Lyudmila Romanova: clothes as a work of art

Even at the time of Gosplan, standardization and unification, when clothing models developed by designers came off the assembly line in a much simplified form than the author intended, people wanted to stand out from the gray mass. It was then that the foundations of the fashion industry as we see it now were laid, and it was from there that many well-known fashion designers and designers came out. About the formation of the brand "Lyudmila Romanova", about its past, present and future, we will talk with the director of development of the company, Vadim Romanov.

– Vadim, tell us how the history of the brand began?
– It all started in those very frightening 90s. Despite the fact that our country has become much smaller, light industry was still working. Several factories that existed since pre-revolutionary times produced pure wool cloth of very diverse colors. In the hands of graphic artist Lyudmila Romanova, these materials became paints. A painting-application was created, which was then painted and turned into a finished product. It could be a vest or a cardigan, a handbag or even a hat. The products looked original and extravagant and were in demand. 

– But now the company produces completely different products. How did it happen?
– We always wanted to give beautiful clothes to the mass buyer. With the advent of new technologies, we were finally able to realize a long-standing dream to produce products with elements of the author's design, but in the middle price segment. The first step was the technology of full-color printing on textiles. This allowed the company to reach a new level. It became possible to produce clothes from exclusive materials, moreover, in any volume, even in small batches. In fact, we started from scratch and focused on the development of jackets. This practical and extremely necessary clothing for our climate has been undeservedly overlooked by many designers.

– And the calculation was justified?
– More than. We got a huge advantage – were the first to offer a unique high-quality product. To do this, new models were quickly developed, many prototypes were made, and only the best of the best were selected for production. After all, when everything is well thought out and demand is studied, there are no situations with large commodity balances. Due to the variety of prints, we have a rich assortment. We resist the temptation to endlessly expand the range and select individual prints for each model. In addition, we do not depend on fabric suppliers, but print the ornament we need ourselves. Thanks to this, we manage to easily maintain a full range and offer the most popular models to the buyer.

Tell us about your plans.
– After a successful start in the new format, of course, the question of further development arose. I would like to diversify and supplement the collection, but this is a topic for another interview. We still have a lot to work on to improve the collections. We do not believe that the best is the enemy of the good. Moreover, in addition to design, a really significant advantage in the eyes of the consumer for insulated clothing is filler. At first, we used only fluff and at the same time selected alternative options. Alpolux, manufactured using Austrian technology, showed a clear advantage. Its composition is merino wool and microfiber. The product turns out to be light, convenient and unpretentious in care.
Initially, we focused on the youth and middle-aged audience. But it turned out that there is a demand for larger sizes and older models. Now we are working on that as well.
In addition, at the autumn exhibitions we show a collection of bags and hats with earflaps trimmed with natural or artificial fur.
But no matter how we develop, we don't see our company growing to a huge size. We will maintain our exclusivity and intimacy, which ensures high quality both in the manufacture of products and in a long and mutually beneficial relationship with the client.