Sergei Lukovsky: fashion show with a human face. Sergei Lukovsky Sergei Lukovsky
Fashionable St. Petersburg has recently received a new life. The fashion show director and owner of the modeling agency, Sergei Lukovsky, managed to transform the shows with non-standard faces and innovative moves. As part of the St. Petersburg Avant-Garde project, Sergei shared his secrets with Rosbalt.
Over the past 10 years, Sergei Lukovsky has been a recognized authority in the fashion world - a man who has created a fundamentally new approach to fashion shows, who knows how to turn a fashion show into a truly bright event.
Sergei recently turned 39. He was born in Shlisselburg and five years ago was a soloist with the St. Petersburg State Male Ballet of Valery Mikhailovsky, where he came without any special education.
Now Lukovsky has devoted himself entirely to fashion. At the same time, in Russia he is one of the few who does this: he is a fashion show director. Sergei has 14 seasons of “Defile on the Neva”, where he was the main director of the project, almost all seasons of “Fashion Landing”, the “Opium” show in the Cadet Corps, the Sela show at the Mumiy-Troll concert, the creation of the Fashion School program on MTV, his own modeling agency, staging shows for Estel and Elegance companies, designer shows for almost all clothing designers in St. Petersburg, British Fashion Days and much more.
- Is it true that no one else in St. Petersburg does what you do, and you are the only one of your kind?
In fact, not only in St. Petersburg. Many designers from abroad, coming here, also do not understand who I am and what the essence of my work is. For example, when Philip Treacy, the great London designer who makes hats for the entire royal family, came, he was introduced to the entire team who worked on the show, and he began to express his wishes to each individual. And the guys answer him: “No, no, talk to him,” and point at me. Tracy turned purple, got incredibly nervous and began asking who I was, that he only needed to talk to me on all issues of organizing the show...
In the end, Tracy never understood why I was responsible for everything. He also didn’t understand why I was doing choreography, casting, and everything, everything, everything. Indeed, there is no name for my profession. It is impossible to call her anything. This could also be the project director, because I deal with all organizational issues. This could also be a casting director, because I am often involved in selecting models. It could also be a choreographer, because I work with the girls on the podium. It so happened that I do absolutely everything, and my whole life is an accident.
I got into ballet completely by accident. I have no education, but nevertheless I became a ballet soloist and danced for 15 years and went on tour. There were numbers with Volochkova, soloists of the Mariinsky Theater. It was also by chance that I took up choreography for figure skaters and began staging individual numbers. He worked with Moskvina, Anton Sikhrulidze and Elena Berezhnaya when they were still skating. Naturally, I also got into fashion completely by accident. Once upon a time in some salon 20 years ago I was offered to do some kind of show. It was the only luxury salon at that time. I did one show, then I was invited to teach choreography at a modeling school... That’s how it all started.
- What are the innovations in your work?
This is actually very interesting and very thankless work. And why? Let's take some kind of theater, a performance that is rehearsed throughout the season, year. Everything takes a very long time to prepare: the scenery, the lighting score, the actors take a long time to prepare for their appearance. Then, when the performance becomes part of the repertoire, it can run for a year, two, three. With us, everything happens differently - only once, and this has its own specifics. Nobody has the right to make a mistake. And why? If there is some kind of glitch in the theater, it can be corrected during the next show. We don't have such an opportunity.
I will never forget Tanya Kotegova when we did a show for her called “Baltic Coast”. The entire arena was covered with kilometers of canvas fabric. 4 tons of sand were brought, stumps were buried in it, boardwalks were laid out, wooden boats were installed, and I hung logs from the ceiling on chains. That is, there was a complete feeling of the Baltic coast with its nature. After the show ended, Tanya literally cried when she saw that the dismantling of the scenery had begun. Because everything - oops - has passed and will never happen again! We will never show this anywhere else! Only here and only now.
Every time I have to be different, otherwise I won’t be in demand. I do this business because I have to outdo myself every time. If I don't do this, then no one will need me.
- Do you consider yourself an iconic personality of St. Petersburg?
I don't know. Maybe yes. Indeed, a lot of people know me. Even when I was dancing, our troupe had performances in the October Hall, I had some fans. But even now, if you take the projects “Defile on the Neva”, Estelle’s show, there are up to one and a half thousand people in the hall. These viewers probably know me. Again, we have a modeling agency, now there are about 240 people. Plus former models. And, probably, these people also know me, remember me, love me (smiles).
- How did you come from ballet to your own modeling agency?
We are 4 years old, but we are going a year in two. Working through a season is a huge burden. Creating an agency was a natural step, everyone said: “Lukovsky, come on. Lukovsky, why not? We've been working towards this for a long time. Now I am glad that our models are in demand abroad. They advertise TopShop, Valentino, and open the Versace men's show. Our models were approved by Donatella Versace herself.
- What is your attitude towards young designers, do they turn to you?
Yes. Of course, not so much to me, but to my agency, they need models. But I'm sorry I can't mention any names. Yes, we have a “rag”, we have a “fly”, but what do they teach there... When the guys go to study in London, Milan, they come with baggage. Again, we need money to develop in this area. And who will invest them? Nobody. Our state does not support young designers. There are no government programs, which is why there are no young designers. We have an idea for a project to support young designers, we will do it soon. This will be a monthly event, after which I hope to be able to name new names. At the end of April there will be the first presentation of young guys kazimov_gracheva.
Sergey Lukovsky and Alexander Nagorny, photo: LMA
- The “Defile on the Neva” will begin soon. Is it possible to somehow call it your brainchild?
Rather, I took part in its development. But I don't work there anymore. This is how the circumstances developed. “Defile on the Neva” refused the position of chief director of the project. Now each designer will choose his own director... But, of course, 90% of the designers have already chosen me. I worked at Defile for about 14 seasons. A lot was invested, I am very grateful to Ira Ashkenadze (organizer of the “Defile on the Neva” project - the main St. Petersburg fashion week - editor’s note) that she allowed me to work there and trusted me. But you always have to start something new...
- Do you promote St. Petersburg in your work?
The fact is that St. Petersburg is an amazing city. This is an organism that lives on its own. Separately from the state, from the capital. What is happening in St. Petersburg is like nothing else. I don't want to say that I do something amazing. But when people come from abroad, when they see what has been done in St. Petersburg, they are shocked. There is such a company as Elegance, I have been working with them for a long time. And one day the company development director came and saw our usual ordinary show. Can you imagine? She came to the dressing room in tears. She cried and thanked. She also said that in Germany they never have such a level and do not have such moral saturation. People from abroad come here and see things they couldn't even imagine. Peter lives his own life. It's different. It's very intellectual, intelligent. I am shocked by Tanya Kotegova, who has been working for decades. This style can only exist in St. Petersburg. And for me, the face of our city is Tanya. She makes incredibly intelligent clothes.
- What do you think of the future of St. Petersburg?
It’s hard to say, sometimes my heart bleeds when I see some new buildings in the center. It's not close to me. I don't like innovations in architecture. Peter must remain Peter. Peter, be Peter! I like dirty scary shabby walls of houses. I like our gray swamp, heavy clouds. Again, nowhere, I have flown all over the world in my time, nowhere is there such a heavy sky. There are no such low clouds anywhere else. Only here the plane emerges from the clouds directly onto the take-off platform. I like our grandmothers, our dirty Gorokhovaya... I sometimes get the feeling that St. Petersburg has always been so dirty. And this is our flavor. Yes, it’s hard for us, but that’s what attracts us.
Alena Kugotova, photo by Sergei Lukovsky
About the project:
Rosbalt is implementing a new project - “St. Petersburg Avant-Garde. TOP-20". Within its framework, the publication talks about young and promising people who are raising the culture of the northern capital to a new level. At the end of the year, a “top twenty” will be compiled.
During the project “St. Petersburg Avant-Garde. TOP-20" a series of publications and round tables is planned in the Rosbalt news agency with young (in terms of biological and mental age) cultural figures: writers, musicians, actors, designers, photographers, librarians, leaders of Internet communities, etc. Rosbalt wants to talk with them about the future of St. Petersburg, about the formation of a new, modern image of the northern capital in the global information space.
“The goals of modernizing the country stated in the message of the President of the Russian Federation cannot be achieved without the participation of the younger generation, which must see that their creative energy and innovative ideas are in demand by society. But it is in the humanitarian environment that the ideological basis for a modernization breakthrough is formed. Technology doesn't work without people. But people need a goal and a dream,” say the project organizers.
At the end of the project, it is planned to select 20 young professionals who will implement interesting public and cultural projects in St. Petersburg. The finale of the project will be its presentation: a modern multimedia exhibition and a meeting with St. Petersburg youth.
Sergei Lukovsky, a showmaker and trendsetter, talks about his army and ballet past with his playful improvisation that conquers women’s... And not only... Hearts.
“A person is free in only one thing, to choose his addiction”
– Cultural accumulation of professions: the significance of the past – period
from studying to solo roles in ballet?
– I would like to start our conversation with this phrase: I am very grateful to the Lord,
I am very grateful to fate, my parents and all those people
who have surrounded me for forty-seven years because they
allow me to be the happiest person on this planet.
They allow me to be a “fool” and do the most rash
and crazy actions.
Everything that happened and is happening in my life is absolutely
spontaneous events, these are just my desires. I probably,
I am one of those rare people who can afford
live your desires. That's why my whole life is one
huge case. I always did only what I wanted. And in my life
there were a huge number of turns, both ninety and one hundred
eighty degrees, which I will probably never regret.
If we start from the very beginning, I have never, anywhere, learned anything.
I even got into ballet completely by accident. When I finished school I wanted
become a hydrobiologist – study dolphins – did
huge reports at school on biology, I always loved
animals and really wanted to study dolphins seriously.
One night, after final exams, I was walking with my sister.
according to St. Petersburg: I saw a huge clear sky, I saw gigantic
bridges were opening, testosterone was seething inside me - emotions - and suddenly I
I realized that I probably needed something else, I probably
you need to express yourself, go on stage. In an instant, in one
for a second I decided that I would enter Leningradsky
Institute of Culture and Arts and will be engaged in choreography.
The prerequisites, of course, were there, as a child I went to a dance club - I loved to move -
there were concert performances with my band. I decided to enroll in
Institute of Culture and Arts, and I was absolutely not ready to enter the Institute.
And a wonderful person, head of the choreography department,
Boris Yakovlevich Bregvadze, before the entrance exam
kicked me out of the hall because I was standing at the ballet barre without special shoes,
I came to the classical dance exam wearing socks. In those Soviet times,
I found the only way out - to go to “Kulek” - the Leningrad Regional School of Culture,
which was located on Dzerzhinsky Street, now Gorokhovaya.
I came to the exam fully armed, and at the end of the test they asked me a question: did I not study?
Am I at the Vaganova Academy - at the Academy of Russian Ballet? This
there was a victory! This is how I ended up at Kulek, but I managed to study
not for long, after six months I went to serve in the army. I had to
stop with your dancing. I served in the army for two years: I served under
Moscow and in the mountains of the Southern Urals. The army gave me a lot:
communicated with people, rose to the rank of company sergeant major - performed
responsibilities - led a company - it was one hundred and twenty people. There I am
I realized that the male team is much worse than the female team. These are permanent
ambition, the desire to “show off” and be cooler than others. It was in the army
I tried for the first time in my life to lead people, to manage
colleagues. In the army I gained the basic understanding
psychology - what a person is and how one can lead a person. By
returning from the army, I was at a crossroads, I didn’t know what to do:
either return to the School of Culture, or try something else.
And since the young blood was boiling, the brains were out of place, I tried
get a job dancing in different restaurants where they didn’t take me, so
how I had no choreographic training. But it happened
another happy accident. My friends with whom I studied at
School of Culture, have already entered the Leningrad Conservatory
to the Department of Ballet Art, which was headed by
wonderful teacher, People's Artist of the USSR Nikita Aleksandrovich
Dolgushin. My friend, Larisa Ivanova, asked me
danced in her examination number. And I succeeded in
Larisa Ivanova's one-act ballet debut on stage
Leningrad Conservatory. After the performance of the ballet Nikita
Aleksandrovich Dolgushin came up to me, and I was amazed by him
assessment - he praised me very much: he was surprised by the emotions
which I express on stage, and with what frenzy I do
this matter. Later and there I met the wonderful
choreographer Alexander Polubentsev, who invited me
work in my troupe, where I will literally be in two months
danced the main solo role in Khachaturian's ballet Cipollino.
This is a three-act ballet, a huge work. I danced myself
Cipollino!
This is how my ballet career began, everything happened by chance.
Later, becoming an artist and then a ballet soloist, I worked in
several troupes. The next lucky chance brought me to
a brilliant dancer, Honored Artist of the RSFSR, Valery
Vladimirovich Mikhailovsky. At that moment he created his own troupe -
St. Petersburg State Male Ballet Valeria
Mikhailovsky. Valery Vladimirovich saw me on stage, he
invited me to meet and chat. Much to the surprise of
me, Valery offered to dance in his troupe, and I did not miss this
chance. Already, as a soloist of this troupe, I traveled several times
globe with tours. And the last thirteen years of my ballet
career, I danced in this troupe.
– Love for dance, for choreography outside the classical school –
unique creative process, unique stage presentation –
talent, work, desire to be the best?
– Rehearsals are always happening. Every day you have a classical lesson
dance, rehearsals take place every day. And, naturally, as in ballet, the same
in sports, as well as in opera, this is a separate society of obsessed people. This
people aimed at achieving certain results. And you, of course
Well, you want to be the best. They say that a person is free only in one thing - in
choosing your addiction. The words are scary, but they must be accepted. AND
It was then, for that period, that I chose my addiction. I really wanted
to be the best, to prove to the whole world that a person without
education, a person on the street can achieve certain results. AND,
Probably, after all, I proved this, first of all, to myself. I was constantly in
hall, did not miss a single lesson, was constantly engaged in self-development.
For me, of course, modern choreography has always been interesting.
Because a classic is a classic, it already exists. I really don't like it
what is happening now in Russian ballet. Yes, of course, you need to save
traditions. But it is precisely on these traditions that the new must be based.
art. And we must raise universal dancers. I have,
as a person, I have complaints about the Academy of Russian Ballet, because there,
They don’t teach anything except the classics - we don’t make universal ones
dancers, what is there all over the world - what is in Europe, what is in America.
I know that if I hire a person from the Mariinsky Theater or
artist from the Vaganova Academy, I can’t do anything with this person,
this person will not be able to do anything except classical
choreography. The worst thing is that we remained in the 19th century, along with
Tchaikovsky, together with Diaghilev, together with “Swan Lake”, “Giselle”
and "The Nutcracker". The terrible thing is that we really have nothing new.
But there are attempts: I am happy that we have young choreographers who
are trying to do something new, I’m happy that we have appeared on TNT
the show “Dancing”, where people try and do - this is an opportunity to try
some other styles, some other directions. For me
a professional dancer is, first of all, a generalist - a person who
absolutely anything can happen. We have no right to force a dancer into a frame
classical dance, we do not have the right to stage any
restrictions. We must provoke the young artist to learn. We
must, first of all, awaken interest in a person, and it is necessary
initiative from below. You can't teach, you can learn! The initiative should
coming from this young artist who will search uncontrollably for something
something new, and try yourself in classical, and modern, and hip-hop, and something else -
That. This is my opinion, a subjective opinion.
Text Olga Kuznetsova
His name is familiar to everyone who is somehow connected with the world of fashion. He is called the man who created a qualitatively new approach to fashion shows.
Sergei Lukovsky knows how to turn any fashion show into an unforgettable show, and the media recognize his agency LMA as a unique phenomenon. A correspondent from the magazine “Shopping” spoke with the director of the shows. People and Things" in St. Petersburg
“...I’m sorry that we, in Russia, don’t have some basic understanding that every person should mind his own business: the designer MUST come up with very cool, correct and interesting clothes, the tailor MUST sew them, and the director MUST show them... »
As far as I know, you studied ballet...
Yes, it was like that... Ballet soloist... Already retired... (laughs)
Why did such a sharp change in activity occur?
S.L.: She was not harsh in any way. The fact is that I have been in the fashion business for 17 years. In addition to the fact that I danced and was constantly on tour, I taught choreography in modeling schools, was involved in staging hairdressing shows, incredibly fashionable at that time, and later I began to receive offers from designers...
If you like working as a director so much, then why model shows?
S.L.: At one time I was involved in staging ballet numbers, and one day I was invited by the St. Petersburg shaping team, it was very fashionable then, and I started working with them. As a result, this team took first place several times! Choreography is not just ballet. Staging the passage of models along the catwalk is also called choreography...
Do you always agree on the scenario plan for the show with the customer?
S.L.: I always listen to the customer. Be it a designer or art director of a brand. I study collections, types and images and only then make a definite decision. But it often turns out that you have to insist on obvious professional things that are necessary for the presentation of this or that clothing or brand... Many do not understand this... But I always defend a professional point of view! This is probably why I have a certain reputation.
Your models are always very different... tell me honestly, do you like all your models in terms of external parameters? How do you recruit them?
S.L.: My agency is really a very different model. We now have about two hundred people, we hire guys of completely different types. We are obliged to show people of different formats: from older commercial models who can demonstrate such brands as Elegance or Escada, to ascetic-cold-young guys who can only work at Leonid Alekseev’s show, such “fashion-fashion”. A model is an individual. We now live in a time when the revival and formation of the fashion business is taking place in Russia. But, unfortunately, many people have a somewhat misconception about who models are. This is not sweetness, by no means! This is not three kilograms of cosmetics! And this is not gigantic growth and unhealthy thinness! This is, first of all, naturalness.
What is your relationship with your models?
S.L: More like friendly. I really don’t like being a Cerberus, being somehow creepy and scary. Often, many models who already have work experience are afraid to come to my agency because they think that I am a terrible tyrant and despot. And those guys who have been working with us for 2-3 years understand that I’m only like this at work. That when we come to the site, I demand maximum diligence, it must be a closed mouth, it must be basic discipline, otherwise we will not be able to do our work professionally! And up to 60 models can work on the site at the same time! And if I scold someone, it means I want to get something. Task: listen and implement! After that, I will come up and kiss you 10 times, apologize 10 times and lift you in my arms 10 times. This is work and our relationship.
By what principle do you choose clothes for yourself: fashionable, comfortable or, for example, expensive?
S.L.: This, of course, does not depend on the cost! These can be pants for 300 rubles or 20 thousand. Probably, a thing should be non-standard and comfortable in order for me to like it. I can’t say specifically what I prefer or what I wear. I may like completely different things. These can be torn pants, classic trousers, tattered sneakers and expensive shoes. I may be wearing an old sweater and an antique tuxedo, which is all coming apart at the seams, with threads sticking out of it. It is always different and depends only on my mood.
And the last question... Do you like shopping?
S.L.: I like this disease. I think this is good, this is great! After all, shopping is fun!
In Autumn Fashion -marathon’12 even involves areas seemingly far from the city center and fashion events. This time the event is called “Fashionable Weekend Autumn” passed, don’t be surprised, in the Grand Canyon shopping center on Prosveshcheniya Avenue. In fact, the location is not so important, if the event itself is very interesting and eventful, then you can go to the other end of the city in order to spend your Sunday with benefit, listen to speeches by professionals from the world of design and fashion and gain new information for yourself. And for those who live in the North of the city and are interested in these topics, God himself ordered to visit the “Fashionable Weekend!
On Sunday, October 14, the weather turned out to be anything but autumnal and sunny, and in a good mood I went to a lecture by fashion guru Sergei Lukovsky, which took place as part of the above-mentioned event. But this was rather not an ordinary lecture, which is based on the principle “only the lecturer speaks,” but rather a lively conversation with an interesting and very professional interlocutor.
Before this, I had never heard Sergei speak, so I listened to his speeches and stories with special attention and enthusiasm. He immediately informed the audience that he had no home preparation for his speech, and he was waiting for questions from those who came, to which he would be happy to answer. Of course, the very first question was how the fashion guru himself began his career. And everyone was surprised that Sergei did not study this craft anywhere specifically, but worked in the theater as a dancer, without graduating from the Vaganova School. “It’s all about a strong desire to do something that is truly desirable for you, something that you are passionate about” - said Sergei.
Lukovsky entered into this creative activity by chance and people, more precisely a friend who in the 90s worked as a simple salesman in Lilia Kisselenko’s boutique. This is how he met the famous St. Petersburg designer Lilia, who asked him to help organize the show. Sergei held the first show on one of the central streets of St. Petersburg - Malaya Sadovaya, simply scattering a huge number of real apples on the asphalt, among which models walked in outfits from Lilia Kisselenko. This became the runway for a powerful career as the head of the first official modeling agency LMA in Russia by Sergei Lukovsky.
Of course, the question of whether it is possible to become a model in LMA , for example, by approaching Sergei on the street... Of course you can! Everything is possible in our life. An example of this is numerous successful models LMA and contracts with leading Fashion Houses of the world. Bright representatives from St. Petersburg, shining on the high podium - Dasha Malygina, Arina Strizh, Katya Ryabinkina, Masha Lesovaya, winner of the first season of “Top Model in Russian,” and many others. The beauty given to them by nature was revealed even more after studying at a modeling school LMA , because the main thing is continuous work on self-improvement: both external and internal. Absolutely any girl can be accepted into the modeling school, and not just the established stereotype “90-60-90”, since working as a model requires different images and types. Of course, not all girls who undergo training become models, according to Sergei Lukovsky, “he does not promise them stars from the sky and rapid modeling and career growth” . But many students change their attitude towards themselves, towards what is happening around them, and their inner core of character is strengthened...
I was especially pleased with the story told by Sergei, about a 65-year-old lady who was not ashamed of her “non-model” age, but came for an interview at a modeling school LMA and categorically stated that she wants to become one and she does not care about the young age of the other students, since during her youth there were no such schools, but she wants to be beautiful! Well, who, after such compelling arguments, will refuse to study? This may be difficult to do, and LMA This was no exception. After graduating from school, the graduate opened her own fur clothing salons, which she continues to do successfully to this day. Here is such a funny but instructive story that if we just want to, our everyday life can turn from a routine into a dream, and age is sometimes not a hindrance here.
Since Sergei Lukovsky is also a famous director of fashion shows and fashion shows, almost no fashion show can do without his productions. Fashion Week In Petersburg. He has worked with such world-famous designers and fashion houses as: Thom Brown, Phillip Plein, Kenzo, Trussardi and others. He is also the director of a large-scale show Estel , actively collaborates and hosts events for the Stockmann department store. His professionalism is very high and the designers completely entrust him with the preparation of the show at the show. On this occasion, he cited an excellent statement from Thom Browne, for whom he was preparing a memorable show on Aurora Fashion Week this spring. When Lukovsky asked what exactly Tom wanted to see at the show of his collection, to which he replied: “You are a professional, you work” . Since in the West, a designer is a person who works only on the creative component of a collection, and the rest is taken care of by other fashion industry professionals. Sergei expressed the hope that we in Russia will also learn to work this way. He believes that everyone should do their job efficiently. And you can't argue with that.
Also L.M.A. actively supports young talents in fashion design. The project is called LMA PRESENTS , which with enviable consistency discovers new names. The first show took place in April 2010 in the Monochrome Loft studio and presented the brand’s collection K azymov_G racheva, a young design duo from St. Petersburg, bringing together 60 guests. This year's event took place in the summer at the Rowing Club and was attended by over 1,500 people as entry was free to all for the first time. The project aroused particular interest among the fashionable public of the city, where four new names were presented in one evening: Alina Muha, Liza Odinokikh, Anna Fedorova, Atelier Galetsky.
And there is only one conclusion from all of the above: Sergei Lukovsky has made and is making, to this day, his contribution and unquenchable creative potential to the development fashion -industry in Russia. And, of course, such a person certainly had fans at Fashion Weekend. The girl Svetlana asked Sergei a question in verse, the final phrase of which was: “What do you dream in your brilliant dreams?” certificate for training at FASHION ACADEMY LMA (FALMA) - a project for those who want to work in the fashion field.
This autumn weekend It was a success and I want to believe that each of his guests gained useful information for themselves and will be able to apply it in practice, developing our domestic fashion sphere. After all, the future is ours!
