Lotta Volkova

Lotta Volkova (born 1984) is a Russian fashion stylist and model. She is the in-house stylist for Vetements and formerly[1] of Balenciaga. She is the stylist and collaborator of Demna Gvasalia, the creative director of Balenciaga and the co-founder of Vetements.[2]

Lotta Volkova
Лотта Волкова
Born
Lotta Volkova

(1984-02-13) February 13, 1984
Vladivostok, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic Soviet Union
OccupationFashion designer
Notable work

Early life and education

She was born in 1984 in Vladivostok, Russia.[3] She was named after the Led Zeppelin song "Whole Lotta Love".[3] Her mother was a professor of physics, and her father was a sea captain.[4] Early in her life she lived in an isolated region of Russia, and the internet was an important tool for her to find information. In an interview with Jina Khayyer she stated the following, "I grew up in Vladivostok, Russia, in the former USSR. We had nothing, but we had the Internet. I was obsessed with information. I was obsessed with finding things out. That is still my driving force, to find something new."[5]

When she was 17, she moved to London, and enrolled in three art courses. When she was old enough, she enrolled at Central Saint Martins where she studied art and design.[6][7]

Career

While at Central Saint Martins, she designed her own line Lotta Skeletrix. The line was popular and was picked up by Dover Street Market.[8]

She moved to Paris in 2008.[3]

Her first fashion gig in Paris was a photo shoot for Ellen von Unwerth.[4]

In 2020, she collaborated with Adidas on a collection of ready-to-wear clothing and accessories.[9]

In 2022, she launched her first collection with Jean Paul Gaultier.[10]

Controversy

In 2022, a controversial ad campaign by Balenciaga was heavily criticized for its depiction of children holding BDSM-themed teddy bears, as well as for featuring text from the federal statute the United States v. Williams (2008).[1] Volkova received significant criticism for her involvement with the brand, as well as for previous Instagram posts she shared which depicted gothic and occult-themed photographs and artwork.[1][11] A photograph of a model carrying two blood-soaked dolls during a runway show was widely circulated at the time and alleged to be Volkova, though this was later disproven, as the photographs were attributed to be that of an unnamed model taken during the 2016 China Fashion Week.[12]

It was subsequently reported that Volkova had not worked with the Balenciaga since 2017, and had no involvement with the campaign in question.[1] In a press release, a representative for Volkova stated: "She condemns the abuse of children in any form...  Lotta Volkova has not worked with Balenciaga or its team since 2017 and she has in no way participated in the brand's recent Instagram or advertising campaigns."[1]

References
  1. Power, Shannon (28 November 2022). "Lotta Volkova Breaks Silence About Balenciaga as Stylist's Pics Go Viral". Newsweek. Archived from the original on 28 November 2022.
  2. Schneier, Matthew (4 March 2016). "A Once-Obscure Designer Is Now the Talk of Paris". The New York Times.
  3. "Vetements' Lotta Volkova: 'Conventionally beautiful things are...boring". The Guardian. 17 September 2016. Archived from the original on 4 March 2023.
  4. Fury, Alex (9 August 2016). "How Did Lotta Volkova Become the Fashion Arbiter of Her Generation?". W. Archived from the original on 28 November 2022.
  5. Khayyer, Jina (14 July 2016). "Lotta Volkova: 'There Are No Subcultures Anymore. It's About The Remix.'". The Business of Fashion. Archived from the original on 28 November 2022.
  6. Fedorova, Anastasiia (2019). "Lotta Volkova is the Genius Stylist Behind the Ex-Soviet Fashion Explosion". HighSnobiety. Archived from the original on 28 November 2022.
  7. "Lotta Volkova | BoF 500 | The People Shaping the Global Fashion Industry". Business of Fashion. Archived from the original on 4 March 2023.
  8. O'Neill, Grace (28 March 2017). "Who Is Lotta Volkova?". Elle Australia. Archived from the original on 28 November 2022.
  9. Yotka, Steff (21 September 2020). "Lotta Volkova reveals her adidas collaboration". Vogue France. Archived from the original on 4 March 2023.
  10. Yotka, Steff (9 May 2022). "With a Jean Paul Gaultier Collection, Lotta Volkova Aims for Shock, Awe, and Eccentricity". Vogue. Archived from the original on 28 November 2022.
  11. Dreher, Rod (28 November 2022). "Lotta Volkova: The Devil Styles Balenciaga". The American Conservative. Archived from the original on 4 December 2022.
  12. "Fact Check-Photograph shows model, not former Balenciaga stylist Lotta Volkova holding two dolls covered in fake blood". Reuters. 30 November 2022. Archived from the original on 4 March 2023.
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