Alexander Vasiliev Prize. Fashion historian Alexander Vasiliev: photo, biography and tips for creating your own style
The famous Russian art critic and fashion historian Alexander Vasiliev is an honorary member Russian Academy arts and collaborates with many theaters as an expert in the styles of the most different eras. He is widely known to specialists from many countries, but gained wide popularity among Russian viewers thanks to his participation in the popular TV show “ Fashionable verdict", where he began working in 2009. In his young years, Alexander Alexandrovich successfully worked as a decorator with famous theaters in Europe, Turkey, Japan and other countries. He still travels around the world giving lectures on fashion, and in Russia he is engaged in educational and museum activities in the field of fashion, teaching at Moscow State University. He has a lot of fans who, as usual, are interested in the hobbies, personal life and wife of Alexander Vasilyev.
Currently, Vasiliev is not married. There are rumors that he has, from time to time, short-lived relationships with women, and there are quite a few of them. But nothing concrete usually happens in the media. In any case, no names are mentioned, much less details. Often appearing on television, Alexander Alexandrovich is extremely kind to all representatives of the fair sex, loves to tell them compliments and nice things, and knows how to be an exemplary ladies' man. Vasilyev receives special treatment famous stars and divas of the Russian elite: actresses, TV presenters and singers, social beauties and business women, but he is always ready to express his friendliness and courtesy to just women.
Vasiliev’s unusual image, his manner of speaking and behaving, as well as some exotic outfits often cause others to assume that gay fashion connoisseur. How fair this is is not particularly important: the choice of lifestyle is a personal matter for Alexander Vasiliev himself, and whether or not to report this publicly is also up to him to decide. However, evidence that in his younger years he behaved like a normal heterosexual can be the story of his youthful love and marriage. It is unlikely that it will seem dubious to anyone if it is, at least in part, confirmed by photographs of those years.
In 1979, 21-year-old Alexander fell in love with a student of the production department of the Moscow Art Theater School, his fellow student Maria Varlamova, with whom he had an ardent relationship romantic relationship. The girl was 2 years younger than her lover and dreamed of Paris. Just go to the capital of France for the good old days Russian times it was unrealistic and Masha married a foreigner in order to leave her homeland. When she immigrated, Alexander felt that without her nothing in the world was sweet to him and decided to follow his love. There was also only one way out in such a situation: to marry a French woman. And such a girl was found. It was Anna, who visited our country to improve her Russian language. In 1982 they got married.
Once in France, Vasiliev immediately found Maria, who became the wife of a popular journalist, but she did not want to risk her family happiness. After a while, they nevertheless struck up a close relationship, because the woman had become disappointed in her husband. Alexander’s life with Anna also did not work out: despite her easy-going character, his wife did not find a full answer to her feelings in her husband and started an affair on the side. While married, Alexander Vasiliev was in a relationship with his beloved and this lasted for several years. But contradictions arose between them, which continued to deepen, and when he, nevertheless, divorced his wife, to establish a good relationship with Maria it no longer seemed possible or necessary for him.
Vasiliev remained in Paris, worked and studied at the Louvre school, specializing in the design of palace premises. He became a great specialist and collaborated with the Ronde Pointe Theater, the Studio of the Opera de Bastille, the Royal Vesal Opera, festivals, and other organizations and achieved fame in Europe, learned French, then Italian and Spanish. Returning home after the collapse of the USSR as a French citizen, he continued his work in the field of fashion in his homeland and became a frequent guest on TV. However, the topic of personal life and who may be the wife of Alexander Vasiliev is closed from prying eyes.
Alexander Vasiliev is a famous Russian designer and fashion historian, a popular TV presenter, born on December 8, 1958, a native Muscovite.
Childhood
Alexander’s childhood, and indeed his whole life, were spent in a creative and theatrical environment. His father - famous artist, created costumes for the best Moscow and later world theaters and painted stunning pictures. Mother is a talented actress who graduated from the Moscow Art Theater School in the first years after its opening.
In young age
Naturally, Alexander absorbed his love for art literally with his mother’s milk. Especially in such a creative life it was difficult to make out where the house began and the theater ended. Visited often famous actors Alexander himself spent almost his entire childhood behind the scenes - his parents simply had no one to leave the baby with, and they took him with them to rehearsals.
No one was even surprised when a five-year-old boy showed his parents the first costume he created with his own hands. We can say that from that moment Alexander’s creative path began. At the age of 12, he was already the chief designer of the children's room. theater studio which I enjoyed visiting.
He also tried his hand at television - he was invited to the filming of the children’s favorite program “Alarm Clock”.
But acting did not captivate the boy as much as the opportunity to independently create images of heroes. This determined his choice of further life path. After graduation high school He entered the Moscow Art Theater in the production department. Parents approved of this choice and supported it in every possible way.
Carier start
While still a student, he helped his father create costumes for such stars as Faina Ranevskaya and. And after receiving a director's diploma, he began independent work at the theater on Malaya Bronnaya. There he met his first love, thanks to whom he soon found himself in the fashion capital of the world.
Young Alexander fell in love. The feelings were mutual, but soon the couple was separated by the marriage of his beloved’s mother. Her chosen one turned out to be a Frenchman, and she, not even wanting to hear about leaving the girl in Moscow, drove off to Paris with her. The farewell was tearful and romantic, and Alexander promised to come to his beloved at any cost.
Two years later, he actually crossed the border of France, although he was already married to a French woman who had come to study in Moscow. This was his first trip abroad. It is not surprising that Paris simply stunned him with its night lights and measured daytime life.
Here everything was new, everything was different. Honeymoon flew by quickly, and soon Alexander had to make a decision to return to Moscow or stay in Paris.
Then he did not understand that his visa was extended not by chance. This was facilitated by KGB officers, who hoped to involve the talented artist in their work and through him find ways to the right people. The visa extension seemed like a real gift of fate, which Alexander decided to take full advantage of.
He diligently studies the language and after a few months enters to study at drama school at the Louvre, then transferred to the famous Sorbonne. While still a student, he finds recognition for his work, so literally six months after his arrival, Vasiliev begins to actively collaborate with local theaters.
Alas, his wife categorically does not like this. She would prefer to see him as a sedate homebody, as is customary in French families. When Alexander refused to take a reliable, but not very lucrative position as a teacher of the Russian language in one of the Parisian lyceums, a riot broke out in the young family. terrible scandal, which later led to a final divorce.
But Vasiliev was not too sad about this - the marriage was still not for love, but with the goal of getting over the “Iron Curtain”. Being now completely free, although living in unusually cramped living conditions, Alexander completely focused on work.
Confession
World recognition came to him quickly. His extraordinary creative nature had an impact, as well as his complete immersion in the theatrical environment, which was dear and familiar to him since childhood. He thoroughly knew all the intricacies of creating costumes and sets, which is why his work was so stylish and at the same time comfortable for the actors.
In 1985, the 27-year-old artist moved to Reykjavik, where he created masterpiece costumes for Chekhov's Wild Honey. The performance attracts full houses, and the artist himself is recognized as one of the most talented in Europe. He gets several very serious proposals and chooses the position of artist of the Royal Ballet in Flanders.
Four years later he moved to Japan, where, under his leadership, costumes were created for the world famous ballet"The Nutcracker", which only strengthened world fame artist. He begins to actively teach in best universities the world, and his whole life now passes in constant motion.
In 2003, the already famous fashion historian returned to his native Moscow, where he immediately opened his own design studio. With it it is created private museum history of fashion, which is recognized as one of the world's richest collections.
Vasiliev has been repeatedly offered money for the sale or rental of exhibits, but he has not yet agreed to part with a single thing - they have been too painstakingly collected at all world auctions.
Russians came to know and love Vasiliev when he replaced Vyacheslav Zaitsev as the host of the popular show “Fashionable Sentence”. Alexander declared himself not only as a talented artist, but also revealed himself as a very subtle, extraordinary personality, with an excellent sense of humor and love for people.
Today he also heads the Fashion Academy, created in the same 2009 at the Ostankino television studio, hosts many programs dedicated to fashion and design, continues to teach and writes books about the history of fashion. After an unsuccessful first love and a semi-fictitious marriage, he no longer committed himself to serious obligations. The artist is lonely, but happy in his work and does not regret anything.
Of course, Alexander Vasiliev is a fashion historian, whom almost everyone knows, since he is a public person. He teaches at universities, hosts a well-known television program, and speaks to wide audience, talking about which wardrobe items are most relevant today.
Probably many will agree that Alexander Vasiliev is a fashion historian with capital letters. As you know, fashion is a fickle and capricious lady. Its history is a reflection of how ideas about female beauty for centuries. And it is very important to learn to catch the slightest changes in what clothes will be popular tomorrow.
And it should be noted that Alexander Vasiliev is a fashion historian who has perfectly mastered this skill. From childhood he dreamed of devoting himself creative profession. Who is he, what was his path to fame? Let's look at these questions in more detail.
Biography
Alexander Vasiliev - fashion historian - was born on December 8, 1959 in the family intelligent people who lived in the Russian capital. His father was a national artist, and his mother served in one of the Moscow theaters. Little Sasha was brought up in an atmosphere of love for art and creativity.
Today Alexander Vasiliev is a fashion historian, whose advice is an invaluable gift for many Russian couturiers.
Childhood
Alexander himself recalls with delight and nostalgia the years of his youth: “My father was a real master of the brush, and my mother played roles superbly in the theater. All my ancestors were in one way or another connected with creativity. Dad himself created costumes and scenery for the theater. He was a true professional in his field. We had a huge library, so I read a lot. I enjoyed going to plays and art exhibitions.
Even as a child, it was clear to me that my life would also be connected with creativity.”
Fashion historian Alexander Vasiliev, whose biography is simply unique, as a young man became so attached to the theater that he began sewing costumes on his own and inventing decorations for his dolls. At the age of 12 he was already staging plays.
Moscow Art Theater student
It is quite natural that after graduating from school he wanted to connect his life with the theater, submitting documents to enter the production department of the Moscow Art Theater School. The dream comes true, he becomes a student of this theater university. After receiving his diploma, he worked for some time as a costume designer in
In 1982, the future fashion historian Alexander Vasiliev, whose biography is extremely interesting and remarkable, goes abroad to the capital of France, where he subsequently studies and works. And this is where success awaits him.
Path to glory
It should be noted: despite the fact that the family of Alexander Vasiliev, a fashion historian, was very famous in the Russian capital, the aspiring theater artist was not immediately noticed in Paris. There was a time when he could barely make ends meet financially. He couldn’t even afford to buy a chair, and he made money by singing Russian songs with street musicians.
However, the dark streak in life could not continue indefinitely. After some time, several famous Parisian theaters began to order decorations from Vasiliev. Future collector and writer long time studied in France: he successfully graduated from the Louvre School with a degree in interior design for large palaces. He also devoted a lot of time to self-improvement, regularly reading books about fashion.
As a result, in 1994, he prepared his own course of lectures on this topic, which was translated into several languages. And today the host of the “Fashionable Sentence” program is actively involved in teaching. University and college students know him different countries peace.
Homecoming
At the beginning of the 2000s, the fashion historian returns to Russia and unfolds active work. He becomes a TV presenter on the Culture channel. Alexander hosts his own program called “Blow of the Wind.” He is invited to teach at Moscow State University. He also organizes tours for students to get acquainted with European culture. Students of his course travel to Spain, Italy, England and France.
In 2003, Alexander Vasiliev created a design studio, whose stylists in their work combine the unique traditions of Russian culture with
A few years later, the writer and collector becomes the head of the Fashion Academy, which was established at the Ostankino Institute of Television and Radio Broadcasting. Currently, Alexander Vasiliev hosts a TV show known to Russians called “Fashionable Sentence.”
Attitude towards the opposite sex
Despite the fact that Alexander Vasiliev is a public figure, he clearly does not intend to reveal the secrets of his personal life. And the fact that he managed to achieve a lot (became a successful decorator, art critic, TV presenter, collector, fashion historian, writer) does not go unnoticed by representatives of the opposite sex, so they show special interest in Vasiliev.
Of course, there were ups and downs in his personal life, it was simply impossible to do otherwise, since the path to fame was difficult and thorny.
Due to the fact that the presenter of “Fashionable Sentence” does not like to advertise his personal relationships with the opposite sex, some Russian print media began to actively spread rumors that, they say, our Alexander Vasiliev, a fashion historian, is gay. Whether this is true or not is unknown.
Myself theater artist has previously stated that he likes the point of view that justifies male polygamy.
Alexander Vasiliev admitted that he can experience passion for several women at the same time. However, he is not at all shy about it. This outrageous behavior attracts the opposite sex even more. Of course, famous TV presenter, writer and collector, a huge number of fans.
Is Alexander Vasiliev married today?
A very curious fact is that the first wife of Alexander Vasiliev (fashion historian) was French. They say that it was only thanks to this marriage that he ended up abroad.
It should be noted that the marriage with her was fictitious and did not last long - only three years.
After some time, the theater artist married for the second time. His chosen one was an Icelandic woman, from whom he also later divorced.
The children of Alexander Vasiliev (fashion historian) never came into this world, which the presenter of “Fashionable Sentence” greatly regrets. The reason is that he never managed to marry the woman he loved. Today Alexander Vasiliev is not bound by marriage.
Alexander Vasiliev is proud that he was able to prove that a girl with brightly colored white hair is no longer as stylish and fashionable as before. He is also pleased that he managed to dissuade the fairer sex from the need to bare their bellies in front of others and wear jeans decorated with rhinestones.
The theater artist masterfully masters seven foreign languages, traveled around the world three times. He firmly believes that it makes no sense for a person to sit in one place, since life is very short.
Alexander Vasiliev - owner unique collection outfits of Russian culture. He repeatedly demonstrated it in European and Asian countries, the USA and Australia. The collection was collected over three decades. It is represented by exclusive models ranging from the 17th century to today. These include exhibits that were created by the fashion houses Chanel, Doucet, Givenchy, Valentino, Paco Rabanne, and Gaultier.
Some models from the collection were worn in the past by famous ladies of their time, such as Baroness Galina Delvig, Countess Olga von Kreutz, Princess Maria Shcherbatova. Many exclusive items were donated by celebrities: Natalya Fateeva, Klara Luchko, Maya Plisetskaya, Lyudmila Zykina, Natalya Durova, Lyudmila Gurchenko.
Also a writer
Alexander Vasiliev is known as a talented writer. His work, Beauty in Exile, was reprinted more than six times, was translated into English and was awarded the title of "Best Illustrated Book of 1998." He also wrote a series of articles about the history of Russian fashion, which was called “Russian Fashion. 150 years in photographs." Vasiliev is also a co-author of the work “Lyudmila Lopato. The Magic Mirror of Memories", published in 2003.
Awards
The presenter of “Fashionable Sentence” was awarded a medal for the fact that he managed to draw even greater public attention to Russian art and also he received gold medal Academy of Arts, V. Nijinsky medal, Order of Patron.
Alexander Vasiliev (fashion historian)
Alexander Alexandrovich Vasiliev. Born on December 8, 1958 in Moscow. Russian and French fashion historian, art critic, collector, interior decorator, theater artist, TV presenter.
Father - Alexander Pavlovich Vasiliev (1911-1990), theater artist, People's Artist RSFSR, creator of scenery and costumes.
Mother - Tatyana Ilyinichna Vasilyeva-Gulevich (1924-2003), dramatic actress, professor, one of the first graduates of the Moscow Art Theater School.
I grew up in a theatrical atmosphere. He was greatly influenced by the work of his father, who created sets and costumes for more than 300 productions on the domestic and foreign stage.
WITH early years He was fond of creating costumes and scenery. At first he made them for performances in puppet theater, later - for his own play “The Wizard Emerald City”, which he staged at the age of twelve.
He took part in the filming of children's programs on Soviet television "Theater Bell" and "Alarm Clock".
Alexander Vasiliev as a child in the Alarm Clock program
He studied at English special school No. 29, from where he was expelled due to poor performance. Then he studied at working youth school No. 127.
In 1981, Vasiliev graduated from the production department of the Moscow Art Theater School. He worked as a costume designer at the Moscow Theater on Malaya Bronnaya together with his father, designing performances.
In the early 1980s, after a fictitious marriage with a French woman, he left for Paris. There he worked as a decorator for various French theaters and festivals such as the Théâtre du Rond-Point on the Champs-Élysées, the Bastille Opera Studio, the Théâtre du Lucernaire, the Cartoucherie, the Avignon Festival, the Bale du Nord, the Young Ballet of France and the Royal Opera Versailles.
Since 1994, Alexander Vasiliev began giving lecture courses and demonstrating master classes at various universities and colleges around the world. He speaks seven foreign languages (English, French, Spanish, Italian, Polish, Serbo-Croatian, Turkish), and gives lectures in three of them - English, French and Spanish.
Since 2000, under his leadership, the Fashion Festival has been held in Samara and theatrical costume"Volga region seasons of Alexander Vasiliev."
In 2003 he opened a design studio "Interiors of Alexander Vasiliev".
In Russia, lectures on the course “Management and Theory of Fashion” at the Moscow state university, in lecture halls in various cities of Russia. In 2005, Alexander Vasiliev’s visiting school began operating, within the framework of which students travel to various cultural capitals, including Paris, London, Venice, Rome, Morocco, Cambodia, Madrid, Istanbul, Riga, Vilnius.
Since 2005, the Russian-British Institute of Management in Chelyabinsk has operated the Museum of the History of Fashion of the 20th Century. Vasiliev presented the idea of creating a museum to the institute.
Theatrical works of Alexander Vasiliev
Alexander Vasiliev is the creator of sets for operas, theatrical productions, films and ballets. He designed the ballets “Romeo and Juliet”, “ Swan Lake", "Anna Karenina" - in total more than 100 productions in 25 countries.
Vasiliev worked on stage design and the costumes of the performance of the Pushkin Theater “And suddenly...”, which is staged in the Pushkin foyer of the theater, with National Theater in London, the Scottish Ballet in Glasgow, the Royal Ballet in Flanders, as well as with ballets from Japan, the USA, Chile and others.
In Russia, productions designed by Alexander Vasiliev were performed at the Moscow Operetta Theater, the Academic Musical theater them. Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko, opera houses Novosibirsk, Samara, Rostov-on-Don.
In 2012 in Samara academic theater Opera and Ballet carried out a major revival of the one-act ballet “Pavilion of Armida” to the music of N. Tcherepnin. Conductor-producer - Evgeny Khokhlov.
Since 2002, Alexander Vasiliev began working on the “Culture” TV channel as the author and host of the “Blow of the Century” program. Since November 23, 2009, Alexander Vasiliev has been the permanent presenter of fashion court meetings in the “Fashionable Sentence” program instead of Vyacheslav Zaitsev.
In 2009-2012, he was the scientific director of the Moscow Fashion Academy at the Moscow Institute of Television and Radio Broadcasting "Ostankino", where he conducted master classes. In 2012-2013 - master of the course at the Faculty of Design and Fashion at the Moscow Institute of Television and Radio Broadcasting "Ostankino".
Since 2012 he has been collaborating with Radio Mayak. In 2013 - host of the series of programs “Portraits of Great Fashionistas” on Radio Mayak.
In 2016, he starred in a small role in the film “Hero”.
Alexander Vasiliev in the film "Hero"
Collection of Alexander Vasiliev
Owns a private collection of fashion and costume, items from which have been exhibited in Australia, Europe, Asia and America. The collection, stored in France, has been growing for 30 years and consists of more than 50 thousand exhibits from the 17th century to the present, including haute couture masterpieces created by the best ateliers of their era. A significant part of the collection consists of photographs and paintings related to the history of fashion, and, in particular, to the history of the Russian diaspora.
The collection includes costumes that in the past belonged to Princess Maria Shcherbatova, Baroness Galina Delvig, Countess Jacqueline de Beaugourdon, and Countess Olga von Kreutz. In addition, wardrobe items from such Russian stars theater and cinema like, Natalya Durova, Olga Lepeshinskaya, Galina Ulanova, .
The ballerina donated several unique items from her wardrobe to the collection, including:
An ensemble consisting of a tunic and overalls. Fashion house "Pierre Cardin". Paris. 1973;
- Ensemble made of printed silk, trimmed with flounces. Fashion house "Pierre Cardin". Paris. Late 1980s;
- Costume made of two-layer quilted silk “space”, presented to the ballerina personally by Coco Chanel.These wardrobe fragments became exhibits of the exhibition “Fashion behind the Iron Curtain. From the wardrobe of the stars Soviet era", and also ended up in the illustrated catalog of the same name (ISBN 978-5-9903435-1-1), compiled by Alexander Vasiliev.
Vasiliev’s plans include creating a Museum of Historical Costume in Russia, in which his collection would be open to permanent public access.
In 2011, Alexander Vasiliev established the first international prize for the interior "Lilies of Alexander Vasiliev". The award winners are establishments in Russia and abroad that meet his high ideas about style. The winners are awarded a brand name - a ceramic lily self made. Each lily has an individual number and an original passport, which guarantees its authenticity. Lilies for the interior, atmosphere, light, musical accompaniment and design details have already been received by establishments in Russia, Italy, France, Latvia, Lithuania and other European countries.
He was awarded non-state awards - the S. P. Diaghilev medal for the promotion of Russian art, the V. Nijinsky medal, the Order of Maecenas, and the Gold Medal of the Russian Academy of Arts. Twice winner of the Tobab Prize in Turkey. He was presented in the category “Fashion Legend” at the World Fashion Awards in 2010. In 2011, residents Samara region Vasiliev was awarded the regional “People’s Recognition” prize. In the same year, Vasiliev became an honorary member of the Russian Academy of Arts.
Author of three dozens of books. His book “Beauty in Exile,” published by Slovo/Slovo, went through six reprints in Russian from 1998 to 2008, and in 2000 it was published in New York on English language. Vasiliev is the author of the book “Russian Fashion. 150 years in photographs" (also publishing house Slovo/Slovo, 2004), which presents over 2000 photographs on the history of Russian, Soviet and post-Soviet fashion c mid-19th century before beginning of the XXI century.
Most books are illustrated with photographs from the author's collection.
On the pages of the book “Russian Interiors” Vasiliev recreated the decoration of Russian palaces, noble estates, merchant and bourgeois houses, public interiors of Tsarist Russia.
Condition of Alexander Vasiliev
Alexander Vasiliev is a fairly wealthy man. He owns houses in France, Turkey and Lithuania.
He owns real estate in Europe and Russia. All of the star’s apartments have maids, gardeners, and are furnished with antique furniture. His property and real estate are estimated, according to some sources, at one and a half million euros.
Alexander Vasiliev owns a house in the central part of France, the province of Auvergne, a house in Lithuania, apartments in Antalya, Moscow and Kaliningrad, on the Curonian Spit. In addition, on a lifetime annuity basis, he owns apartments in Paris that cost half a million euros.
“I have a three-room apartment in Paris. But it is not what is valuable in itself, but what is in it. Me, my dog, collections,” said the fashion historian. Museums around the world are ready to fight for what was collected in Vasiliev’s Parisian apartment. Everything there is valuable exhibits: chandeliers, candlesticks, paintings in gilded frames, silver goblets, a mahogany bed, an oak table.
Vasiliev, as a rule, spends the summer on an estate in Auvergne, consisting of three houses.
The TV presenter inherited the house in Lithuania from his grandfather. The main value of the estate in the Baltics is the ancient library, a nineteenth-century bath and a luxurious garden. “The house was built in 1912. My cousin and cousin live on the top floor. They have three rooms with a separate entrance. I have seven rooms downstairs. The house has preserved furniture, an antique stove, and many old things. I love it all. I restored everything myself,” said Alexander Vasiliev.
The fashion historian said about the apartment in Antalya that it was given to him as a fee.
Every home of Alexander Vasiliev has antiques: “I have a lot of paintings, two thousand canvases from the eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth centuries. I know how to buy cheap. I have the gift of bringing down the price, explaining to people that this is nonsense. I’m not a millionaire, I’m Vasiliev,” he shared.
Alexander Vasiliev. Alone with everyone
Personal life of Alexander Vasiliev:
In 1982 he married a French woman. The marriage was fictitious, with the goal of leaving for France. Lasted five years.
He officially does not have his own children. According to Alexander Vasiliev, he has three goddaughters. He maintains constant communication with only one of them - Marfa Milovidova. He became the girl’s godfather at the request of her mother, classmate and longtime friend.
Marfa herself said: “I tell everyone that Alexander Vasiliev is my godfather, because I am very proud of him. He is an incredible person, he is my motivator in life. Alexander often gives me fashionable clothes. I have three brothers, and as a child I often imitated them, wore trousers, and my godfather taught me to dress femininely.”
According to Alexander, he has already made a will. Part of his property will belong to the foundation he manages. Also mentioned in the document is goddaughter Marfa Milovidova.
According to rumors, Alexander Vasiliev has bastard. This is indirectly confirmed by him. “You will learn everything from my memoirs; not everything can be told publicly,” Vasiliev snapped.
Alexander Vasiliev. Million dollar secret
Filmography of Alexander Vasiliev:
1990 - Russian ballet without Russia (documentary)
2007 - Soviet-style beauty. The fate of a fashion model (documentary)
2008 - A film about a film. Dog in the manger. Not soviet history(documentary)
2009 - Alla Larionova. The Tale of the Soviet Angel (documentary)
2012 - Lyudmila Gurchenko. How I became a goddess (documentary)
2012 - Goddesses of Socialism (documentary)
2013 - Lapin List. Forbidden Variety (documentary)
2016 - Hero - fashion historianBibliography of Alexander Vasiliev:
1998 - Beauty in Exile
2004 - Russian fashion. 150 years in photographs
2006 - European fashion. Three centuries. From the collection of A. Vasiliev
2006-2012 - Carte Postale. Fashion history. Issue 1. Russian beauties
2006-2012 - Carte Postale. Fashion history. Issue 2. Costumes of Diaghilev’s “Russian Seasons”
2006-2012 - Carte Postale. Fashion history. Issue 3. Costumes of the Russian Imperial House
2006-2012 - Carte Postale. Fashion history. Issue 4. Stars of the world silent cinema
2006-2012 - Carte Postale. Fashion history. Issue 5. Fashion and travel
2006-2012 - Carte Postale. Fashion history. Issue 6. Beach fashion
2006-2012 - Carte Postale. Fashion history. Issue 7. Wedding fashion
2006-2012 - Carte Postale. Fashion history. Issue 8. Russian beauties-2
2006-2012 - Carte Postale. Fashion history. Issue 9. Christmas fashion
2006-2012 - Carte Postale. Fashion history. Issue 10. Children's masquerade
2006-2012 - Carte Postale. Fashion history. Issue 11. Russian dandies
2006-2012 - Carte Postale. Fashion history. Issue 12. Stars of the Stalin era
2006-2012 - Carte Postale. Fashion history. Issue 13. Our pets
2006-2012 - Carte Postale. Fashion history. Issue 14. Christian Dior
2006-2012 - Carte Postale. Fashion history. Issue 15. Furs and fashion
2006-2012 - Carte Postale. Fashion history. Issue 16. Ladies' hats
2006-2012 - Carte Postale. Fashion history. Issue 17. Costumes of Russian theater of the 19th-20th centuries
2006-2012 - Carte Postale. Fashion history. Issue 18. Parisian fashion of the 1910s
2007 - Sketches about fashion and style
2008 - I'm in fashion today...
2009 - The Fates of Fashion
2010 - Little Ballerina: Confession of a Russian Emigrant (co-authored with Ksenia Tripolitova)
2010 - Russian Hollywood
2013 - Children's fashion of the Russian Empire
2013 - Paris-Moscow: long returnFashion historian Alexander Vasiliev is a mysterious and shocking personality. No woman knows better than him how to dress stylishly and fashionably, and how to find that “golden mean” in clothes and accessories. Therefore, for many years Vasiliev has been the host of the popular show “Fashionable Verdict”. But what is known about his non-public side of life? Does the famous art critic and decorator have a wife and children? And how does Alexander Vasiliev himself characterize his sexual orientation?
Personal life of fashion historian Alexander Vasiliev: photos of the maestro’s wife and children
Many believe that fashion historian Alexander Vasiliev was never married. And in general, as a creative person, she has a non-traditional sexual orientation. However, this is not the case. As a young man, the future fashion guru fell madly in love with a girl, Masha. But, as often happens, Vasiliev’s parents did not approve of their son’s choice. Sasha - a boy from the famous creative family. Father is People's Artist of the RSFSR, mother is a famous dramatic actress.
Alexander Vasiliev in his youth
Soon Masha leaves with her mother for permanent residence in Paris. It would seem that nothing can reunite the lovers. Take into account: it’s the 70s, almost the entire country is “restricted to travel”... But a miracle happened! Alexander Vasiliev meets a French woman and enters into a fictitious marriage with her. Paris is becoming more and more real...
Alexander Vasiliev's first wife was French
Soon the future fashion historian receives the coveted positive response to travel to France. Together with his young wife, Alexander Vasiliev settled in a small rented apartment in Paris. Soon he meets again with his first love, Maria. But, as it turned out, the girl did not wait for her lover, and became pregnant by a Frenchman, a reporter for a well-known publication. True, she was soon left alone again. But Maria still has warm and friendly relations with Alexander Vasiliev. Moreover, Paris has long become a second home for the fashion historian.
Alexander Vasiliev in his Paris apartment
After a divorce from his first wife and failure to re-build a relationship with Maria, Alexander Vasiliev plunges headlong into his favorite work. The fashion historian travels a lot around the world - he is invited as a set designer by leading theaters, and universities are eager to get the best lecturer who knows everything about fashion and style. While working in Reykjavik, Alexander Vasiliev meets a charming Icelandic girl. Subsequently, young people decide to have a civil marriage.
« She was lovely. Her name was Stefania. She was a very beautiful blonde with blue eyes... She was offered to me as an assistant. She was such a good assistant that she helped me with everything. And she helped!..”
But this love, alas, soon ended. The girl did not want to follow her beloved to Paris, preferring to stay in her homeland, in cold and mysterious Iceland.
Even in his youth, Alexander Vasiliev was known as a master of fashionable shocking
As for the child, Alexander Vasiliev has... three of them! True, these are godchildren. The first and beloved goddaughter, Marfa, is the daughter of the maestro’s longtime friend and classmate. But the fashion historian practically does not communicate with the other two girls. One of the goddaughters lives in Germany, and the other in Paris, but contact with both has long been lost.
Fashion historian Alexander Vasiliev and his sexual orientation
Alexander Vasiliev honestly admits that he has always loved women. True, now that the maestro is already 59 years old, somewhat different priorities have appeared in his life. The fashion historian himself likes to joke about his personal life today: he is married to fashion and is happily married.
Alexander Vasiliev - fashionable presenter of “Fashionable Sentence”
Vasiliev admits that he loves to eat delicious food and, in general, this moment, prefers to enjoy life. A financial resources he is completely allowed to do this. The fashion historian likes to call himself a “citizen of the world” and, apparently, that’s why he managed to buy himself a good, prestigious home in different corners Europe. Apartments in Moscow and Paris, an estate in the center of France and a large family estate in Riga... The list of personal real estate of the famous art critic and decorator is very impressive.
Alexander Vasiliev in his Moscow apartment
But it is also well known that Vasiliev never stopped loving and admiring women. But smart and... rich ladies are especially dear to his heart. And once in the show “Let's get married!” the fashion historian let it slip that he needed a rich and aged bride. And so that castles and estates are necessarily available - to accommodate truly huge collection rare dresses and accessories by the maestro.
The collection of fashion historian Alexander Vasiliev contains thousands of interesting exhibits
And on tricky question regarding the dominance of men with non-traditional sexual orientation in the world of bohemia, beauty and style - Vasiliev has an exhaustive answer in store:
“Why are there so many gay fashion designers? - AestheticsXXcentury was invented only by gays. Among the creative elite, 95% are men with non-traditional sexual orientation. A heterosexual man can only undress a woman, but a homosexual man can only dress her!”
With an abundance of unflattering rumors about Alexander Vasiliev’s gay orientation and his affairs with men, not a single “yellow” publication has yet been able to document them. In addition, the fashion historian himself is a public figure and always willingly makes contact with the press. Hundreds of interviews and press conferences every year, participation in all kinds of shows and programs on TV and radio. It seems that not a single question in the world can put the maestro of fashion and style in an awkward position.
And Vasiliev himself is famous for his sharp and always apt statements addressed to the participants of his television project. It’s no secret that Alexander Vasiliev has been the permanent host of the “Fashionable Sentence” program for almost 10 years. By the way, the fashion and style guru treats himself with irony. So, in one of the stories on the central TV channel, Vasiliev makes a fashionable verdict on himself.
Fashion historian Alexander Vasiliev in his youth: rare photos of the star
Alexander Vasiliev does not hide the fact that school years was not like everyone else. In terms of style. Financial opportunities allowed parents to purchase for their children, Alexander and his my own sister, the most fashionable and expensive things. Many elements of the wardrobe of the future fashion historian were bought abroad - my father often went on business trips abroad. Therefore, the maestro himself says, flared trousers, the most fashionable shirts and the most beautiful and stylish shoes are what have always distinguished him from his peers. It’s clear that in the USSR only a few had the opportunity to dress beautifully and expensively “not like everyone else”!
Non-standard appearance and bleached strands - this was the “non-Soviet” style of Alexander Vasiliev in his youth
Despite financial well-being, Alexander Vasiliev from an early age loved to wander... through garbage dumps and flea markets. He says that the Soviet-era dump was a real treasure trove of rare, unique things. Often, people of that time easily got rid of trinkets inherited from their grandparents. Apparently, it was while walking through the capital's garbage dumps that the future master of fashion came up with the brilliant idea of creating a collection of rare antique items related to fashion. Even now, Alexander Vasiliev can often be found at flea markets in Paris, which, by the way, has always been famous for such unusual and popular places among tourists.
Alexander Vasiliev is busy looking for another item for his collection
But while collecting precious specimens for his collection and contemplating the beauties of his beloved Paris, Alexander Vasiliev does not forget about work for a minute. While still a newlywed, the future celebrity in the world of fashion and style goes to study at the school at the Louvre Museum, and then successfully completes graduate school at the Sorbonne. Immediately, the young and talented set designer was noticed in the leading theaters in France. Alexander Vasiliev became the author of the scenery for the plays “Pope Joanna”, “Triumph of Love”, “Galleries of the Palace” and many others. Later, the maestro was invited to work at the Opera and Ballet Theater in Reykjavik (where he met his second wife Stefania), and then to the Royal Flemish Ballet.
The desire for beauty has always been in Alexander Vasiliev’s blood
Needless to say, the young man easily charmed not only women, but also his potential employers with a relaxed and at the same time refined manner of conducting a conversation, with his natural charm and signature smile.
Alexander Vasiliev’s trademark smile is easily recognizable even in a photo taken many years ago
However, the great experimenter Vasiliev did not want to limit himself to searching for himself only in style. He easily tried on different roles. Now he is a decorator, now he is a designer, now he is an art critic. While living in France, young Alexander Vasiliev even managed to try himself as an actor and model! True, as he himself recently admitted, these roles were so insignificant and mediocre that there is essentially nothing for a fashion historian to be proud of in this field.
Rare photos of Alexander Vasiliev in his youth
