HSE University-St Petersburg School of Art and Design Organises Fashion Show of Students' Collections at VK Office in the Singer House
HSE University-St Petersburg School of Art and Design, with the support of VK, has held a fashion show in the Singer House, one of the most famous architectural monuments in the city. They presented the work of the graduates of the continuing education programme and the first-year bachelor's students.
The event brought together representatives of brands, fashion media and cultural institutions. The rich history and expressive architecture of the Singer House highlighted the main idea of the show—a dialogue between generations in the fashion industry.
Nikita Zelepuhin
Curator of the track 'Fashion Design'
'When VK supported our idea to hold a fashion show in the former building of one of the main companies in the history of Russian fashion, all the concepts came together: mythical threads of fate, designer's materials, the historical heritage, and a wide scope for creativity. This place is directly connected to the history of my family. In 2004, my father participated in the reproduction of an eagle on the dome. Since childhood, I have looked at the sketches and been proud of the fact that he took part in the restoration of such an important historical site. Since then, of course, the Singer House has been a special place of attraction for me'.
The curator emphasised that the collection for a runway is the result of not only hard skills but also developed creative thinking. 'We teach students to take the diversity of the world to heart and use this experience to get artistic results, tell their own stories and show their unique nature in the projects', added Nikita Zelepuhin.
The ones who opened the show were the students of the first cohort enrolled in the continuing education programme 'Fashion Design'. They found inspiration for their graduation collection in traditional crafts, the plant world and personal stories of growing up.
'It is an incredible experience to find yourself inside a fashion show. I have always wanted to know what it looked like on the inside: casting, fittings, preparation. For the audience, the event lasts just several minutes, but behind the stage, the work is in full swing. Everyone is running around; the designers are putting the finishing touches. In 30 seconds, you have to dress a model, fix every detail on them and send them to the runway. I am extremely happy that I have become a part of this process and had a chance to show my collection. This experience will stay with me forever', confessed Stepanida Chernova, graduate of the continuing education programme 'Fashion Design'.
'For the graduates of the continuing education programme, this fashion show is not a full stop in their studies but an ellipsis before the start of their design careers. All of them work or study somewhere else along with our programme, and it is twice as hard. I am really happy that we managed to show their works on such a site', summed up Nikita Zelepuhin.
The second part of the show featured capsule collections by students of the track 'Fashion Design'. The show title was 'Ligature', which symbolises the transition of first-years into the big world of fashion.
As a tradition, young designers create all the items of their first collection in one colour to draw the audience's attention to the materials, textures and shapes. In 2026, the costumes were created in alexandrite, a deep shade of green named after a gem. The students explored the colour through natural motifs and unexpected associations with a scaffolding grid.
Apart from fashion design, the show participants actively worked on the organisation. The future couturiers worked as assistants, held castings, and directed the models' appearances.
HSE University-St Petersburg School of Art and Design regularly holds open presentations of student works and organises exhibitions and festivals.
