Historically, there has been a tense power struggle between East and West, which was not lost on the fashion industry. This struggle was keenly reflected in the penetration of Russian and Western designers into each other’s “territory”. But how did they achieve this and what did it mean for the evolution of fashion on a global for two such different cultures?

Expert fashion stylist, Natasha Vinnikova (as featured in Elle Russia and Vogue Italia), hosts Week 2 of the Masterclasses Series on Russian Fashion Through the Ages. In this masterclass, Natasha will explore the progress of Russian fashion before and after the Soviet Union, what Western influence really meant; and feature a delve into the Russian designers who made it through to the Western market.

After studying at the illustrious London College of Fashion, Natasha Vinnikova stepped into the fashion world working backstage at London Fashion Week, with retailers producing look boooks, and for world famous magazines such as Elle Russia, Rutage and Vogue Italia. She has also had the pleasure of working with Olympic athletes and some of the country's best hair stylists as part of the British Hairdressing Awards. Despite her fashion background, Natasha is also business minded and holds an MBA. Natasha is a member of the Federation of Image Professionals International.