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Not less compilated than “new wave” and equally
short-lived style of the 80-s as “psycho”. Inspired by the first “new stilyagas” and stimulated
by the mod movement of the 60-s, in the USSR it got a reverse vector of
development from the soviet punk to the vintage motives of the past. At the
same time without losing any of its radicalism, the Soviet “modstyling” of
vanguard artistic movements of the 80-s became a hallmark for many members of
music and art projects and united miscellaneous art-folk, omnivorous in terms
of music and experiencing first-hand all the all the latest things in fashion
and music. These characters, derogatory called in art-circles the “mods”, participated
in the majority of key shows and performances, carried the latest fashion and
culture-related information and often shocked the people with mock nomenclative
costumes and punky tricks. Alongside since the 70-s developed a “serious style”
of the urban fashionists who preferred the “Italian” (also called “alora”)
style, quite popular among spivs and hucksters. In Leningrad the short-term
manifestations of mod traditions were present in beatnik circles in the early
80-s and music-related circles at the turn of the 90-s. But all this didn’t
lead to forming of any street style, just single characters and very few
fancy-dressed gangs paraded the streets.
In the process of popularization of “informals” and fusion of the styles by the
early 90-s and the heyday on Petrovsky squat and Tishinsky flea-market the
members of the soviet “mod movement” came to another revival of vintage style.
And while the crimson jackets on the “new Russians” stupefied the visitors of
the big-city’s bawdy places, the majority of the “post-Soviet mods” entertained themselves with outfits stored in
wardrobes during Perestroika times, matching it with modern fashionable clothes
and changing their image for several times a week.
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