MOSCOW, April 25 /CNW/ -- Russian Fashion Week has teamed up withTransatlantic Partners Against A... Russian Fashion Week Teams

MOSCOW, April 25 /CNW/ -- Russian Fashion Week has teamed up withTransatlantic Partners Against AIDS (TPAA) to call attention to Russia'sfrightening AIDS explosion. Alexander Shumsky, Russian Fashion Week'sProducer-General, along with TPAA's CEO John Tedstrom, will co-produce a fewmajor PR joint ventures, not only in Moscow, but throughout Russia and theformer Soviet Union. This PR campaign was initiated during Russian FashionWeek's April 2006 show on Red Square. The first campaign, "Russian DesignersAgainst AIDS," was Russia's first major event to call attention to the globalAIDS/HIV problem. RFW and TPAA, in conjunction with Russia's "StopSPID" (StopAIDS) campaign,featured Russia's top young designers at Russian Fashion Week. These topdesigners created t-shirts as symbols of solidarity in the fight against AIDSin Russia. The t-shirts were showcased at RFW, and were unveiled prior to theshow, to announce the new AIDS initiative. The t-shirts will serve as symbolsof personal commitment and solidarity in the fight against AIDS. RFW and TPAAraised awareness about the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Russia, (whichdisproportionately targets young people), and challenged the stigma associatedwith HIV/AIDS. Kenneth Cole, Creative Director of Kenneth Cole Productions, the first touse the fashion industry to attract public attention to the problem ofHIV/AIDS has said: "I congratulate Transatlantic Partners Against AIDS and theparticipants in Russian Fashion Week for their efforts to address the globalAIDS epidemic. The fashion industry has worked long and hard to raiseawareness and support in the struggle against HIV and AIDS. All over theworld, we have stood alongside scientists, doctors, activists and concernedhuman beings to bring about a swift end to AIDS. The challenges we will facein the years to come are considerable, but I am confident that your creativeleadership will inspire action and motivate others to join us. I wish yousuccess and the continued courage, tenacity and compassion that will see youthrough this fight." "Transatlantic Partners Against AIDS is confronting an internationalcrisis, head-on, with great success," said Russian Fashion Week'sProducer-General, Alexander Shumsky. "RFW is proud to participate in thisvital International project." " ... There are actually multiple fashion weeks in Moscow, someoverlapping, but Russian Fashion Week has garnered one of the best reputationsbecause it reportedly follows the format and professional standards of Milanor London ... " -- The Financial Times RFW's massive tents on Red Square attracted Russia's famous pop stars, TVand film stars, international media, as well as the country's elite andemerging designers. Russian Fashion Week just concluded its tenth show, (March30 - April 6), right next to the world renowned St. Basil's Cathedral on RedSquare. The biannual event wakes up the Kremlin each April and October, and issupported by the Ministry of Culture and Mass Communications of the RussianFederation. (RFW tent picture athttp://www.rfw.ru/donwloadpictures/Image/RFW_tent.jpg ) "Russian Fashion Week has become one of the most important cultural eventsin Russia, and the media has deemed RFW one of the world's most prestigiousfashion weeks. Industry critics have given RFW their stamp of approval, andthe potential for Russian fashion is unlimited." -- Aleksander Sokolov, Russia's Minister of Culture and Mass Communication In honor of RFW's 5th anniversary show, top designers from Great Britainand Spain made the pilgrimage to Moscow to introduce their Autumn/Wintercollections. GQ and British Glamour Designer of the Year, Julien Macdonaldknocked out the Russian retailers and media, and set the tone for a week offashion excellence and celebrations of Russia's emergence onto the world'sfashion stage. "Five years ago, Russia fashion shows were in a big hall with very littleclothing. Today, Russian Fashion Week is like London Fashion Week." -- Julien Macdonald RFW April 2006 by the numbers: -- 50 designers participated in RFW's Fall/Winter 2006/07 show, including the UK's Julien Macdonald and Jenny Packham, Spain's Armand Basi and Isabel de Pedro, and Peru's Sitka Semsch. The headliners from Russia and the former Soviet Republics were: Max Chernitsov, Arsenicum, Chistova&Endourova, Larissa Pogoretskaya, Lena Makashova, Serguei Teplov, ROMINA, Olga Samoschenko, SERGUEI TEPLOV, Shevchenko, Masha Sharoeva, and PARFIONOVA. -- 48,000 guests visited RFW's catwalks on Red Square, and RFW's scenic Moscow venues of 4500 sq.m. -- 17 designers at Russian Fashion Week participated in the "Russian Designers Against AIDS" project, in conjunction with Transatlantic Partners Against AIDS. -- A 260 diamond MOTOROLA cell phone was decorated by the fashion trio, FRESH ART, especially for Russian Fashion Week. According to a jewelers estimation this cell phone's cost is US$75,000 and it was raffled among RFW visitors on the last day. -- 300 models participated in RFW, with Evgenia Tolstikova (Point Agency) winning Russia's "Fashion TV First Face Awards." This award is held at all the major fashion weeks around the globe including Russian Fashion Week, whose celebrities partied until dawn at the aesthetically dazzling Dyagilev night club. -- 1100 journalists and photographers were accredited at RFW's Red Square press center, including journalists from Vogue Tokyo, Asahi Shinbun, WGSN, Harper's Bazaar USA, Gap Japan, Rai 1 Italy, and another numerous international media. The official photo source of Russian Fashion Week April 2006 is Getty Images and photo partner is firstview.com. -- Russian Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2007 season will be held on October 18 - 26. -- Photos available on http://www.gettyimages.com , http://www.firstview.com or surf http://www.rfw.ru .

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