Interview about fashion evelina khromtchenko. Evelina Khromtchenko: “I don’t depend on things

August 4, 2010, 21:52

A little about Evelina: Born: in Ufa Graduated: Moscow State University, diploma of journalism Career: editor-in-chief of L'Officiel magazine, host of the Fashion Sentence program on Channel One. Preferences: Book: The Book of Fictional Creatures by Borges Movie:"Get Shorty", "Pokrovsky Gate" Actress: Meryl Streep Food: vegetable salad with salt, but no dressing Interesting fact: Khromchenko is an excellent shooter. She has a marksman badge. Blitz Poll If the city... Moscow, Paris, New York. If home clothes, then ... Grandpa's shirt. If an object dear to the heart, then ... Photo of a newborn son and a computer. ________________________________________________________________________ Evelina, in "Fashionable Sentence" you convince: "To change your life, you just need to change clothes." Is this your personal experience? So each of us comes to this - sooner or later. Judge for yourself. What do you think if you see a girl with unkempt hair, in torn sweatpants, a T-shirt with stains, with plastic bags in her hands? You will probably decide that this is a lady of no fixed abode. What do you think of a woman with short hair, stiff silver-rimmed glasses, a gray trouser suit, high black patent leather stilettos, and a computer case under her arm? Most likely, you will decide that this is a business woman. Students wear jeans and T-shirts, teachers wear blouses with ruffles and cameos, tight midi skirts and high-heeled shoes, society ladies wear smart mini-dresses and stiletto sandals… There are too many people passing around us every day to tell everyone about themselves. It makes our appearance for us. And if a person wants to change his fate, he first of all changes clothes, leaving the old role and debuting in a new one. This is one of the important principles of the Fashion Sentence. What would you advise women to throw out of the wardrobe forever? I don't like facelessness - standard t-shirts and jeans. I am totally against nail design. These are all evil machinations of manicurists. It is only good for fashion shooting and for the stage. In all other respects, I am loyal to any ideas. Often you meet such characteristic characters that you are reluctant to change them. Another thing is how such a characteristic suits them for life. But, if the internal and external coincide, there is no need to change. Bright, charismatic people have the right to their own style, even if it looks to others as something strange and tasteless. Take, for example, singer Cher. The nightmarish outfits that she wore on stage and in life turned into a style after a while. Cher's style is unmistakable. Paradox: when it is very bad, it is also good. Did your mother instill good taste in clothes in you? My aunt sewed beautifully. Mom has great taste. Both grandmothers had a pronounced style. The men in our family have always looked elegant. In such scenery it is impossible to develop differently. Such an aesthetic base should be in the life of every child. Little attention is paid to this, which is a pity. Socks improperly matched to boots often ruin careers and personal lives. But the opinion of children and parents on how to look often does not coincide ... I also had an alternative mother's view of things. Mom is such an English lady: in her opinion, a good girl is a pleated skirt, a blouse with a bow, fastened with all buttons, neat pumps. I used men's sweaters, long skirts, big boots, tousled head, oddly shaped glasses. Then there was the era of grunge - designer Marc Jacobs made a scandalous grunge collection, lost his job because of this and became famous. But although my mother didn’t really like grunge, she gave me enough freedom so that I still insisted on my own. My aunt helped me realize my crazy ideas. I just sat down and sewed fashionable banana trousers overnight. Thanks to the help of loved ones, despite the era of scarcity, I never felt deprived. The older members of my family knew my desire to have jeans, and I knew that as soon as the opportunity presented itself, they would do anything for me. I got my first jeans - American corduroy, ribbed - in the third grade. I still fit in them to this day, my size has not changed much. Wow! What needs to be done to keep the figure of a third grader? As a child, I was a chubby child. I lost a lot of weight in seventh grade. Since then, the size has not changed. There is an excellent recipe for harmony from Maya Plisetskaya: “Do not eat!” Are you a natural blonde? In the original, I am light brown with an ashy tint. What a complex color! And did you change it? It was quite a long time ago and rather with the aim of strengthening the health of the hair - with the help of henna. I have been a redhead for a long time. The color turned out surprisingly natural and really suited me. It helped me at the beginning of my creative path. I was noticed. At that time, was the character “red”, rebellious? My character changed little from how I played with my appearance. Whatever effects I used, they were always natural. I have never been drawn to either greens or “eggplant” or nightmarish “feathers”. I believe that a woman should change her hair color as many times as her soul, character or circumstances tell her, but everything that does not look real should be put aside. Eccentricity has a complex relationship with fashion. As an adult, I changed my red hair color to natural - by that time the real color had darkened and lost its shade of silver. She later dyed her hair blonde. And life began to play with new colors. Is it true that it is easier for a blonde to lull the vigilance of men and get along in the business world? It all depends on how much a woman matches her appearance, “keeps up” with her. If so, it doesn't matter what color it is. But, if she needs self-confidence, I recommend a natural blonde. By no means perhydrol. If hair color is not important, what qualities do you need to have at 17 to get into Vzglyad, and at 25 run a fashion magazine? Courage. And you should be ready for the chance that God will throw at you. He throws at all people, only some do not notice. The seed should fall into well loosened soil. I studied at the faculty of journalism, and people who needed a student extras constantly came to us. That's how I ended up in The View. Well, there, according to the natural structure of my body, I became a little more noticeable than other students. Mom and grandmother practically fainted at the phone when they heard: “Hello, this is Vlad Listyev. May I speak to Evelyn? The ability to dress and stand out from the crowd helped you meet your future husband? It was impossible not to notice me. But then I did not understand this - and, on the contrary, I considered myself smart, not beautiful. I belonged to the breed of typical girls from intelligent families: they have porcelain skin, thin necks, well-sculpted cheekbones, thoroughbred noses, no makeup, dresses of modest colors. In this form, she entered the faculty of journalism. I was standing in line for textbooks with a friend. Before us was a tall handsome boy, and a friend immediately began to flirt with him. I was terribly uncomfortable. They agreed that a friend would either write to him on potatoes, or send knitted socks. In general, some kind of nonsense. Then she gave him her address, and she made me give it too. I was ready to sink into the ground in shame. Therefore, then for two years, as soon as I saw this young man, I tried to hide from him. But once we collided near the lattice of the Institute of Asian and African countries. We got talking, it turned out that I work on the radio, he is in a news agency, and we can be useful to each other. Well, then you understand... Evelina with her husband In Alexander even then it was possible to guess great prospects? Of course, in a man this can be seen immediately by how he moves in the world, how he walks down the street, talks to other people, how he is perceived. Then Sasha was always not only a tall and handsome man, which was always very important for me, but also an attentive and gallant gentleman. I do not understand how a woman can not expect this from a man. This is how I raise my son. When I’m going somewhere before going out, I always show him how I dressed and ask: “Is it okay?” When Artemy was little, he enthusiastically reacted: “Mom is a princess!” But, when he became older, he began to answer, as it seemed to him, in a manly way. Explanatory conversations were held, and the person listened. Since then, he has been evaluating like this: “Well, mom, as always, it’s wonderful.” What requirements do you dictate to your son? The boy has a busy schedule. He is into languages. In summer - windsurfing, tennis, football, rollerblading, cycling. Chess, music and karate - in winter. But I don't really dictate to him. Well, tell me, what normal boy will refuse when he is told: “You will do karate so that in which case you will stand up for your girlfriend. Or - English, because otherwise you won’t earn decent money. ” The rebellious character does not wake up in the son, after all, he is 14 years old ... Of course, he's a normal boy. Well, he plays the piano, but dreams of an electric guitar. It's natural for a boy his age. And he gets it for his birthday, and then we endure "metal" concerts. Advise mothers on how to find a common language with a teenage son? If Metallica bothers you, buy him headphones. Do not sort out the pile on his desk - he has his own order there. Do not look over his shoulder when he sits "In contact" - he may have his own little secrets. Do not ask why one yo-yo is not enough for a child: if you do not see the difference between the models, this is your problem, not his. And, for God's sake - do not cut his bangs in a ruler: this is already from the field of bullying. With husband and son You are picky in your choice of clothes. In the rest, too, choose the best? Clothes are my creative tool, but I approach everyday issues like a soldier, with a minimum of requirements. I am adaptable and can exist in any situation. I heard you rent an apartment... Yes, many years. Why don't you buy your own? It is, but the hands do not reach the repair. Can you be the boss near the stove? Easily. I mainly cook with vegetables. For example, during the summer holidays I can quickly stew vegetables, make mushroom sauce, eggplant caviar, make delicious salads. Men do not require meat? Not required, but received. First of all, everyone is great. And secondly, why make a cult out of food? This is not a problem today. You can go somewhere to eat. With whom do you allow yourself to be frank, to whom can you cry into a vest? I am always frank. As for crying... Any woman is a whining creature. This is fine. Another thing is where, how and when you indulge in this entertainment. Friends do not exist to shed tears in their vest, but for mutual joy. But, if there is a need, of course, friends help - in any life situation ... ________________________________________________________________________ Universal basic wardrobe according to the recipe of Evelina Khromtchenko 1. A sand-coloured, masculine-like cashmere coat, preferably double-breasted. 2. A trench coat in the shade of khaki that best suits your skin tone. 3. The motorcycle jacket is black (for a young woman) or parka is white (for an adult). 4. Beige, gray or black cashmere V-neck jumper. 5. White shirt with a simple cut. 6. White, gray or black T-shirt with short sleeves. 7. White T-shirt-alcoholic. 8. Vest. 9. Black trouser tuxedo (a suit that includes trousers and a jacket). 10. Small black dress. 11. Knee-length pencil skirt in black wool with elastane. 12. Solid dark blue jeans. 13. High jockey boots - black or dark brown. 14. Studs - black or flesh. 15. Ballerinas of any neutral color - gray, beige, white, black, gold, silver. 16. Sneakers are low, always white. 17. A small handbag in your hand - a clutch or an envelope. 18. Bag on a chain, the size of an average book. 19. Bulk bag with two handles, better tan color. 20. Sunglasses - either aviators or large black plastic. 21. Large watch, similar to men's. 22. The string of pearls is long. 23. A scarf or pashmina in a color that sets off the face well. 24. Bright silk scarf. 25. Wide black leather belt. ________________________________________________________________________ Source - Telesem newspaper

Conversation before the opening of the exhibition of vintage jewelry

It was hardly possible to come up with a more interesting reason for talking with Evelina Khromtchenko - who, by the way, was recently awarded the World Fashion Luxury Awards in the nomination "Fashion Expert of the Year", -than the upcoming exhibition of her vintage jewelry at the Victoria's Vintage boutique on Malaya Bronnaya. The idea was submitted by the owner of the boutique, Victoria Shamis, who, together with Evelina, will meet guests tonight at a friendly cocktail on the occasion of her opening. Talk about her collection of jewelry, which, like According to her assistants, there are several thousand units, Evelina invited us to the Ostankino studio, where the shooting of the Fashion Sentence program took place that day.

Evelina, please tell us about the project that you are preparing with Victoria's Vintage. What will it be and who came up with it?

There will be a friendly cocktail with which I will officially announce that I have a collection of jewelry - part of this collection will be shown at Victoria's Vintage.I have always treated costume jewelry in a very applied way, without aspiration - for example, on the "Fashionable Sentence" program, a lot of jewelry is required, since the upper part of the set is mainly in the frame. Naturally, more emphasis is placed on the close-up area. Since a new set was worn every day, very imperceptibly, the decorations no longer fit at home. Once I shared this problem with Victoria's Vintage boutique owner Victoria Shamis, and she immediately asked if I wanted to part with part of my collection, or at least show it. Why not, I decided first , but in the course of preparing this project I realized that there would be no sale.It turns out that against my will I have gathered a very impressive collection, part of which I, using the kind offer of Vika, will present in her boutique.She has a wonderful selection of good quality vintage level - this is the right place to say over a friendly cocktail that I also have a collection.

Evelina wearing a Pegasus necklace, Rainbow Seekers

How did you start collecting jewelry?

I have always loved beautiful jewelry - in principle, I entered the "Fashionable Sentence" as the owner of a very voluminous supply of jewelry. I have never given this serious collection value, because I do not have the feeling of obsession that is familiar to many collectors: they constantly climb some auctions, catch these pieces of jewelry in vintage boutiques, follow new collections. I have always had it at the same time and by the way, like any normal woman. It's just that these industrial quantities that I need for my work are made up of very effective acquisitions. My work has been related to fashion for many years, and plus everything, I come from a family that has always been very sensitive to beauty, so everything that I inherited from my grandmothers, and everything that I took from my mother and aunt from their collections, has a very high quality aesthetic character. Genes did not allow to acquire for themselves something less interesting in terms of level. I, like any normal person, started in designer stores and ended up in auctions, and I have a sufficient number of objects photographed by famous photo artists, objects that prove that fashion is not only a commerce, but also a profitable investment: today it is in the store, and tomorrow - already in the museum.

Venetian wallet

Evelina, in preparation for this interview, you asked me to put some of the decorations on the table. Tell me, do you have any favorite items in your collection?

Yes, there certainly is. (Takes a small purse from the table.) For example, I always carry with me this Venetian purse with small bijou plastic. Recently, I really like baguette-type white rhinestones, I have quite a few of these kinds of acquisitions, which, perhaps, do not look as representative in the calculation as in use. (Puts on clips.) Now, if you put them on, a completely different story turns out. See? As soon as these earrings are on a person, they immediately have a completely different character. (Takes a rhinestone pendant earring.) I found this jewelry from the period of the first half of the 40s from a Venetian antiquary. And accidentally found a very high level of quality made me think that white rhinestones are worth paying attention to. Which is what I did later when I found myself in flea markets and antique stores - long before the peak of fame for Tom Binns and Shuruk.

Rhinestone necklaces purchased at the Brooklyn Costume Museum Auction

There are so-called "blind auctions" - "blind auctions", where you buy a lot with a very schematic description. If you don't have a representative there who sends you MMS directly from the auction, you still don't know what you're buying. For example, I had the following story: thanks to the recommendation of Sasha Vasiliev, I bought several blind lots at the auction of the Brooklyn Costume Museum, which was closing and selling off my collection. When a lot of "jewelry with colored and white stones of the first half of the 20th century" came to me, it got stuck at the French customs, because it seemed to the official who "cleared" this cargo that all these were not rhinestones, but diamonds. She insisted on this for a long time, eventually sent the cargo back to the USA, where, in fact, it was purchased, then it was sent again, with additional documents, to Paris, where we received it. This epic dragged on for a very long time, along with my "diamonds" they delayed Sasha's next collection of vintage dresses. This is his full-time job, he always buys something at auctions, and, to be fair, he often gives it to me.

Bakelite necklace, a gift from Alexander Vasiliev

When Vasiliev travels to the flea markets of the world, he always remembers me and knows exactly what will suit me. I have a lot of gifts from Alexander Vasiliev in my collection. For example, his last gift is Bakelite, I think that this is the period of the 60s of the XX century. (Takes a black bakelite necklace off the table.) I really like this rose, it reminds me of Chanel's camellia, but in fact it is clearly the work of Italian jewelry makers. Miuccia Prada was inspired by these Bakelite things some time ago, of course, they always look very presentable.

Evelina is holding a necklace and brooch from the collection of the Brooklyn Costume Museum

So, in the lot of the Brooklyn Museum of Costume, there was a sufficient number of necklaces with rhinestones of the first half of the 40s, among which there is one with a small bow. There is an Ouija exhibition in the Moscow House of Photography at the Multimedia Museum, and if you go there, you will see what it looks like. (Shows a picture on an iPhone.) Note the portrait of singer Tilly Schneider at Sammy's Bar in Bowrie, New York, December 4, 1944. In the photo of Weegee, see what she's wearing? This is the same bow. Such nice finds are often found in museums, galleries, some private collections, you find reflections of your collection in the history of fashion, it's always nice.

Left - Maison Martin Margiela necklace

And if you make the right choice in the current collection of the fashion house, after a while you reap the legitimate fruits of your insight. Here, let's say, this is my terribly favorite necklace. My photo in it - and this is 2005 - and wearing Alain Mikli glasses, which are very characteristic of this era in form, is still circulating on the net. It's funny: those people who don't like me say: this is how she retouches her photos. And this photo is 7 years old, it can be seen from the necklace - if someone claims that he is at least somehow versed in fashion, he simply must understand this by jewelry. This is a classic of the house of Maison Martin Margiela, he released at that moment two plastrons with rhinestones. But due to the fact that these are Swarovski crystals, the large one was both heavy and expensive, so I settled on a small version of the necklace and a similar brooch. I really liked them, it was probably the first rhinestone product in my collection, and indeed in my life. I have never worn bright white rhinestones. Now in the Martin Margiela collection for H&M, this object is repeated, that is, it is recognized as a cult, iconic object of the house. Hence the conclusion. Every time you really like something, do not deny yourself the pleasure, because later it will be a profitable investment.

Evelina Khromtchenko demonstrates the Maison Martin Margiela necklace

Often things appear in my collection in approximately the same way that I described in the situation with Alexander Vasiliev - they are given to me. Well, for example, this bow is a hand-made prototype that Alber Elbaz gave me during his visit to Moscow. He presented a boutique here, and he wanted to see the human Moscow - the shops that ordinary people go to, some art clusters that they visit in their free time, the streets. He just wanted to see what the city looked like, and I was his personal tour guide. He was impressed by the Rosa Azora gallery, where we bought vintage Christmas decorations for his friend Alex Ku - he collects Christmas antiquarks - as well as a visit to the place on Bolotnaya Square where newlyweds tie ribbons to pigeons' legs. And so, of course, he looked with interest at the dresses of the brides, he was terribly impressed. It was a very nice sunny, dry and cool day, we had a wonderful time, and Albert took this bow out of his pocket and gave it to me. Very touching - this butterfly was sent to him for approval, he probably turned it on the plane, thought about how he would launch it, but in the end it became mine. She just grew to me: I often give lectures in this butterfly. I love very strict, "dry" costumes that need to be "disheveled" with something, to cheer them up. And this little thing, firstly, gives a very beautiful highlight on the face, and secondly, it is ironic, like any of Albert's jewelry. And it is man-made, absolute haute couture, you can feel it, you can see it, I feel it. You see, it is on a simple rubber band, that is, it has not yet been introduced into production. I have a lot of Lanvin jewelry in my collection, but not global, large necklaces, which are quite a lot, but what later, just like an object from Martin Margiela, will be easy to recognize. (Unraveling a knot on a voluminous chain.) This is one of the most unusual chains that I have found, I wear it folded in half - I'm small, and this is how it turns out: both shorter and much thicker.

Butterfly Lanvin, a gift from Alber Elbaz

Evelina, how did your vintage collection start?

From these two objects that I found in 1998 at a Parisian flea market. (He shows two brooches, one of them depicts a military man, the other is made in the shape of a flower.) This military man seemed to me very similar to my friend Andrey Razbash, and I wore it as an image of Andrey, which in our company always met with great enthusiasm. These two brooches were always worn together. Before that, I didn’t buy anything particularly vintage, I just inherited it, but from that moment I began to pay attention to the fact that vintage jewelry can also be interesting. Now I know quite well where they can profit.

On the left - Lanvin necklace, on the right - brooches; the first vintage jewelry purchased by Evelina

And I will mark the gifts again. Well, let's put it this way: since people know that this is always a very welcome gift for me, they naturally don't forget about me when they hunt flea markets themselves. This set from Yves Saint Laurent was presented to me by my deputy Olga Spirina. You understand, this is the beginning of the 80s, the season can be restored from the pictures of the collection. This is our next step after reporting the existence of the collection; it lies in the fact that we contact fashion houses in order to restore the seasonality of all signature items. I have not the slightest doubt that I will receive the necessary information in the foreseeable future - it is necessary for the catalog of a large exhibition. (Turning to his assistants.) Please give me a ball from Sonia Rykiel and the gold chains on which it hung. And also earrings, those round, voluminous ones, they are in a white bag with a red logo… In addition to the plastron from Maison Martin Margiela, I have a variety of objects that designers created for their current collections and which later became something very recognizable. For example, here are two brooches created by Antonio Marras for Kenzo and Christian Lacroix for Christian Lacroix, that is, both are already a rarity. And this brooch is from the Miu Miu collection, which a few years ago showed a penchant for heraldry, which is so relevant this winter.

Miu Miu brooch and earrings (presumably Yves Saint Laurent)

Is it possible to find standing objects from Russian designers?

I treat young Russian designers and their products with great trepidation. Here is a necklace - a gift from Yulia Kharitonova from Queensbee, by the way, I really love this young jewelry brand, I think Yulia and her partner Natasha Mersh are very talented. Here are two brooches - Sasha & Pasha, designers who make very funny, eclectic and modern jewelry, really wanted to buy a plastron from them in the Taiga art space in St. Petersburg, but it was healthy, just like that! (Shows a size of about 30x20 cm.) If it were smaller - I really like its gasoline surface, it's beautiful - I would love to buy it. Maybe you'll get lucky later.

Evelina, what necklace are you wearing now?

This is the Russian brand Rainbow Seekers, I found them on the Internet in the first season of their existence. I immediately ordered these necklaces for the program, yesterday's students simply did not believe that this happens. And now Rainbow Seekers is just everywhere. They literally made their little personal revolution in two seasons. I'm glad I'm the cause. And of course, since I am the reason, it means that I have the most important standard. I have several Rainbow Seekers necklaces, but this Pegasus is the most spectacular. By the way, designers began to send me jewelry themselves, without any request from my side, for example, Rina and Yulia Leinov were sent from America, having previously contacted me via Facebook. The parcel went for a long time, because once at the customs they cut the thread of this necklace for some reason, Rina and Yulia repaired it, then they sent it to me through the designer Vaughn, and now we finally have it here, in the Ostankino studio. There, on Facebook, I met the wonderful brand Inga Kazumyan - this handmade jewelry maker lives in Milan. I will certainly meet her on my next trip to Milan.

Necklace sent to Evelina by Rina and Yulia Leinov

Are there any interesting stories you've come across?

Oh sure. Each of these things has a story, thanks to which so many brands, in principle, got life. For example, the brand, Flower me, I saw their flowers in the form of two hair brooches in my hairdresser Aldo Coppola. I found these people, it turned out to be a mother and daughter who were engaged in the creation of artificial flowers. The quality was very good, I know how difficult it is to achieve. I recommended them at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia, they got a stand, and they had a showroom there. And the revolution happened! Now they have beautiful packaging, they are photographed in magazines, and their products will become cult after a while, I'm sure of it. At the last MBFW-Russia, they performed in tandem with Tatyana Parfenova, creating a collection of head jewelry by Tatyana's order. Or the things of Olga Shikhova. I have absolutely no doubt that the entire fashion Internet and all magazines will soon be overflowing with the products of this talented girl from Yekaterinburg. Lace of bright colors, equipped with spikes and rhinestones, is Olga Shikhova's second strong theme, her first work is, of course, decorative collars. The largest white lace necklace now belongs to Nadezhda Babkina. I got aniline colors. Here I completed the orange lace from Shikhova with the necklace of another of my foundlings - Evgenia Linovich. Zhenya Linovich just loved doing things with her hands. When I discovered this, her main business was such a huge hangar where she sold handicrafts. Based on the elements of these folk crafts, she began to make her own collection. This hobby of hers grew, and after a while I realized that a person should already be given a stand at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia. She's now a weekly regular, and here's one of her collections. Here is a necklace from Georgy Rushev, a young designer from Yekaterinburg, who this season at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week performed in collaboration with the Bessarion house, making beautiful plastrons for the brand. And my latest find - Olga Prokopova, jewelry editor of Tatler and Glamor magazines, has started making her own Volha jewelry line, and it looks very photogenic. Soon everyone will be queuing for her products. In the summer, keep an eye out for jewelry from Maria Golubeva, the bright debut of the latest MBFW-Russia. I highly recommend paying attention to the objects of Russian designers!

Olga Prokopova necklace (Volha Jewelry)

You said that there are family items in the collection. Please tell us about one of them.

Well, we'll never end here. Because every little thing has its own long story, sometimes even drama. A brooch in the form of a poodle was bought for me by my mother when I was in the 4th grade. Then this poodle reappeared in our lives, but in a living embodiment: my mother had a dog Glasha, which at first was mine, and then my mother privatized her and never parted with her anymore. When Glasha stopped being with us, I wanted to buy my mother a new puppy, but she categorically refused, because there can no longer be another such creature. (Shows a brooch in the form of a poodle.) Glasha was cut a little differently, but this is the gun that we had hanging on the wall in the first act, and in the last act it shot right in the heart. The dog is gone, but the brooch remains. I remember what sweater I wore it on as a child - dark blue, tightly knitted from not too shaggy, harsh mohair ... Then for the first time they cut off my braid.

Sonia Rykel brooch on gold chains and Sasha & Pasha earrings

(Girl assistants bring Eveline a Sonia Rykel brooch in the form of a golden ball on a thick triple chain). I bought this object in the Palais Royal in Paris, there is a vintage gallery there, very famous lately ... When you climb flea markets, you have a serious task: you need to snatch something out of the sea of ​​nonsense. What's good about a vintage boutique: it's something that's already snatched up, you have to choose from a smaller offer. This is one of my favorite acquisitions, made during the first season of the Gabriel Gallery. At that moment, she lured non-tourist prices. Now her price list has turned into space, and I go there just to look, because I myself can perfectly "swim" through flea markets, but I am pleased to see a job well done - she has an excellent selection. I really liked it, I wore it very often at one time. This is actually a Sonia Rykel brooch in the form of a pin with a ball, 70s, which the antique dealer aunt herself put on such a triple chain - a very fashionable solution. Now the gold has faded a little, because it is stored incorrectly, for a long time this collection was practically dumped into a heap.

Prada necklace and vintage brooches

Thanks to Vika Shamis, who offered me this cooperation, I sorted out my rubble, turned it into a collection, made a catalog, so I am grateful to her from the bottom of my heart, because now I at least know how many storage units I have, I understand how I will describe them I know what I will do with them.

What, by the way?

I am currently preparing a book. There is usually a story behind every item in the collection.Sometimes I buy not to wear, but to have. At the same time as this balloon from Rykiel, I purchased these earrings, they are not marked, but I am sure that they are YSL, look. But I can't wear them, they are too big for me. I just love that I have them. And that's the point of collecting, it comes later. When you buy simply because it is beautiful, and you don’t need to explain anything else to yourself. I always face the problem of how to store it. Now we have cataloged it, the situation has become much easier and more pleasant.

Dior pearl collar, a gift from Lidia Alexandrova, 1998

What does a person need in order to assemble a collection that could interest people?

This is a very good question. In order to be interesting, a collection must be very personal, it must show your personal choice, your personal taste, your aesthetic vision. It should characterize you very much, it should be your portrait. Due to the fact that after some time some objects are removed from the collection, it is refined, that is, it begins to resemble you and becomes your reflection. Such collections are especially valuable. Not only can I tell a lot of stories about each item, I remember every item in my collection. The stylists who work with me look at me with surprise when I say: "But there is no such necklace that looks like this, it was lying there, I bought it in such and such a year." I have all this information in my head. If suddenly I don’t see something, I immediately understand it. For example, now I'm thinking about where the standard of Stephen Webster's silver bracelet for his collaboration with Guess, which was never launched - it didn't go beyond the standards, and one of them is mine. Where is he? After all, it lies somewhere ... I am looking for it. Memory like an elephant is another quality of a collector.

The owner of the Victoria's Vintage boutique, Victoria Shamis, came to the Ostankino studio to choose the jewelry that will be presented at the exhibition in her boutique

Center: Yves Saint Laurent earrings (a gift from Olga Spirina) and Flower Me artificial flower

Olya Shikhova lace necklace and Masterpeace by Evgenia Linovitch chain necklace

Necklace Volha Jewelry

Masterpeace necklace by Evgenia Linovitch

Necklace by Georgy Rushev

Interview: Katya Ukhlinova
Photo: Marina Krylova

Interview of the magazine "Exclusive. Journal of students" with Evelina Khromchenko, editor-in-chief of the Russian L`Officiel

Many aspiring journalists are sincerely convinced that something very special is needed in order to get an order. In fact, no connections are needed, no connections are needed to get a job in the media.

Evelina, I would like to know from you how it all began and how it happened that you became the most respected person in Russian fashion media.

At the age of 16, I started working as a journalist in the children's editorial office of the then All-Union Radio, at the Smena radio station. It was the first channel of the All-Union Radio, broadcasting, which was included in the rent and woke us up in the morning with "Pioneer Dawn". At the beginning of the 10th grade, I began to prepare for two admissions. The plans included the Institute of Foreign Languages ​​and the Faculty of Journalism of Moscow State University. Moreover, the Institute of Foreign Languages, because I wanted to go there: I always loved English, I liked all humanitarian subjects. And journalism simply because I knew this job: my mother, my stepmother and my stepfather worked at the Yunost radio station. In order to properly prepare for admission, I made a number of publications in various media. Being a very active schoolgirl, I ran to various events, to some meetings, concerts, debates. I met different people there. I was a sociable girl and, in general, to this day I remain (laughs). The results of my campaigns were notes in various metropolitan newspapers. In addition, I decided that in no case should I skimp on the opportunities and acquaintances that my parents provide, I took the phone number of the deputy editor-in-chief of the Smena radio station, Nadezhda Evgenievna Bredis, from my stepmother. But, in fact, this kindred help on my way ended. Nadezhda Evgenievna quite calmly told me that I could come, they could look at me. They looked at me, they gave me a voice recorder, and I began to create small stories, which later went into the programs of other journalists. At the radio station "Smena" there was a so-called children's edition, since these were programs for children and adolescents, they needed children's voices and a child's view of the problems that were covered. Therefore, I hit the right place: I could do very skilled things, because given that my listeners were my peers, it was not a big problem for me to make the broadcasts interesting for them. Due to the fact that I offered some rather interesting calls, non-trivial for this radio station, they began to add more to me.

- Appeared the first money?

While I was a freelance writer, I managed to earn even more than my mom. ...But when people see that the horse has grown, they load it. As a result, at the age of 17 I was already on the staff of the Smena radio station at the rate of a referent (this is the initial full-time position), but with the volume of broadcasting as an observer. At the same time, I already studied at the university on a full-time basis ...

- At journalism?

Yes, journalism. It just happened that the composition of the selection committee changed in the foreign language. English grammar has several directions in teaching. And since the selection committee included people who did not belong to the school to which my teachers belonged (and there, after all, there is their own hierarchy, their own groups), I was recommended "not to anger the geese", but simply to enter the next year, when the commission again will be updated and when there is a chance to pass these exams. Now, of course, it is ridiculous to talk about it, but then it seemed important. But still, I decided to see how the entrance exams go, and took a trial step. And the journalism faculty was literally under your nose. After all, I knew perfectly well what it was, I was doing it.

One way or another, I was very ready for the need to enter the Faculty of Journalism. All my printed publications were in order, the only thing I "finished off" my package with was the radio. I just thought that this side of my fantastic talent also needs to be shown (laughs).

- Have you ever regretted that you did go to Moscow State University?

What are you! This is the best place to study journalism! Only Columbia University can compete with him. So it’s a sin for me to complain, I have an excellent education. My only regret is that I didn't take the opportunity to learn an additional foreign language. I just didn't have time for it. And I received everything else in full, even despite the fact that I was there from the middle to the half, and then only for specialized subjects. At the same time - which is very pleasant - at the Faculty of Journalism they always pay attention to the student-acting author. When you really work, they run around with you like a chicken and an egg. I don't know how it is now, but then it was like that. And if I missed some not very important classes, no one even asked questions. The main thing is to hand over the abstract, write the test paper and appear at the exam. I worked, and people could not fail to notice this: my broadcasts were through the roof, and publications came out every week. In general, without noticing it myself, I got involved in the radio and began to work there. For two years of work in the state, I made an enchanting career, which seemed completely impossible on Soviet radio, having risen from a referent to an observer. The next position was the head of the department, then the deputy editor-in-chief, then the chief. I hosted the program "Peers", there was such a cult program, it went on at four o'clock. I was its author, and the author of all its plots. And I had a very large amount of broadcasting: at least four hourly programs, at least three half-hours, at least four fifteen minutes a month. This means that you could hear "Pioneer Dawn" in my performance more than once, if you were born at that time. People on the street recognized me by my voice. True, I still regret that I did not come to the solemn presentation of diplomas: I had air, and it did not occur to me to ask if they could replace me. So Zasursky did not kiss my hand.

- But you didn’t really want this, or can you again refer to exceptional employment?

No, of course, I wanted to be publicly praised for my red diploma. But the Soviet radio broadcasting system is driving a nail into your head. This nail is called self-discipline: it is impossible to let down, it is impossible to be late for the broadcast... I found those times when a certain freedom already appeared, the broadcast was already direct, but the design system of this broadcast was still fully consistent with the Soviet censorship system. You handed over all the scenario plans, all the films and designed them in the way it was customary in Soviet times.

- It seems that even then, at such a young age, you were quite competent.

And you couldn’t be an unskilled person, for example, you couldn’t put stresses wrong: you like it or don’t like it, but you have to say “teenager” and not “teenager”, because “teenager” is correct, according to the stress dictionary for workers television and radio broadcasting 1961 edition. You say "foil", not "foil", you say "decollete", because it's the only right way and no other way.

And it's very disciplined. Since my literacy is innate, my pronunciation is correct, my voice is set and suitable for youth broadcasting, there is nothing surprising that everything turned out this way. At the same time, I have an ox efficiency. In my case, the disciplinary grid fell on fertile ground. And, in fact, I am terribly happy that I started working at such a young age, because I fell into the hands of Soviet specialists.

- Soviet specialists? Like it's a special kind...

And what else! This is a tribe of superhumans. Today there are only echoes of all this. So if you suddenly managed to get into the media "under the wing" of a person who worked in a serious position in Soviet times, learn everything from him. Stick disciplinary charts in your subcortex, because if you don’t know how, you don’t exist.

- Everything is quite clear with teachers, but your practice is directly interesting.

After a while, the Soviet broadcasting system began to crumble, and money that used to seem cool no longer seemed so. But various commercial radio stations began to open. At that time, my working day was built as follows: in the morning I came to classes at the university, after which I went to the Smena radio station and did my work there, edited or cleaned the film. We didn't have computers, we worked on film, at 38 speeds. With big reel-to-reel tape recorders. I always cleaned the film myself. In principle, this work could be done through operators, but they did not always clean the way I considered ideal. I didn't love that much. I loved doing my transmission entirely myself. In other words, in addition to creative and organizational responsibilities, I also had responsibilities related to technology, which I invented for myself. And I fulfilled them and considered a very serious school for myself. In the end, I became an excellent operator, such that I could remove a word from the text even on a musical background without rewriting the broadcast. Now this is an unnecessary qualification - no one cuts or glues the film, everyone works on a computer. But if I sit down to do it at the computer, then there will simply be no equal to me, because the ear is so developed ... So nothing was in vain: for 10 years, any radio advertisement for the magazine L?Officiel was written and controlled by me. And she has always been very efficient. After all, it was always clear to me what exactly electronic media needed. And then, when I needed it, I became one of the most sought-after "talking heads" on radio and television.

- Can you be more specific here? What does "always clear" mean?

I speak very montage. I always know what my colleagues need on TV or on the radio. I know how to speak so that their management likes the program. They like to invite me for this very occasion. I am absolutely not a problem guest: I don’t need to relax before the live broadcast, I don’t need to pour cognac, I will always be in makeup, hair and dressed as necessary to be properly perceived in this studio. And I always say exactly what they want to hear from me. And even more. I can always support a weak moment, a strong one - to illustrate. Looking at this process as a montage, I can do what other guests of the air cannot always do. So nothing is ever useless. The most routine work, the most black, uninteresting and even annoying (the same transcript, for example), should always be done by a young journalist on his own. Is always. For the quality of the final product, it is very important to do all the options yourself. Instead of sending, for example, a transcript to the secretariat. At a certain stage, when your level of professionalism has stabilized, you can, but at the initial stage - by no means! Everything must be done by yourself. Journalism is a very handmade story. Over time, I had my own projects on the radio. So, I came up with and began to lead the country's first program for teenage girls with the absolutely disgusting name "Sleeping Beauty", imposed on me by the post-Soviet leadership. But there is nothing to do when they give you 45 minutes on the air weekly and when you have a rating, calculated in bags of letters, the first on the "plate", you no longer argue about the name. In addition, I conducted broadcasts at the nearby Avtoradio radio station. Under a pseudonym, because it was forbidden at the main job.

And they found out, but they couldn’t do anything, because they didn’t hand me over to Avtoradio, they said that this was their presenter, whose voice really was amazingly similar to Khromchenko: they needed a good presenter, I needed money. In addition, I was a regular fashion columnist on Europe Plus radio, where I went on schedule immediately from the Smena radio station. I wrote my reviews in the metro, because from the station "Ulitsa 1905 Goda" to "VDNKh" there is one change and two long hauls - you can write a novel. Twenty minutes before the start of the program, I came fully prepared, sat down and spoke live. It's just that on "Europe Plus", having learned that I have a good on-air training, they decided to save a recording studio for me. Therefore, three times a week I dragged myself there for my three minutes. After that, I went by trolley bus to Dmitrovskoye Shosse, to the editorial office of the magazine, which I practically founded myself.

And it exists to this day. People who had a publication for pioneer leaders called "Karusel" decided to reformat it into a magazine for teenage girls, because at that time all kinds of foreign media began to arrive in the country for this audience, and there was no such media in Russia. So they decided to be the first. I came to Vyacheslav Zaitsev for permission to name the magazine after the name of his granddaughter and the name of his perfume. He allowed and we launched a project under the chic name "Marusya".

- Oh, we remember this magazine! A great.

But after a while, my partner turned out to be a scoundrel. He did not write my name in the founding documents, thereby deceiving me. In general, I was 20 years old and I trusted him, and he was a Komsomol worker. So my intellectual property got to him for free. As a result, we parted quite badly. I left and left him a magazine. I saw this edition after years, my rubricator is still there. In addition to working in "Marus", where almost everything was done by my own hands, from the cover to even the clipping of photo illustrations, I started doing PR. The agency where I did this was called "Intermedia" at that time and belonged to my husband. In the evening, I promoted all sorts of fashion events, such as Elite model look or High Fashion Week in Moscow. And at night, when I got home, I started freelance work for everyone who was ready to publish articles about fashion, because I had to earn money for the next trip to Paris, for the next show. Of course, none of the post-Soviet publications would ever pay for such a trip. But I knew that if I wanted to write about fashion, I had to be in Paris. And I was there.

- Did you immediately make the necessary acquaintances there or just do reviews from the shows?

You know, when you go on such a trip at your own expense, the situation changes radically: you perfectly understand that it is necessary to collect so much material in order to provide them with a huge amount of media. You also need to "recapture" your costs! Naturally, as soon as the show ended, I rushed to the back-stage like a bullet and found myself first next to the designer, even before the "kissers" who congratulate the designer on a successful show. Not to mention that I was the first in a series of interviewers. What is there Marie-Christina Marek, what is Elsa Klench! What are we talking about?! I was the very first. While the columnist for the International Herald Tribune approached the designer, I already interviewed him, it was clear: you gape, you end up in the tail, the designer will get tired, the baby will not give an interview, and then the baby will also be late for the next show! Well, I do not.

- Evelina, you inspire!

And it's not hard if you really want it. When you really need it, you get everything. And I received. It became more difficult when I became the editor-in-chief of the magazine, because they began to recognize me in person, and everything had to be done according to the rules. But when I was a small independent correspondent, I could do as I saw fit. And I did. And so I had a huge lineup of interviews for all the radio stations I worked for. Then these interviews were more fully transcribed and published in a bunch of media. When all this was published, I was harvesting royalties, and the time for a new Week, a new accreditation, was just right for me. I could go to Paris again. At that time, I was earning absolutely wild money on exclusively journalistic work. My first publication in Izvestia came out when I was 21 years old. In Soviet times, this seemed in principle impossible. But the most amazing thing I published there: it was an interview with Claudia Schiffer, who then came to St. Petersburg. If you manage your time correctly, you can succeed even when you are very young.

- Did someone support you at that moment?

My husband. Then we organized our own PR agency with him. At that time, he had problems with partners, and I said: "Yes, you spit on them! Let's organize a new agency. Under a new logo." And we organized "Artifact". Even before joining L "Officiel, I organized and held more than 70 conferences under its logo. For example, with Sharon Stone, with Gwyneth Paltrow, with Valentino Gorovani, with Emanuel Ungaro ... I prepared a press conference for Emanuel Ungaro, but I could not hold : on this day I gave birth to a son. A message came on the pager of my husband, who led this press conference, and the journalists began to whisper, they say, I did it and will come now. Something like this happened: five days later I was already standing at the microphone on the radio "Europa Plus".

You yourself said that it is important to be able to allocate your time, could it really be possible to postpone the conference and broadcasts for the time of childbirth?

Actually it was funny. I was misdiagnosed as the time of delivery. They said that I would do all this in mid-April, but it didn’t work out. It turned out at the end, just before the May holidays. I prepared in advance the recorded broadcasts on the Europa Plus radio. They are running out already, and I'm still in the hospital. And now I’m running to the telephone, pot-bellied aunts are standing near it, some kind of unkempt ones, in slippers ... And I sewed myself a fantastic completely designer bathrobe from Tanya Romanyuk, and now she’s all so luxurious, even with makeup, I push everyone, I make my way to the phone and get through to "Europe Plus". They connect me with Aksyuta, at that time the program director of this radio station, and I yell at him: "Yura! The connection can be interrupted - there won't be another! I don't have time to give birth! Send me a person with equipment to the hospital, I'll tell him. Four more broadcasts" . He told me: "Where are you?" - "In the hospital" - "What are you doing there?" - "I give birth" - "Here and give birth!" So for the first time in my life, the May holidays arose. Previously, I had neither the May holidays nor the New Year. All life was planned between deadlines.

- And that you never missed a deadline?

No. Never. Let me die! I will build a bridge with my body between the two banks, and let them pass over me. I survived two coups at work. Moreover, a funny story is also connected with the first: in the morning, classical music was heard on the radio. We realized that things were not clean. But I went to work because I had an editing. Arriving there, I saw a tank: its butt was on the street, and the muzzle occupied the entire lobby. And at the checkpoint stood not the usual guard, but a soldier. I show the pass, I say: "I have to work. I have an assembly day." And he: "Don't you see? We have an assault in two hours." "So I'll do everything in two hours and leave." In general, he let me through with the words: "All of you are crazy here." Well, no one called me from my management, didn’t cancel my studio time, and it didn’t even occur to me that it was dangerous, that I could get hurt and that I needed to miss the working day ... I edited my program and 15 minutes before the start the storm is gone. At the same time, I did not know whether this program would go on the air, but I knew that I had to fulfill my duties. And not because I get paid for it. Completely because of something else! This is ether, this is sacred. What kind of a full-time radio worker will I be if I break the air? My task was to get there by any means, even through the window! And I would have gotten through if they hadn't let me in. And the second storm in my life happened just when I came to Ostankino to do my three minutes about fashion. I go through the back entrance, because the front one is already occupied, and the watchman says to me: "They are about to start. There, they say, there is already a bomb." No, I think I'm fast. I go up to the studio, Zhenya Shaden is sitting there, broadcasting. I ask: "Is there a signal?" And he doesn't even know! A person works and does not know if people hear him. It just does its job, because again no one called, no one canceled the broadcast. And I also get on the air, and, not knowing if anyone hears me or not, I broadcast my three minutes about fashion. And I leave, and I really hear that there is shooting, I see fire ...

- Is the work for you was so in the first place?

Yes. Is always.

- What about the family?

Family is also important, of course. But I still believe that the most important thing in life is what we do. I don't see my family as a job. Family is relaxation, it's native.

- And when is the relaxation?

It seems that you do not have 24 hours in a day, but all 48.

Yes, that is right. I'm telling you, you just need to properly allocate your time.

And have you ever had the desire to say: "That's it. I don't want to, I won't, I'm tired"? Have you really never wanted to go somewhere for a month and not think about work at all?

Well, firstly, not a single normal head of the media can afford to leave for a month. And secondly, I always take a laptop with me.

- You don't seem to know fatigue?

No. I don't understand how it can work differently.

- But there are, probably, some not very pleasant moments in the work ...

Yes, as much as you like!

- And how do you carry them?

With difficulty, like any normal person. It's just really hard to imagine how you can work for many years without days off, without holidays ... and not get tired. Well, in the last 10 years, I still have the New Year, and the May holidays, and a break between deadlines (laughs). Of course, we all go somewhere. You know, there was a time when I also thought that it was simply impossible to work more, but when I came to L "Officiel magazine, I realized that this was not the limit either. So never say never. Now that I have 9 years in my asset work as the editor-in-chief of L "Officiel, I realized that at the same time I could be the host of a daytime television program, without detracting from my immediate duties: I still read and sign each strip, approve each picture and develop each photo session. Thanks to the inventors of the I-phone.

- Aren't you fed up with fashion during these 9 years?

Not! When you have decided on your specialization, that's it, you cut the rope. After some time, every normal journalist must understand what is more interesting for him to cover in this life, he must choose his own path. It is impossible to write about everything! You must become a specialist. The one who writes about business should know more than those who do this business. Specializing in some area, you don’t even want to think about anything else. You are only interested in this, because you are part of this sphere. And that's why you don't get tired of it. That's what I like about my job. The media is such an amazing thing! It is without a bottom, it can be improved constantly. There is no limit to perfection, because time does not stand still. Our task is to find ourselves as soon as possible so as not to injure anyone's brain. Including yourself.

But after all, it can happen that a person only eventually realizes that what he has been doing all this time is not his.

This practically does not happen: if you do not like your work, you do not achieve much. This is the secret of great achievement. It happens in a different way: you understand that you are not learning. And it is not uncommon when a person receives one education, but finds himself in a completely different one. This only indicates that you started early, and later, even after achieving some success, you will have to get additional education. The most important thing here is to listen to yourself, you should get high from what you are doing. I remember this childhood surprise: I get pleasure, and I get paid for it. In our business, money always comes second. If at an interview a person immediately asks the first question: "How much will you pay me?" - I will answer: "Yes, not at all. Goodbye."

But money is very important for many people.

Undoubtedly. I also work for money, I have always been interested in this too. Here the question is how you turn this desire to earn money. For my work, this was not at all the main thing. I still do a lot of work without asking how much I get paid for it. Such an example in my childhood life was the work in the magazine "Spark" and in the newspaper "Izvestia". I made money on the radio, but I wrote for practice, because I understood that a radio journalist has difficulty reformatting a "live" text: we were not taught this. At some point, I realized that I had to solve this problem myself. What should I write in the print media. I learned to write dialogues from the book "Carlson, who lives on the roof." At that moment I was 17 years old. And I learned. I hate to write (as do many journalists), but when I have to, I do it superbly. We must learn something along the way in order to make a name for ourselves in the future, to earn a credibility. And money cannot be put at the forefront here.

Evelina, you often say that your goal has always been to change the image of Russia in the eyes of other countries for the better. Have you succeeded in 9 years?

And then! I always succeed in what I undertake. For example, Time magazine recently reviewed new luxury markets. And these new markets are China, India and Russia. Big article, eight pages. China is represented by a distributor of luxury brands, India is represented by the editor-in-chief of Indian Vogue. I represent Russia.

Our authors are very talented people. The main feature of our full-time employees is responsibility. Sometimes it’s funny to hear how a person tries his best to deny a prestigious business trip: “Evelina, I can’t go to this “white party” in Cannes! I have a deadline, I have a lot of work in my office.” But for some, this is a dream job. In addition, we have many non-trivial freelance authors from Ingeborga Dapkunaite to Stepan Mikhalkov. For a long time Vitaly Vulf led the "Legend" column, now his favorite student Serafima Chebotar has become the columnist. People of completely different professions write here: from professional writers, like Mrs. Robsky, to professional mathematicians, like Varya Remchukova, a girl who is very good at jeans and is the heiress of a large publishing house. We have very strong authors. Sati Spivakova, for example, once made a big exclusive interview with Bernard Arnault. And that was his only very personal appearance in the world press. In the world! I'm not talking about the Russian: she, of course, is resting. And I'm sorry that our magazine is not published at least in English. I dream that the world will see what a strong magazine was born in Russia. We do not reprint everything that our French partners do. We create our own separate product.

- Why don't you want to make the same magazine only under the Russian brand?

This requires very serious investments, while no one agrees to them.

- But would you be ready to go into your own project?

And why can't it be done at the same time, even under the banner of one publishing house? If it is distributed correctly... But in fact, I am not looking for adventures on my own head, because the media is, first of all, serious work and big business. Often, people who come to get a job at the "gloss" sincerely think that we start the morning here with champagne and caviar. It's not like that at all! And not only here, but also in all mass media. Another thing is that we are tougher, because, say, in the Vogue you mentioned, for example, 40 people work in the state, and we have 22. But one way or another, people who come to "live a beautiful life" in a fashion magazine have to open their eyes to the truth. And they, in fact, packs "unstick". Only the most persistent remain. In general, it seems to me that one of the most significant gaps in modern journalism education is the lack of "real", practice. People do not always understand what they are really doing in life. Most of all, I am outraged when girls receive education with public money, and then get married and sit at home.

Why, you ask, did you do all this? Why did you take someone else's place? Why do you need a diploma in journalism when feeding a child? I believe that people should be forced to work off the money that the state has invested in them.

Don't you think it's too cynical? After all, it happens that today it seems that you need a career, and tomorrow you meet someone and you don’t want to think about anything but family happiness. Haven't you had a single day when you thought: "Do I need a career?"

And I have both a career and family happiness complete. I never understood why I personally stand at the stove and cook porridge for my child with my own hands? This is done with great pleasure by the grandmother, who is retired, and who has a lot of time and, most importantly, the desire to cook porridge.

But it can be fun too!

I don’t argue, but why did you study at the university, take someone’s place, so that after receiving a diploma, cook porridge all your life without returning to the profession that you studied for 5 years ?! It’s because of such girls in my student years that they didn’t take them to international schools, they say, they will leave, get married, sit at home and cry for an expensive education.

Why inflate the number of enrolled students if, at best, only a third of them will go to work in the media?

Let there be fewer students, let them ask nasty questions, let them skip lectures, but let them work. From the very first course. Journalism is a working profession! I have always been distrustful of nerds at the faculty of journalism, who, having diligently served all the lectures on the front row, spent the rest of the day in the library, and then went home to watch the program "Time" and sleep. They didn't write articles, they didn't make programs - they, you see, had no time, the workload was heavy at the Faculty of Journalism. Yes, this is a difficult time, but when you're twenty, you can quite easily stay awake for two nights. That's why she is young, to endure certain hardships. But then you can succeed.

- Did you have enough time for anything besides work during your studies? Did you have student life?

Yes, but minimal. For me, there was no question: go to a party or sit out on the night air. I have always opted for broadcast.

- Is it possible to develop such a love for work in oneself, is it possible to develop it? Or is it instilled from childhood?

I'm not Makarenko, I'm a journalist, but I know how to get the best out of a person who came to me and wants to work next to me, who wants to be in my place, and maybe even something that he doesn't even suspect . This is what I can do great.

- And what qualities do you develop in people?

The only thing I develop is perfectionism. After all, if a person is talented, he is already here. Otherwise, sorry.

- Evelina, what are your future plans? Ten years, what's next? Twenty?

Why not? This is a phenomenal product with which you can develop in different directions. And not only in Russia, but also in the world. By the way, we were the first licensed product for this group: for more than 80 years, L "Officiel spoke only French. Then the Russians came and said: "Let's release it." And the French decided on this rather bold experiment. And they did not fail , because just a year and a half later they began to receive compliments addressed to us. Already three years later they began a very stormy licensing policy. And today it is one of the fastest growing publishing houses in the world: we already have 12 magazines, they are growing like mushrooms. We set an example. For comparison: Vogue in Russia is the 13th, and L "Officiel is the 2nd after the Paris edition. Of course, when you go right behind the "parent" edition, they look at you with great predilection. We were the first, and the first are always beaten more.

- Have there been situations in your life when you almost broke down, but something helped you to resist?

You know, when you live in a situation of tough competition - and in our world the competition is very tough! - you have this every day. And your job is yourself. But I firmly believe that there is nothing that a person could not do. And I am a man, and therefore, I can do everything. The main thing is to correctly set the task and correctly calculate your strength. And the amount of money here does not play a role.

- Is it true that you wrote articles in your journal under four different pseudonyms?

Yes. And she did it in order not to pay a journalist of her level. I'd rather do an expensive photo session with this money. Which is what I did. After all, when you make a project that you subscribe to, you don’t have to stick your name everywhere and with a song. This creates a strange impression: it seems that the editor-in-chief is an upstart. Therefore, I wrote my name only where my personal presence was required, for example, in an interview with John Galliano or Karl Lagerfeld: I interviewed myself, they know me by sight, and if the signature is not mine, it is at least strange. Everything else I can easily sign with a pseudonym. I personally do not need laurels. The journal needs laurels.

- That is, you have already earned your portion of personal fame?

The issue of fame for me, oddly enough, is directly related to money: fame is needed to earn money. Why else? Well, still help, solve some problems. And just sing into a microphone in the spotlight ... Glory for the sake of glory? I never understood this.

Fashion expert Evelina Khromtchenko told ELLE columnist Vera Popova about the main undertakings in life - the first money, shows, broadcasts and the role of the creative director of Evelina Khromtchenko & Ekonika

A PHOTO Dmitry Iskhakov for #EvelinaKhromtchenkoAndEkonika

ELLE First job and how did you spend the first money you earned?

EVELINA KHROMTCHENKO My mother was a correspondent at the Yunost radio station, so among my favorite children's toys was a professional tape recorder of the radio journalist Reporter. From games, I imperceptibly moved on to business. Experiences in journalism began at school: I was 15 years old when I received my own. What did you spend on? I don't remember. Probably, for very necessary girlish nonsense.

First experience as a creative director...

From the very beginning of my work at the glossy magazine, I combined the functions of editor-in-chief and creative director. In this capacity, for example, I did the first magazine covers of many future stars - from top model Natasha Semanova to actress Evgenia Brik - I shot them for my first independent project, the magazine for teenage girls "Marusya". But my Parisian debut was already for the L'Officiel Russia magazine. They shot haute couture, I hired a foreign team from Moscow - a stylist, a photographer, a model, approved the site ... I already selected the dresses I needed at all defiles, controlled the shooting, made a photo selection. At first I was worried, then it became a habit. Now it is hard to imagine how all this could have happened without the easily accessible Internet, mobile phones for all participants in the shooting and digital photography. Then it was endless faxes, film, control, magnifier, light table, printing. Much more labor than now. And last year, for the first time, I acted as the creative director of a limited collection of shoes and accessories, heading the design bureau of the Russian shoe giant Ekonika as part of the work on the capsule. This year we consolidated the result and released the second joint collection. The fittings of all items use my corporate logo in the form of cat-eye glasses. Both collections feature prints made up of pictures that I draw in the margins of scripts during the filming of Fashion Judgment.

First memories of fashion...

I am three years old. I stand in the yard and tuck a blue woolen sarafan into white tights - I wanted to go out for a walk in trousers, and my mother put this sarafan on me. I didn’t like it (it was too short), and I decided to fix the situation - with tight-fitting knitted white trousers ... But then my mother came and destroyed this whole stylistic idea. Also, my aunt, who was then working as a chief design engineer in large aviation projects, sewed as a hobby at home. She made patterns by eye, planted everything superbly and was very accurate in execution. I remember perfectly the outfits that she sewed for me for all the holidays. For example, in a white dress with red polka dot trim, for the first time in my life, I discovered that Santa Claus is not real. It is still kept by my aunt. Together with my first snowflake queen fancy dress: unlike all the other girls in kindergarten, dressed by their parents in simple white T-shirts and tights, I was in a sequined dress and a kokoshnik-crown, shimmering like a Christmas tree toy ... Today my aunt is 79 and she still enjoys sewing.

Your work on the First...

You can write a whole book about the most vivid impressions and memorable programs. conceived a very bold project. It was impossible to imagine that this program could be released daily. And I like to participate in global stories, the implementation of which at first glance is impossible. In addition, I see my mission in Fashion Sentence. Once, thanks to a TV show, Julia Child taught all of America how to cook. In “Fashionable Sentence”, explaining the disadvantages or advantages of a particular set using specific examples, I repeat the fashion multiplication table with the audience every day. What did Channel One give me? Working for a glossy magazine with a circulation of 180,000, I considered myself, not without reason, an influential fashion journalist. Today, with a daily unique audience of 35 million viewers in Russia alone (and there are still CIS countries and Russian-speaking diasporas around the world), I understand what real influence is in the field of fashion.

While working at the magazine, I considered myself an influential journalist. Today, with an audience of 35 million viewers, I understand what influence is in the field of fashion.

First favorite book on the bookshelf...

Since I learned to read at the age of 3.5, and at four I was very interested in books, it was all the children's classics from Astrid Lindgren. She was my favorite writer at a tender age. And "Kid and Carlson" was in the lead in the personal rating. Subsequently, I realized that Lindgren is a master of artistic dialogue, and her methods of literary design of oral speech helped me a lot in the transition from radio journalism to newspaper and magazine format: since I started publishing long before I entered the journalism department, I had to study myself. They didn't talk about it at school.

The first show you went to...

In Moscow - a show of Slava Zaitsev, and in Paris - a defile of Yves Saint Laurent. I arrived there long before my glossy experience as a fashion columnist for Europe Plus radio station. As a student and, of course, at my own expense. Since then, she has not missed a single Parisian season. I was very lucky: I saw the haute couture shows of Lacroix, Mugler, Montana before they closed their houses, the first Parisian shows of John Galliano and Alexander McQueen - for their own brands and for the couture houses they headed. I saw Michael Kors in Céline, Phoebe Philo and Stella McCartney in Chloé, Oscar de la Renta in Balmain, Alber Elbaz in Guy Laroche, Saint Laurent, Ford and Pilati in Yves Saint Laurent. But she began to travel to Milan and New York, already working in a fashion magazine.

Accessory number one from your collection for the Ekonika brand...

For a whole year I can not part with an envelope made of crocodile-printed calfskin. I wear it both as an evening clutch and as a day bag on a chain. The perfect all-rounder.

Hearth: Let's start with the main thing: why do all women have a closet full, but nothing to wear?

Evelina Khromtchenko: First, it is the result of spontaneous shopping. A woman falls in love with a thing in the window, buys it, and then does not know how to apply the thing in her own wardrobe. As a result, the outfit hangs in the closet unworn, often even with a label. Secondly, this is a problem with wardrobe memory - often people simply do not remember what they have available, using only ten things in the active wardrobe, leaving everything else in the depths of the wardrobe.

Thirdly, this is the inability to build the skeleton of a wardrobe, the very base that I never get tired of talking about at my most sought-after master class “25 fashion investments in a wardrobe”. These are things that last a very long time, the fashion for them does not go away with time, they can even be left as a legacy to children.

It is about such things that the British say: "We are not rich enough to buy cheap clothes." For many years I have been talking in detail about that basic designer in the wardrobe, which will help create a healthy foundation for every day and for the holiday, on which you can easily string any details that you personally like. My wardrobe formula is the minimum required and never fails me myself - I always have a full set of magic wands at the ready. And if I don’t know what I want in the morning, then I just make up an arbitrary combination from my basic wardrobe-constructor - according to the daily schedule. And voila!

BEFORE: How does the daughter of an engineer-economist and a Russian language teacher become a style icon and a TV star? Did something in your childhood foreshadow your career?

A child who grows up among loving adults is always precocious, and I even had too much adult attention. I, according to the stories of my parents, spoke briskly early and immediately and never distorted the words. Just because I didn’t say “lyalechka”, “bibika” or “yum-yum” in infancy. Only "girl", "car" or "eat". No one changed the timbre of the voice or the vocabulary when talking with me, a little one - they talked to me like with any member of the family, without lisping.

At the same time, they were ready to listen to me attentively if I told something interesting, and they laughed if I told something funny. For a child, this is very important.

As soon as I learned to read - this happened at my age of three - and to write at the age of five, I invariably clearly reflected my thoughts on paper, I always loved to draw and knew a lot about beautiful dresses - this was followed in the family. Well, the example of the elders was always before my eyes. I do not remember a single member of my family who would be uninteresting or inappropriately dressed. Everyone had their own special gait. So for me, from a very young age, life showed the best examples of applied fashion: I learned from my elders to dress with respect for myself and my external features. From a tender age, it was clearly explained to me that there are no ugly people, there are unkempt and improperly dressed. And I've always noticed it. Not abstractly - they say, this person looks ugly - but quite concretely: this woman does not fit her dress well, the dress has an ugly neckline and disproportionate sleeves, and the color does not suit her at all and makes her skin tone earthy ...

But the most important educational success of my family in my opinion is that the elders, somehow indirectly, not on the forehead, without flattery and excitement, managed to convince me in early childhood that I was the best in the world. The most intelligent, beautiful, developed, talented. With such a conviction of adults in my excellent qualities, I simply had no right to let them down and always tried to give the maximum result, no matter what I did - hated music or my favorite drawing. There was absolutely no idolatry or snobbery in this exaltation of me: the family was generous with compliments to other children, and I often heard that, for example, Irochka is beautiful and studies very well, that Aska is very talented in music and that she has wonderful hair, give God to everyone - for each of my girlfriends, the adults around me had superlatives.

I was taught to be at my best not against the background of the weak, but in the company of the strong. When I went to first grade, the family had no doubt about who would be the best student, and, most interestingly, that's exactly what happened. I didn’t even have the typical hatred of school uniforms for my peers, because my school dress, sewn by my aunt from luxurious wool, was very beautiful, and I wore it with pleasure. Purchased aprons were customized for me. Lace collars and cuffs were altered every day, often I myself ripped off and sewed them on under the guidance of my grandmother. I was also very lucky with my first teacher - Nina Viktorovna was a young beauty, and she dressed beautifully: a brunette with beautiful hair and dark almond-shaped eyes, she loved pleated skirts and jumpers with silk scarves, she had a stunningly beautiful, well-fitting raincoat, coat in a cage and a fur hat. The whole class adored her, and she was very kind to the children, so her performance in the class was very good. I still believe that teachers should dress beautifully - especially in elementary school.

DO: What world did your family belong to? What was interesting and happy in childhood?

An ordinary poor family of Soviet intellectuals - dad is an engineer-economist, mom is a teacher of Russian and literature, both aunts are aviation engineers, one grandmother is a German teacher, the other is a functionary health worker, and after the war a housewife, grandfather headed a division of a large factory. And everyone was happy: I was very lucky - everyone loved me and took care of me a lot. I had my own room where I was allowed to do whatever I wanted, even draw on the walls. On the balcony, on the bricks, there are still drawings that I made in 7 years with crayons, and my aunt now keeps all my sketchbooks and notebooks from first to third grade.

DO: How did you dress in school? What do you remember from your childhood wardrobe?

I have nothing to complain about: I was dressed modestly, but with taste and quality. I always knew that I would get the best possible. And never begged for outfits. Even when in high school I had to come to a new class and face an unusual teaching staff and a very strange evaluation system of coordinates.

Most of the teachers in my new school squirmed in front of "thieves" parents who often traveled abroad (many children of employees of foreign embassies studied with us) or who had a high-profile job like a TV presenter. The inequality affected not only the good attitude of teachers to pets and unkindness to everyone else, but also in the incorrect assessment of knowledge. The teachers were stricter towards “ordinary” children, the grades were biased, they were called to the board more often, they expected more. The appearance of children was evaluated in the same way.

I still remember our mathematician Valentropa, who took me to the toilet and made me wash myself with terribly cold water in front of her, because she thought that my eyelashes were made up - they seemed to her too long and dark. Convinced that she was wrong, she did not even apologize - this surprised me very much, I was not accustomed to this in the family, our adult easily apologized to the younger if there was such a need. Children who had “branded” rags were praised, extolled and even looked at them in a different way - with a kind of servile admiration. But even in such a situation, it never occurred to me to press my relatives and demand expensive jeans. I knew for sure that at the next opportunity they would buy everything I needed, and if they don’t buy it, then you shouldn’t embarrass adults with requests that are difficult for them to fulfill. Therefore, I did not have shredded blue jeans for a long time, but I always had beautiful dresses and coats - my aunt sews perfectly today.

DO: What were you interested in at school, what did you dream about?

I constantly read - everything that comes to hand. I loved going to the library near my house. Me staring at a thick book is the most common picture of my childhood. The “little” grandmother grumbles: “Are you reading “gross boo” again? Go study now." For some reason I preferred Conan Doyle, Dumas, Thackeray and Dickens to Jules Verne and Fenimore Cooper. And the Silver Age - Russian classics. Although diligently read both up and down.

With pleasure I went to museums and without pleasure to theaters - I still remember with hatred my early childhood suffering at the ballet "Cat's House". But even more I hated my music school and the nasty teacher Elvira Vladimirovna, who for a long time discouraged me from not only playing, but also listening to classical music. How is it that such vicious and cruel people are allowed near children? But I loved to draw and really loved my art school, which the ophthalmologist did not let me finish, scaring my mother to death that I would sharply lose my sight if I did not limit the load on my eyes.

DO: What did you wear when you were young? Have you had opportunities to dress fashionably?

“A person outside of fashion does not exist, he can be either modern, or old-fashioned, or avant-garde,” Slava Zaitsev aptly said. When you're a teenager, you want to be avant-garde. Mom had a friend, Lyudmila, who knitted very well, moreover, she had a knitting machine, and her products looked like ready-made clothes, with which there was tension in the country at that time. The knitwear group that she created for my mother and me has partially survived to this day - these are impeccable jumpers and turtlenecks. I "ordered" a seamstress for my aunt - the banana trousers, trouser skirts, coats with raglan sleeves and chiffon sundresses sewn by her still look great today.

Of course, “foreign” outfits also periodically reached me, but rather than wait for the weather by this sea, I preferred to act: an oversized sweater, a tweed maxi skirt that my mother bought for herself, but gave me, heavy boots, a T-shirt sent by the American girlfriend - and voila, I was completely consistent with the style of "grunge" even without outfits from Marc Jacobs for Perry Ellis. I started earning my own money early, while still in high school, working freelance as a radio correspondent and program writer. And of course, she could afford extravagant purchases. In the summer of 2016, at the height of fashion for the 1990s, I fished out a cropped denim jacket from the archive, which I wore in the 10th grade and in my first year at the university.

DO: When do you think an interesting fashion life appeared in Russia? And how was it?

There has always been an interesting fashion life in Russia, and individual stars appeared in its sky even in the era of stagnation. But it received a new violent round of development precisely in the 1990s. I am very glad that as a result of many years of activity - both mine and my colleagues - I can leave the house completely dressed in things created by Russian designers. This is indeed an unusual feeling, especially if you take into account the fact that 20 years ago such a thing would have been unthinkable. “Made in Russia” 20 years ago was more of a clinical diagnosis than a sign of a good choice.

And now there is a huge variety of interesting offers from Russian designers, and all fashion professionals are working to ensure that there are much more beautiful and bright goods in the Made in Russia category.

DO: How did you come to lead L'Officiel?

I came to the international fashion glossy as an anti-crisis manager, a fashion PR specialist and a well-known fashion journalist in the country. Having started as a schoolgirl with a radio microphone, already at the Faculty of Journalism I worked on radio and TV, in a news agency, newspapers and magazines ... I approached the chair of the editor-in-chief early, at the age of 25, but behind my shoulders were a series of author's projects on the radio, my own magazine for girls -teenagers and a successful PR agency. For 12 years I have done my work in the magazine, and it has given me a lot. So I build my personal media project on a solid platform.

DO: Our readers know the work of the editor-in-chief mainly from the film The Devil Wears Prada. Tell me what is true in it, and what is complete fiction?

Based on my personal experience, only the perception of this position by people from the outside has been demonstrated close to reality - somewhat unhealthy, saturated with exaltation, excitement and tales that envious assistants come up with no growth prospects.

Everything else is just an interesting movie in the typical production drama genre that the public wants to see. The work of the magazine editor-in-chief as such was not shown in the film.

I turned to 20th Century Fox with a proposal to voice the main character in the Russian box office even before the movie was shot, so that, being involved in the project, I would tell how the world of fashion journalism really works, how highly professional people work there, and how much and how effectively they work hard. But Meryl Streep immediately understood this - it was clear from her acting that, demonstrating only the tip of the iceberg with her role, she meant behind the scenes of these everyday sketches a whole huge world of profession - all the audience could feel it.

DO: Is it true that the editor-in-chief needs to have such a reinforced concrete character in order to keep everything under control?

It seems to me that this is a collective question for all women and men who work as leaders in any field ... But I understand what exactly you wanted to ask. It is easy with me for those who do their job well and for those who are talented - otherwise, under my supervision, people would hardly have worked for 10-20 years. But with me it is very difficult for lazy people and mediocrity if they inadvertently appear in my orbit ... It is extremely unpleasant for mediocrity to be convinced that they are mediocre. So everything they say about me is true. And about me, and about those who speak.

DO: Where in the world do women dress best? With great taste? Or is it now everywhere about the “average temperature in the hospital”?

Nobody canceled the national peculiarities of perception - neither in fashion, nor, say, in cooking. Customers from the Middle East will buy different clothes from customers from China, and Russian fashionistas will not choose the same new clothes as British ones. And that's completely normal. What can I say, there is also a big difference between Milan and Paris. The young Milanese will wear a black biker jacket with light blue ripped denim shorts and high boots, while the young Parisian will wear black skinny jeans and flats.

DO: What do Russian women look like now, where do we move, do you think?

I think that our women are very beautiful, very quickly and easily trained, instantly mimic any visual environment, very hardworking and strong, but all of them have numerous guilt complexes since childhood, which do not help much to succeed in life and in the wardrobe. I also think that the propensity for straightforwardness and maximalism, which manifests itself both in thinking like “hitting means loving” and in love for a festive look in the morning, can be both a weak side and a strong one. As soon as a woman receives fresh information and new rules, she immediately takes matters into her own hands.

All Russians are by nature excellent students and mother Teresa. The main thing is to direct this energy in a direction that is creative for the woman herself, because our compatriot most often experiences the main feeling of guilt when she decides to do something for herself personally: spend part of the family budget on a new dress or hairstyle, eat the last piece of something tasty, arrange for yourself the luxury of playing sports or dancing, buying not for your home, but for yourself personally ...

I have known since childhood that a perfect appearance enhances your strength. That in order to achieve the best result for yourself and your family, you must be beautiful, healthy, strong, self-confident. And in every possible way I inspire women, with whom I have been speaking the same language since childhood, that investing in yourself is not a sin, but a duty. And in most cases, they hear me and understand absolutely correctly.

DO: What do you like about working in the Fashion Sentence program?

Konstantin Ernst conceived a very bold project. It was impossible to imagine that this program could be released daily. It was a challenge. And I like to participate in global projects, the implementation of which at first glance is impossible. In addition, I saw my great mission in Fashion Sentence. Once, thanks to her author's TV show, Julia Child taught America how to cook healthy food.

My task has always been to teach Russia to look beautiful, because this is what fashionable clothes and accessories are for. And wherever I worked, I always diligently brought this super-idea to life, relying on the tools entrusted to me. In “Fashion Sentence”, explaining the disadvantages or advantages of a particular set using specific examples, I repeat the “multiplication table” of fashion with the audience every day. Thanks to our joint efforts - hosts, stylists, editors, directors, editors, cameramen, lighting, sound team, administrators, crowd scene artists, drivers and other services (we are about 500 people working on the program) - it is possible to transform not only the heroes of the program, but and our viewers throughout the Russian-speaking world - and this is 35 million unique viewers daily in Russia alone. But we are also watched on the territory of the ex-USSR and in Russian-speaking diasporas all over the world: in America, Israel, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Brazil and other countries. They look with great trust and affection. And they use the advice of "Fashionable Sentence" in their own wardrobe. So, in addition to the opportunity to communicate with amazingly professional people on the set, I like working in Fashion Sentence because of its globalism and the real opportunity to change the world for the better.

DO: Do you think that it is really necessary to talk to Russian women in such a “shaking” tone in order to bring them to their senses? How to properly build a dialogue so that they do not get scared, do not shrink, but, on the contrary, part with complexes, learn something useful?

I was engaged precisely to broadcast a competent assessment of the appearance of the hero - before, during and after the transformation of his wardrobe - from the point of view of a fashion expert. My task is to clearly explain how to correctly perceive this or that image, what is good in it and what is bad. My assessment does not concern the person himself, his features of the figure, appearance or age, it concerns only the dress. My concept is that everything is always in order with a woman, it’s just that her dress is sometimes chosen incorrectly, and both the heroines and the spectators perfectly feel this presentation of mine. I noticed that most women experience a guilt complex in relation to their reflection in the mirror, they say they are fat (or skinny), old (or, conversely, still green) - they say that such a reflection can decorate, ugh - I’ll go put on jeans and a T-shirt, where with a pig's snout and in the Kalash row ... I, on the other hand, am one of the few people in their lives who frees them from a guilt complex.

I instill in them that they are good, and it is always easy to change a bad dress for a good one. That there is no figure, weight, age that could not be beautifully packaged. My co-hosts, each in their own way, are also striving to achieve this goal. But nevertheless, let me remind you that the program is called “Fashionable Sentence”, and not “Fashionable Compliment”, as my co-host Alexander Vasilyev often repeats.

DO: The title "Fashion Sentence" refers to the court situation, but can Russian women be blamed for not having the opportunity to develop taste? After all, behind us are Soviet stores with empty shelves ...

As a rule, family, colleagues, friends accuse the heroines of the "Fashionable Sentence" not because they have no taste, but because they do not want to recognize their own beauty, or are lazy, or see themselves exclusively in work clothes and are afraid of elegant, or experience unfounded complexes about their own appearance.

Well, for example, a 38-year-old woman, whom her mother hammered into her head in childhood, that she is ugly, because she is skinny, constantly wears maxi, puts on three pairs of tights, and her husband, who married her because of love for her ballet grace , wants to break this stereotype, wants to dress up his beautiful wife in a tight-fitting dress that reveals her slender legs and chiseled arms. At the same time, mind you, he does not accuse her of bad taste. Or a woman who, with excellent external data at the age of 40, is so desperately young that she braids two ponytails with pink bows and wears short babydoll dresses and T-shirts with pink mice - of course, her accuser, a 16-year-old son, has a heart ache from that that his beautiful mother is perceived as a lady with great quirks. He admits that the mother perfectly manages to build the image of a teenager, even with taste, be in the place of his mother a 15-year-old girl.

Or a nice lady of 32 years old, who diligently decorates herself in the spirit of the red light district, cannot get married in any way, and her accusing friend rightly notes that women who present themselves in this way usually have fun, and start a family with “decent "...

But all three ladies in their own images do not at all demonstrate a lack of taste, they are attractive and convincing in their wardrobes, they simply do not see that their stereotypes about themselves, and, accordingly, wardrobes, create a sea of ​​life difficulties for them. And it's noticeable to those around you.

DO: Do you think that your heroines will change something globally in their approach to the wardrobe after the program?

I remember a woman who recovered after childbirth and could not lose weight. Because of this, her husband, a lover of thin people, left her. She became depressed and got to the point that her 8-year-old son asked her not to come to school, because he did not want teachers and classmates to take his mother for a homeless person. Having changed clothes and acquired a new make-up and hairstyle, the woman liked herself so much in the mirror that she suddenly began to lose weight - I noticed a long time ago that many people lose weight from happiness. And when our former heroine came to court to divorce her treacherous husband, she was slender - pre-wedding size. The amazed husband no longer wanted to get a divorce, but she still filed for a divorce. And she began a completely new, beautiful and happy life with a man for whom she was important, and not the size of her clothes.

I remember a woman who was in love with her foreign boss, and he simply did not notice her existence, she was so faded. And none of her night vigils, processing and achievements of a professional nature were noted for the same reason.

When she was changed, this woman was not only promoted, but also invited to marry. Imagine that the same boss fell in love with her, without any tricks on her part. They got married and went to his homeland in Europe.

And here is a story that happened in my own entrance. I was carrying loads of packages and a stylish woman with a baby in a sling helped me open the front door. "Don't you recognize me? she asked. I was your heroine four years ago." "What was the name of the program?" I ask. "The Case of the Sling". I say: “But let me, how? After all, your baby is less than a year old ... "Then the door of her apartment opens, and a little white girl of about five years old says in surprise:" Mom, what is Evelina Khromtchenko doing here? My new neighbor smiled: “That's who was sitting in the sling then ...” And our editors have hundreds of such stories.

DO: They say that the art of style is accessible to a very small percentage of people. It is impossible to teach style, you either have it or you don't. Indeed, in fact, one must have an artistic eye in order to see whether it is stylish or not ... What do you think?

You either have charisma or you don't. And style is always there, because it is a manifestation of the inner world. After all, "sulfur mouse" is also a kind of style. Our inner world is very multifaceted. A person's style may be good or bad in relation to the aesthetic criteria of the moment and in relation to his own goals, but in one form or another it is always there. Outwardly, as a rule, what we exploit in our own personality at the moment is manifested.

That is why, with frightening accuracy, I can find out more about a person from his costume than I myself would like to know about him. Details of appearance involuntarily give out a lot of secrets. But every person is a jewel that has many facets, it is a house with many rooms… And if you open the right doors, if you show the right facets, then the person will start to look different – ​​without internal conflict. And the Fashion Sentence stylists help him get a new reflection in the mirror just for this.

DO: How to dress stylishly if you get forty thousand rubles? Can you give any general advice? What should be in the wardrobe so that a woman has enough for five or six typical situations?

If you examine your closet now, you will find that it contains most of the items in my 25 Fashion Wardrobe Investments formula. Perhaps something needs to be replaced, something needs to be purchased, but nevertheless ... A basic wardrobe is not bought at a time. This is done gradually.

The key to an economical wardrobe is the absence of spontaneous purchases. Think for yourself, why do you need an expensive coat in trendy pink if you don’t have a good all-purpose camel coat? If it’s impossible as much as you want something trendy-shiny, go past a disposable evening dress in sequins and buy a small bag in sequins - and the wolves are full, and the sheep are safe. Another example: looking at my portrait on Instagram, a follower asks about the brand of my vest, they say, maybe it's Saint Laurent? Yes, God is with you, I answer, there are Cos and Petit Bateau for vests, I don’t want to pay extra zero for a name, but I’ll try on a tuxedo or a trench coat from Saint Laurent. In this house they know a lot about tuxedos and trench coats. Yes, the trench coat will be expensive, but it will be indestructible for many years and will eventually pay off my investment in it.

DO: You won't deny that having more money means more opportunities for good style? Or are there pitfalls here as well? Do you happen to see very wealthy and at the same time tastelessly dressed women?

I saw both poor women dressed with taste, and rich women frightening with their choice. Fashion is for everyone. If white is in trend, then white things will dominate both on Via Montenapoleone in Milan and in inexpensive kiosks in Moscow. But they will cost differently, of course. Both the expensive boutique and the budget department store make the same offers in terms of color and line of the season. So the fashion is the same for different wallets. But the level of quality, of course, often depends on the cost of things. So in budget brands, you should especially carefully look at the composition of the fabric and the quality of the sewing before buying a new thing.

When I give reference examples in my workshops, I always mention much more democratic alternatives. And I am sure that even in simple but well-chosen jeans and a white T-shirt, you can often look better than in rhinestones and feathers, acquired according to the principle “It's more expensive around the corner!”

DO: How do you buy things? Do you have an addiction to beautiful things? Can you buy the "extra" in a rush?

I'm not a shopaholic for a second. I know exactly what I will buy in the coming season, and what trends are already reflected in my wardrobe - you just need to go to the dressing room and get what you need from my basic collection. My master classes on 25 profitable wardrobe investments are popular for a reason - I know what I'm talking about. All the recipes that I give to my listeners, I have tried on myself.

I do not depend on things, I command them. And yet, of course, I have personal preferences that are in tune with my personality type, but every time I look at the catwalk, I note the outfits that I personally liked. I'm a woman.

DO: Where do the things you no longer like go from your wardrobe?

They didn't stop liking it - they just got tired of it. I used to hand out such things, now I hang them in the pantry, which I rented specifically for this purpose in the system of stories - this new service, which appeared in Moscow, is very useful for me. It took a little, I jumped there - and everything was found.

DO: And do you have things that are with you for a long time?

Of course. Base. Black pants. Jackets. Tuxedos, trench coats, jumpers and cardigans, coats.

DO: Do you have moments of disappointment when you look at your old photos and think that this was worn in vain?

That's absolutely not. I look at the photo of myself 15 years old, in pink "bananas" and a little white Indian cambric blouse with a tiny frill on a small counter and I think: oh, I would now have these bananas and this blouse. Only my school blouses are annoying - my mother liked to buy very feminine things for me, such as blouses with large ruffles and frills on the sleeves that are relevant now or with small bows at the throat - the image of a kind of college girl. And even then I was attracted by simple men's shirts and style a la garcon. But these are my personal preferences, and everything looks amazing in teenage photos. Indeed, at that time, photographers showed everything as it is, and the marriage was simply thrown out. It’s a different matter now: many unfortunate photographers lovingly post their marriage on the Internet to the delight of the trolls.

DO: What interests you in life apart from your professional projects? What inspires? How do you rest?

For me, rest is a change in the stages of work and the scenery in which it is done. But talking to family and friends, riding a bike or sailing a board, going to a museum, theater or antique auction, reading a book, I consider it no less important than writing an article, giving a lecture or filming a TV show. I like the concept of dividing your time into four equal parts: work, family, society and yourself. But that doesn't mean at all that when I'm lying on the beach, I can't answer interview questions, or write an article for my own website, or check out the latest fashion blogs. It’s just that my work always makes me happy, I don’t need to rest from it.

What are you dreaming about now?

Dreams that can be realized are no longer dreams, but plans, aren't they? And they usually don’t talk about plans, only about the results. But the dream, which cannot yet be realized and which, apparently, will remain a dream, was filmed with me for this issue of Hearth - this is a tiny Jack Russell Terrier Harley. Soft paws and a warm belly. Extremely calm and friendly baby. The sweetest dog in the world. And I'm allergic to it.

Tickets for the Evelina Khromtchenko Fashion School master classes can be purchased on the website www.evelinakhromtchenko.com