Before There Was Chanel, There Was Lamanova.

Knyajna Obolenskaya 1930
Nedejda Lamanova - one of the most influential designer of her time was absolutely unique. Designer to Her Majesty Empress of Russia Alexandra Romanov and the Ladies of her Court, she possessed a gift of true artistic soul and a vision of a true genius. She created magic with her bare hands (creating every single dress by hands including divine detailing) and was forever written in the history as one of the greatest designers of all time.

Dress Made By N.Lamanova For The Empress Of Russia Alexandra Romanov. Pictures courtesy of Hermitage.

She was born in 1861 in the family of a Russian officer in the city of Novgorod. In 1881 Nadejda begins to study the art of sawing clothes in the school which belonged to Madam Suvorova, in Moscow. After graduation, Nadejda works several years as an apprentice to Madam Voitkevich in her Atelier. Very soon young Lamanova moves up to the position of the head designer and at the age of 24 she opens her own Atelier in Moscow. Her designs were so exquisite and so divine that soon she becomes one of the most sought after designers. Her clientele now includes Empress Alexandra Romanov and many of the most prominent people of her time.

Dress Made By N.Lamanova For The Empress Of Russia Alexandra Romanov. Pictures courtesy of Hermitage.

In 1902 and 1903 Nadejda, alongside Paul Poiret (with whom she developed friendship that lasted many years) and Callot Sisters participated in the first International Exhibition Of Historical And Modern Costumes in St. Petersburg, Russia. Only very few of Lamanova's designs lived to see today. Russian Revolution changed many things. Even though Lamanova had a chance to escape to France, she chose to stay in Russia and welcomed the Revolution. In 1919 she was thrown in Bytirskaya Prison. She was accused of being of a noble blood - it counted as a crime in Bolshevik's Russia. She managed to get out of prison with the help of her friend and poet Maxim Gorky.

Nadejda Lamanova, 1911

It is believed that Coco Chanel was the first to invent so-called "pinned-up" method of cutting garments. You see, Coco could never draw her designs. It's just wasn't one of her strongest sides. Instead, she pinned fabric to the french dressing form and cut it on the form. This method is now adopted by most of the Haute Couture Houses. In reality, Nadejda Lamanova was the first one to use this method, she is the real inventor behind it. It is not entirely clear how Chanel could find out about it. My personal belief is that this is one of the rare cases of "great minds think alike", but Lamanova certainly was the one to think of it first.

Dress Made By N.Lamanova For The Empress Of Russia Alexandra Romanov. Pictures courtesy of Hermitage.

In the early 20-s, complying with the demands of a new time and the fact that Russia was destroyed by the Revolution and War, Lamanova brings to Paris her new Collection. The Collection is absolutely mindblowing - all the accessories on the models, including shoes and necklaces, are made of bread. Standing ovations were the best evidence of how much Paris loved Lamanova. Even though Nadejda loved Russia and could never think of leaving it, she was very unhappy. She was deprived of the most important freedom - freedom to be creative. With communists now being in charge she could no longer design fabulous Collection. Instead, she was invited to the Theater of Stanislavsky to design costumes for numerous brilliant productions. She also designed costumes for cinema. And what an amazing job she did! Her Costumes were absolutely astonishingly gorgeous.

Dress Made By N.Lamanova For The Empress Of Russia Alexandra Romanov. Pictures courtesy of Hermitage.

Lamanova loved French perfume, but she had no way of getting it. It was a luxury that could not be so easly obtained. Her old supplies of French perfume were coming to an end. Once she said to her friend and confidante sculptor Vera Mukhina: - " I will die soon, I have only two drops of "Coty" left..."

Dress Made By N.Lamanova For The Empress Of Russia Alexandra Romanov. Pictures courtesy of Hermitage.

In 1941, during the World War 2, Lamanova continued to go to work to the Theater every day. She was 80. She was always immaculately dressed - she loved to wear beautiful shoes with a small heel and always decorated her hands with a lot of jewelry. On October 15th of 1941 Lamanova, as she usually did, came to the doors of the Theater.

Dress Made By N.Lamanova For The Empress Of Russia Alexandra Romanov. Pictures courtesy of Hermitage.

The doors were locked. Entire Theater was evacuated and Lamanova was left behind. She was simply forgotten. She sat down on the bench near the Theater and died of a heart attack...

Dresses Made By N.Lamanova For The Empress Of Russia Alexandra Romanov. Pictures courtesy of Hermitage.