Alexander Vasilyev

(biography, photos, videos) Aleksandr Vasilyev

photograph of Alexander Vasiliev

Name: Alexander Vassiliev ( Aleksandr Vasilyev )

Date of birth: 8 December 1958.

Age: 58 years

Place of birth: Moscow

Activity: fashion Historian

Marital status: not married

Alexander Vasiliev: biography

Alexander Vasiliev, fashion historian, honorary member of the Russian Academy of arts, which the Russian public learned thanks to the popular TV show «Fashion verdict», is known far outside the country. This distinguished art critic, collector and theatrical designer works worldwide: — collaborates with theaters, exhibits of the exhibition of its collections of historical costume, and also lectures about the history of fashion in several languages.

Alexander Vasilyev was born in Moscow in a family of intellectuals. His father,

Alexander Pavlovich Vasiliev was the famous theater artist, designer, winner of the Grand Prix at the Brussels world exhibition in 1959. For its creative heritage of Alexander Vasilev-the senior was awarded the title people’s artist of Russia, in different years he headed the Soviet center of International Association of scenographers and theatre technicians, artists Department of theatre and film in the MOSH, was Secretary of the Union of artists of the USSR. His works are in the State Museum. Pushkin and in museums such famous theatres as the Theatre. Chekhov and the Bolshoi theatre. The mother of Alexander Alexandrovich, Alyona Vasilyeva-Gurevich, played in the theater, and teacher of stage speech and acting at such universities as the school-Studio of the Moscow art theatre and the ballet school of the Bolshoi theatre. So the boy from childhood was surrounded by an atmosphere of art. That early immersion in the world is beautiful and gave him the first impetus to the development, says the fashion historian in his numerous interviews.

Sasha’s childhood was very passionate about the history of fashion and often helped her father in the tailoring of theatrical scenery. His first theatrical costumes and scenery, the future Maestro had created when he was only five years old. At the same time he took part in the shooting of Soviet children’s TV program «Alarm clock» and «Theater» the Bell». Already at the age of twelve Alexander Vasilyev acted as set decorator for a complete look theatrical performance for children «the Wizard of oz.»

Of course, in this early creative work, considerable talent and support to close the question of choice of future profession was not. After finishing school the young man entered the school-Studio of the Moscow art theatre production Department, from which he graduated in 1980 and began working in the famous Theater on Malaya Bronnaya costume.

At the same time in the life of young Alexander Vasiliev comes first love. However, the circumstances were such that the girl’s mother Masha, to which the artist has experienced romantic feelings, married a French citizen and with her daughter moved to Paris. It was the young man a big blow, but the decorator is not resigned and began to look for opportunities to get to France, that the Soviet Union was almost impossible. Vasiliev had to enter into a marriage, to leave the country. Then, the future Maestro did not know that his absence will last for many years.

Alexander Vasilyev: France

When the term of an exit visa was coming to an end, Vasilyev learned that first, after returning Home he was sent to serve in Afghanistan, and, secondly, will come into force a ban to leave the USSR for fifteen years. Both of these facts led to the fact that the young art historian became a «defector», having placed himself in France a residence permit.

In Paris, thanks to the talent and hard work, Alexander Vasilyev quickly found a job with a degree. He began to receive orders for execution of different performances in French theaters, and street festivals. In parallel, the artist is constantly increased their qualification: in addition to self-study, he graduated from the school of the Louvre, specialty design Palace interiors.

Over time, the track record of decorator replenished with such famous clients as the theatre of the Rond Pointe, Royal Opera of Versailles, the Opera Studio de Basti, Lucerne, festival in Avignon, and many others.

Then Alexander Vasilyev started his teaching career: he taught the history of fashion of the students of the Russian theatre school and the famous Paris fashion school

Esmod, which is the world’s first educational institution of this nature (founded in 1841). Subsequently, the geography works Vasilyeva has improved markedly since the Russian decorator in Europe was considered exotic. Alexander began to receive offers of cooperation from the UK: a talented designer interested in the London National theatre and the Scottish ballet in Glasgow, the orders were coming from all over the world — Iceland, Turkey and Japan. Through long-term contracts in France, Spain and Italy, the artist had the opportunity to master the languages of these countries, which later gave him the opportunity to lecture in Spanish, Italian and French. Field practice lecture fashion historian began in 1994, received by the time the French nationality.

Alexander Vasilyev: «Fashion verdict»

After the collapse of the USSR, Russia Alexander Vasiliev continued his educational activity in the field of design, fashion and aesthetics. In 2000, under his patronage in Samara took place the first festival of fashion «Alexander Vasilyev’s Volga seasons». Two years later, the historian of fashion and started her own show «Breath of the century» on TV channel «Culture».

In addition to the private lectures of Alexander Vasiliev teaches at MSU the history of fashion, is the founder of architectural design Studio and catering school of fashion, which organizes educational trips to the cultural capital of the world. At different times, the decorator gave a course of lectures at the Moscow Institute of Television and Broadcasting «Ostankino», the school of style «MODA.RU». Also, thanks to his patronage, in Chelyabinsk was opened the first in the history of Russia Museum of the history of fashion xx century.

Since 2009, Vasiliev was replaced by Vyacheslav Zaitsev to the post of leading the courtroom fashion of the popular TV show «Fashion verdict» in which the Maestro works in conjunction with

Evelina khromtchenko and 2012 leads to the radio «Mayak» cycle of author’s programs «Portraits of the great mods.» In 2011, Vasilyev founded his version of «Michelin stars» for the high aesthetics of the interior design Maestro presents the winners of the ceramic Lily. Each award is handcrafted and has its own personal number for authentication. «

Lilies of Alexander Vasilyev» are awarded mainly for the design of public interiors, open to the public — cafes, train stations, public galleries.

Alexander Vassiliev: books

Of course, such a wealth of experience in the history of fashion should pass to our descendants. Peru Alexandre Vassiliev owns more than three dozen books, mainly devoted to the history of Russian fashion and style of Russian immigrants of the early twentieth century. His work

«Beauty in exile» was published six times. The plans for the Maestro edition of the memoirs of Tatiana Leskova, granddaughter of the famous Russian writer Nikolay Leskov, prima ballerina of the Russian ballet and Director of ballet in Brazil. Biography of Alexander Vasiliev, as he claims himself, gradually formed from his diaries, which he carefully leads to for many decades.

Alexander Vasilyev: the collection

Fascination with the history of fashion Alexander Vasiliev made an avid collector. So, his private collection of historical costume is one of the largest in the world. The most valuable exhibits are the masterpieces, which belonged to the Princess Mary Scherbatova, ballerina Maya Plisetskaya, the Countess Jacqueline de Bourdon and Olga von Kreutz. Russian theater and film actress willing to give their costumes for the collection.

Since the main purpose of the collection is not so much possession, how many educational activities, Alexander Vasilyev forms on the basis of its thematic exhibitions, which are regularly held in Russia and abroad. The future plans of the fashion historian — the creation of a permanent exhibition, which will be the first in Russia Museum of historical costume.

Alexander Vasilyev: personal life

Maestro was married sham marriage, which he, being a graduate of the Moscow art THEATER, made to obtain a French visa. This marriage lasted five years, but then the couple divorced.

After this personal life of Alexander Vasiliev was associated only with art. Sometimes jokes Maestro, he married fashion and happy in such a marriage.

Alexander Vasilyev: bibliography

Beauty in exile
The Russian fashion. 150 years in photos
The European fashion. Three centuries. From the collection of Alexander Vasiliev
Series of books-cards «Carte Postale»
Today I am in fashion…
Sketches on fashion and style
The fate of fashion
Little ballerina: Confessions of a Russian emigrant
Russian Hollywood
Childrens fashion of the Russian Empire
Paris–Moscow: the long return

Alexander Vasilyev