50 % of the 19th century, our region was the most important consumer of pearls in the globe.
Are you concerned of competitiveness from generation technologies?
Not. Handwork is generally worthwhile. When the photograph came out, every person was fearful that the painting would vanish. They stated the theater would die when tv was invented. When streaming platforms came alongside, they believed cinemas would not exist. When digital textbooks were being established, they prophesied demise to paper publications. But no these types of thing took place.