Flowers, skyscrapers and My Little Pony in a single collection of gowns and printed plastics – step into the world of Fyodor Golan.

Princesses and Ponies

The designers’ collaboration with My Little Pony wasn’t a subtle one. From full chest motifs to front row gifts of pastel beanie baby ponies and squishy rainbow stickers for everyone else, the kitsch kids toy was plastered everywhere. The equestrian influence didn’t end there, having a more traditional sartorial presence in the form of saddle-bag style pockets and long boots. They were high-gloss pale pink thigh-high PVC boots though, you might not be galloping on a steed in Fyodor Golan pieces any time soon, unless you can side-saddle in a floor length dress.

Sequinned Sportswear

Even though the collection was super-kawaii right from the neon rainbow colour palette to the iridescent flowing skirts, basic sportswear aesthetics still crept in. Puffer jackets were reworked into dresses, baseball jerseys became dance floor ready in skyscraper photograph prints and glitter editions. Even one of the dramatic gowns was topped with a purple sequin jersey.

Ungulating Silhouettes

The floral inspiration was clear not only through the patches on pieces but also in the shape of skirts. A ruby red knee length number bloomed like an orchid, with separate panels and rolling curves to make it swing upon movement whereas plastic pieces were stiff and boxy with sharp lines and strong shoulders. High necked jumpers and dresses crossed the catwalk with deep plunging vs. The vision of the collection was retained and reinforced by the bright colours and themes.

We caught up with Fyodor Podgorny and Golan Frydman after the show…

When did you start designing this collection? When did it all begin to form in your mind?

Golan Frydman: Fuck, it was like three weeks ago! Really!

Fyodor Podgorny: No, designing, not making! Making, yes, three weeks ago!

GF: We travelled to China, Hong Kong, Shanghai…It was super inspiring and very overwhelming as well. Modern China is nothing that you can imagine. It just filled us up with lots of stuff and we were sketching the whole time.

FP: A lot of collaging things, you see so much! In the collection you see a lot of patent leather and print together and another colour together to feel very expressive, [the clothes] almost became like hybrids because you see so much texture together and colours – we tried to create our own flower!

Other than your travels, what inspired you?

GF: We collaborated with My Little Pony and Michael Wolf who is an amazing photographer in Hong Kong.

FP: He’s doing this kind of psychedelic landscape photography. There was a lot of density that we wanted to show in this collection so there’s flowers, the buildings, a lot of textures again. When you’re close up you can see flowers and laundry hanging up in the skyscraper photos.

How did those collaborations come about?

GF: We actually went to My Little Pony because I always knew that we were meant to be. I love Ponies!

FP: When you’re in Shanghai you see all these skyscrapers in pastels and baby colours and I think we saw Michael Wolf in a magazine.

GF: We just got in touch and started a conversation and it flowed really organically.

What kind of girl do you imagine will wear your clothes? Where will she wear them?

GF: The coolest girl in the world! She can wear them anywhere she wants – go to Tesco in a big gown!

FP: The most important thing is that she must be fragile and fearless.

What’s your favourite piece from the collection and which was the hardest to make?

GF: Maybe the gown was the longest to make but we loved making all of them. I think my favourite piece is the short pink dress with the green orchid embroidery that is covered in plastic with a neon green crystal trim all around. I feel like it really has all the different elements and spirits of what we felt in the collection in one piece – shaped into perfection!