The young Russian brand daring men to be romantic

2016 saw the rise of the “post-Soviet” streetwear aesthetic that has dominated the Russian fashion scene ever since, but designer Nikita Kalmykov is trying to bring back the romantic visual language of the Soviet man with his ODOR line. “Russian understanding of masculinity is based on stereotypes and clichés,” he tells SLEEK. “Frugal unattractive clothes, homophobia, untidiness and slovenliness  are the factors that tell you that you are a real man in most parts of Russia. With my garments I want to say that no one owes anything to anybody and they should not have to abide by clichés and prejudices.”

The foundation for Kalmykov’s line started in 2015 in his last years studying at the Moscow State University of Design and Technology, where friends and love affairs gave him the idea to name his line after the smell of human bodies. “ODOR means ‘scent’ in almost all languages,” he explains. “I’m inspired by people, situations and places. I’ve become very sentimental recently and I can easily cry in a museum or during a movie, in a theatre, in medieval cathedrals because of the scent, during journeys, or when leaving favourite towns.”

Sentimentality, hedonism, and human connection are driving forces for Kalmaykov. To further give his collection a personal touch, the ODOR designer used samples from his grandmother’s lace linens and curtains that make the clothing feel authentically different from modern materials. It was important to create his clothing line in an ethical and sustainable manner, but on a design level, his favourite challenge was using traditional fabrics in a way that does not look “folk”. Still, hand-made fabrics and intricate embroidery that took months to sew are the primary materials used in the collection, according to the designer.

Two of the key pieces in the ODOR brand are flouncy poet blouses and underwear. While the blouses reveal the romantic spirit of the collection to the world, Kalmaykov wanted to focus on underwear so that men could have a something secretively sexy and elegant, much like what lingerie is for women. “I always wanted to make men’s underwear, because underwear is one of my fetishes,” he admits. “I think there’s not enough sensual or intimate underwear. Not to be shown, but only to frame your very own internal experiences.”

Although ODOR is challenging the Russian mainstream, Kalmaykov is not set on changing the national conversation – he is content just to create a bit of diversity.“There are mostly ordinary clothes in the Russian market. Everyone is buying with humility and restraint. I don’t have a will to re-educate customers, but rather I want to give something that is lacking to people who value aesthetics and beauty.”

Check out the ODOR Spring/Summer 19 capsule campaign below.

Find out more about ODOR here.