The popularity of Eastern European fashion doesn't seem to be waning anytime soon. Like Bella Hadid, who has worn the cool leather coats of Georgia's Situationist and the hats of Ukraine's Ruslan Baginskiy, Rihanna has also turned her eye towards an emerging designer from Eastern Europe. Yesterday, at the Fenty Beauty launch at Sephora in Madrid, Spain, Rihanna wore a pretty off-the-shoulder dress from the Spring 2018 collection of Ukrainian designer Marianna Senchina. The piece boasted poet sleeves, a puffed print skirt, and had a bodice that was fastened with bows that left slits of skin—as well as Ri Ri's below-the-breastbone tattoo—cleverly visible. Over the past several seasons, Senchina has become well-known, locally and internationally, for her uber-feminine and flouncy creations. She has also sold on e-commerce sites, including Moda Operandi.
The romantic dress is a refreshing change of pace for the Eastern European fashion industry. During the past seasons, there has been a heavy focus on talents that employ a post-Soviet aesthetic, like Russia's Gosha Rubchinskiy or Georgian-born Demna Gvasalia of Vetements. Senchina is one example of a designer paving the way for a new generation who show that these countries have more to offer than the dark, '90s-era styles that have become synonymous with the region's fashion. Now, let's see who Rihanna chooses to thrust into the spotlight next.
