One of the key fashion weeks for Russia, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, has started in Moscow. It is generally accepted that this particular fashion week brings together the top composition of domestic design. However, recently the Manege, which opened its doors to dozens of couturiers for several days, looks more like an experimental site than a ready-to-wear art. Unlike the most authoritative Paris Week, which gathers world famous designers on the catwalks, the organizers of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week prefer to support more and more debutants from Russia and neighboring countries. So, 28-year-old Anika Kerimova, representing the Anika brand, became the newcomer of the fashion week. The designer has several stores in Russia and one in Moscow, located on 100 square meters in the Dubrovka market, which is tacitly considered the center of fakes. Designer Anika Kerimova told Life about how fashion from the market got to the catwalk. Why do you classify your brand as high fashion, but your store is located in the most popular fake mall?
There just wasn't such a market there. When we opened the store, we considered the good conditions that Dubrovka offered us. There are heated rooms, large squares for reasonable prices, an interchange, the Third Ring, the Garden Ring, a large parking lot, near the metro - everything is very convenient. Yes, I agree with you, there are a lot of fakes, but we have a separate closed large two-story fashion house. He is different from everyone else. Well, plus there is a very large cross. Prices for my collections range from 7000-8000 rubles, if we are talking about dresses and skirts. Of course, if it is a lace collection, then it will cost much more.
Have you thought about moving somewhere closer to the center?
We are now considering shopping centers, but so far I cannot find one that would be convenient: parking, metro, and traffic. I rent almost a hundred square meters on two floors in Dubrovka for 300,000 a month - it's very convenient and inexpensive. But, for example, in the new shopping center on Kutuzovsky, rent will cost about 1,000,000 rubles. This figure still needs to be scattered on the cost of products. Imagine how much it will cost, given that I make everything from Italian fabrics.
And how do your star customers react to the unusual location of the store?
Yes, I have Alena Shishkova, Yana Churikova and Angelina Vovk dressing up. Some of them order delivery so as not to come here. Many come, they are shocked, they say: where did we come from?! They walk along the "Dubrovka" and cover themselves so that no one sees them. But then they go into the store and realize that this is really a normal good fashion house. Everything can be tried on in a comfortable environment no worse than in a showroom. Of course, they tell me this: "What are you doing here? Don't you have money to move to the center?" I answer that it is very convenient for everyone here.
ATyour brand is 6 years old, you are successfully selling clothes. Why do you want to participate in Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week?
For me, this is status - participation in high fashion. This is not just a private show that no one knows about. I will have a real theatrical show with artists. I am not ashamed of the fact that I trade on Dubrovka. What, people don't go there, do they?! No, there are buyers like us who want to look beautiful and dress well. I treat all social classes very well and loyally. My clothes are designed for absolutely any class. There are clients from government agencies, teachers who have a small salary, and there are also many businesswomen. We have the first line where clothes cost from 20,000 rubles. If a girl comes and wants her thing not to be repeated on anyone, this will be the first line, and we call everything else "extras".
Is there anyone among Russian designers who you would like to look up to?
To be honest, I have never relied on Russian fashion. It seems to me that they just send off for some purpose or to promote themselves. I have not yet met a single Russian designer to whom I could say: oh, how cool, how I like it.
And what can you say about TV presenters who open their showrooms and position themselves as designers? For example, Olya Buzova and Ksenia Borodina are among those.
Well, well done girls, work! If there is an opportunity to promote yourself through channels, why not open a parallel business that will generate income? Well, yes, stores are opening, but it seems to me that they have never even been in their production. There are simply people who use their face for recognition, because it is beneficial and convenient for everyone.
Share your experience. What should be the minimum capital for a designer who plans to open his own store?
You must have a machine. It costs about 50,000 rubles. You must have at least two machines: a straight line and a five-thread machine - this is already about 100,000 rubles. Plus a cutting table, if it is small, then it will cost about 20,000 rubles. Another item of expenditure is the salary of tailors. I used to make the mistake of taking tailors on payroll. They could sit all day, sew one unit. But over time, I transferred them to piecework wages: how much they sent off, so much they received. On average, a seamstress receives about 50-60 thousand rubles. Well, everything else is fabric, there is a completely different range of prices. For example, my Italian cashmere costs 2,000 rubles per meter.
Tell us about your collection for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
Our collection is from the 60s and 70s, but executed in a modern way. In principle, now everything has returned to what it was before: sun skirts, midi length, blouses, shoes with wide heels. By the way, we will have at the show not only clothes, but also shoes. All this is very convenient. The collection is called "Life in the big city". We have more classic clothes, but at the same time, a person can wear them to work, and then to a restaurant, and feel absolutely confident in them. So when people buy our clothes, they save money and look beautiful and comfortable.
Coco Chanel said: "I taught the whole world to wear what suited me." Designer Anika Kerimova follows the slogan of the great mademoiselle: with her light hand, many stars put on the Carpet Runs the visiting card of the Anika fashion house - the perfect jumpsuit. Anika admits that she herself loves overalls and floor-length dresses. For her, as a designer, the priority is comfort, convenience and quality of clothes, for which her fashion house is fully responsible. Very soon, Anika Kerimova will present her new collection at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia, it will naturally include jumpsuits, stunning floor-length outfits, and something completely different from the designer, but the brand's signature style will remain recognizable.
Anika, how long has the brand been around? Where did it all begin?
The Anika brand is high fashion for ordinary people. In fact, we have two clothing lines: one is more expensive, the Premium class, and the other is mass-produced. We are over five years old. It all started with an atelier, where we worked on individual orders, I came up with the models myself. Over time, the number of orders increased, and the small atelier grew into its own production. There are branches in Belarus, Kazakhstan ... A boutique will open in Rostov-on-Don very soon, we plan to open stores in other regions. The first collection put into production was lace. Mostly they were dresses. Today we produce almost everything: casual and evening dresses, office wear, trousers, shirts, dresses, coats. And mostly from natural fabrics: staple, 100% cotton, silk, chiffon, wool, cashmere. In the summer we presented the first Cruise Collection, now we are preparing the Fall-Winter 2017 collection, we are getting ready for Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia.
List 3 qualities that make your brand stand out.
First, it is quality and availability. We try to produce stylish clothes, from good fabrics. We ourselves carry fabrics directly from Europe, we buy them at stocks in Italy, France and from the brands Valentino, D&G, Cavalli, etc. We also buy threads and accessories there. This is what allows us to compete in the market by reducing the cost of our products. Second, exclusivity. We sew unique things, some of them in a single copy: we have individual tailors, and our production is located in Russia, in Moscow, in the regions, we ourselves monitor the quality of sewn things for gross errors that cheaper brands have. I listen to customers, go into the store, watch how people react to new models, if I see what they like, we launch a new line into production. Thirdly, this is a special approach to customers, we try to fully meet the needs, both in terms of convenience and in the size range: the clothes of our brand are all sizes from 42 to 56. We do not sew "age" clothes for any particular category of women, we create elegant casual and evening wear for all the fair sex at very reasonable prices.
Each fashion designer has his own recognizable handwriting, what is Anika Kerimova's priority? What do you try to focus on in your collections?
On what never goes out of fashion - femininity, elegance, your own style. The priority is fashion trends combined with my vision of how a modern woman should look. Today, the trend is "closeness" - not defiant clothing that exposes parts of the body, but, on the contrary, some emphasized rigor combined with sexuality. It seems to me that this is much more correct and relevant. That is why Anika brand clothes are in demand not only in Moscow, Russia, but also in Baku, Morocco, America, Dubai. I dress the leading central TV channels in Azerbaijan, show business stars, participants in beauty contests.
It turns out that in your collections there are only “decent” clothes: floor-length dresses, etc. Do you condemn women who wear shorts and miniskirts? Admit it, this is the influence of the oriental style?
It's not exactly like that! In our autumn-winter collection there are both shorts and mini dresses, but they are necessarily completed with jackets, long sleeves - if you open one zone, for example, legs, therefore, the neckline, arms, shoulders must be closed. This is a rule that today should be strictly followed. Shorts in combination with a T-shirt or T-shirt are acceptable only on vacation and on the beach. In all other places, whether it's a walk in the park, the office, going to a restaurant, you should dress appropriately. Perhaps this is the influence of the East, and many Western designers are now subject to this influence and are trying to get away from excessive “bareness”. This trend is close to me not only because I myself am an oriental woman, but also because real elegance and sexuality are completely unrelated to the fact that you dressed up in a miniskirt in combination with a translucent blouse - there should be a measure in everything.
Anika, it's no secret that your brand is already quite recognizable: many stars take to the red carpet in Anika evening dresses and jumpsuits. Who was the most enjoyable to work with?
Indeed, more and more people learn about my brand. And it can't be more pleasant. It is a great honor for me and at the same time recognition of my merits that actresses, singers, TV presenters turn to me. I can name several names - these are Yana Churikova, singers Irina Ortman and Irina Nelson, actress Anna Peskova, Natalya Bochkareva and Elena Vorobey. I think our cooperation was pleasant for both parties.
What do you yourself wear?
My signature jumpsuit! I only wear my own brand. I like them very much. Thus, I am responsible for the fact that my things are comfortable to wear: it is convenient to walk, sit, move in them. They are quite suitable as clothes for the office, for every day, for going out.
In one interview, you said that overalls are your calling card. Why such love for them?
It's comfortable and beautiful! Overalls, indeed, are the main attribute of any of my collections. I have more than 15 models of overalls, for any size, taste and color. All of them are created both from ordinary cotton fabrics, and from expensive high-quality silks, the finest wool. In addition, if we talk about the wardrobe as a whole, overalls are a universal and self-sufficient thing. It is sometimes difficult for girls to choose the right top for trousers (blouse, jacket), and overalls are 2 in 1. In my new autumn-winter collection there are both fitted versions of overalls and flared models with ¾ sleeves and underlined by a wide belt waist.
Give advice: what fashion trends will be relevant in the spring and summer of next year?
The trend is, first of all, closeness, the Victorian style, which I really like. The fitted silhouette is preserved, flared is returning to fashion. These free-cut trousers will suit almost any woman, and in combination with stiletto heels, you can create an absolutely unique look, complementing it with a tight-fitting top in a contrasting color. As decoration - lace, ruffles, frills, flounces, ribbons, fringe. The trend is maxi and midi, loose pleats, skirts with a full leg slit, wrap tops. One of the sharp fashion trends for spring-summer 2017 will be heavy, textured fabrics using the so-called color mixing effect. Pay attention to unusual combinations of prints: ethnicity and floristry, geometric pattern and kaleidoscope pattern, graphics and abstraction, the more interesting the texture of prints on fabric, the better and more relevant. If we talk about the fashionable colors of 2017, then this is a rich red, a shade of tea rose, pale beige, lilac, mustard, brown, red, all shades of green.
Anika, what is fashion for you as a designer?
Fashion is what suits a person, and it is not always necessary to follow it blindly. Fashion is what fits you perfectly! And the secret of the success of the Anika brand is precisely to create inexpensive, high-quality clothes that fit you perfectly. The first thing we think about when developing a model of clothing is that it fits perfectly on both the 42nd and 58th sizes. Making women beautiful is my profession, and I like it. I want women to be comfortable in my things, to be pleasant to wear. And I’ll tell you one more little secret: in the clothes of my brand, women feel as attractive as possible, because in our dresses there is always a high waist, if the girls have any figure flaws, for example, a small tummy or sides, the cut makes it all invisible.
At the end of October, the attention of Belarusian fashion followers was presented to the Russian brand ANIKA KERIMOVA. The showroom of Anika Kerimova's fashion house has opened in Minsk, in a shopping center on Nemiga Street 3.
The bright opening took place in the Chaihona Bazaar restaurant. The event was attended by many Belarusian and Russian pop stars. One of the most honored guests of the show was the Golden Voice of Russia Nikolai Baskov. 
For 5 years of existence in Russia, the brand has fallen in love not only with ordinary customers, but also with many show business stars. Among them are such celebrities as Yana Churikova, Maria Gorban,
Natalya Bochkareva, Irina Ortman, Zhanna Epple, Alena Shishkova. 
The owner of the brand Anika Kerimova is a famous Russian designer, businesswoman, winner of the Mrs. Moscow 2015 beauty contest. She told us about the brand, its features and, of course, about the opening of a flagship store in Minsk. 
— Anika, tell us about your brand. What is his style, for whom is he intended?
— The brand ANIKA KERIMOVA is intended for girls and women of all ages. We dress both young girls and older ladies. The clothes in the collections are very different: dresses, blouses, skirts - everyone can find something to their taste. A particularly large selection of overalls - our brand specializes in them. We try to take into account different styles and please all customers. We have both casual and dressy clothes. However, elegance and femininity can still be called a hallmark of the brand.
Launches the ANIKA KERIMOVA brand and fashion collections. One of these was exhibited at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia. Recently, a limited collection of children's clothing was presented.
In general, the ANIKA KERIMOVA brand is high-quality casual wear for any occasion. 
— Your brand stores are represented in many cities of Russia and Kazakhstan. Tell us how the ANIKA KERIMOVA brand came to Minsk.
“We have been thinking about this for a long time. We had orders from Minsk before - we made individual delivery from Moscow. Now they have opened a representative office here.
— And how does the brand get acquainted with the Belarusian audience?
— I am running a column on Belarus-1 in the Good Morning, Belarus! program. It is called “Fashion Tips from Designer Anika Kerimova”. Our clothes are already very popular on VTV - the weather forecast on this channel is carried out in the clothes of our brand. 
Tell us about the brand's collections.
— Our clothes come out not only in seasonal collections, the range is constantly replenished. We are releasing a collection, launching a trial batch in stores. Patterns of those models that received a response from customers are replicated, the range is expanding. In addition, in different cities the collections are not the same. Everything is done taking into account the peculiarities of fashion and color of a particular region.
In each of our stores, we periodically arrange collection shows. High-quality professional photos in catalogs are, of course, good. But live, on the model, everything looks more natural and understandable for customers. 
— As a designer and as a brand director, what is the most interesting, most favorite part of your work?
— Of course, it is always a great pleasure to see the finished collection. On models, in the store, at the presentation of the collection. It's nice to get feedback from customers - to see that they like clothes, it helps them to become more beautiful.
I also really like to communicate directly with the visitors of our stores myself, if I have the opportunity. I myself help clients to choose clothes that suit them, to assemble a complete look, choose the right color, and so on. The designer's view in this case is very important, because who better can choose and combine clothes, if not its creator?(Laughs). 
— And how is production organized in your fashion house, because you have so many branches? And what fabrics do you use?
- Our production is located in Moscow. We deliver ready-made collections to other cities.
We buy only branded, high-quality fabrics in branded outlets. And such a choice of fabrics justifies itself - many customers come to us for new clothes, because the things bought from me earlier are fed up, but they still look like new. Clothes made of good fabrics are worn for several years, which meets the requirements of our brand, because we do not create one-day collections.
Anika Kerimova creates designer clothes for women of various ages and body types. The designer does not go in cycles in standards and offers clothes for ladies from 42 to 56 sizes! Her name is widely known both in Russia and abroad. ANIKA KERIMOVA clothing is available for purchase in America, Morocco and the UAE. Among the fans of the fashion house can be noted: actresses Zhanna Epple and Natalia Bochkareva, singers Irina Ortman, Evgenia Shirokikh, Victoria Shkarina, Angelina Kashirina, Anna Peskova, TV presenter Yana Churikova and many others. Images from Anika are regularly tried on by participants in the beauty contests "Mrs. Moscow" and "Miss Moscow".
In this article we will tell you a biography, share links to social networks (instagram, facebook, vk). We have prepared a list of contacts and brand stores Anika Kerimova. News, lookbooks, shows, discounts, sales and upcoming events you can see in the section:
Russian designer Anika Kerimova | Anika Kerimova
Anika Kerimova is a diversified personality, at one time she became the owner of the title "Mrs. Moscow 2015". In addition, the girl has established herself as a successful business woman and a talented designer.
Anika's homeland is the city of Barnaul. Educated as an economist, the future designer received at the Altai State University. The first time I worked by profession. From early childhood, Anika became interested in fashion, she has always been an interesting hobby and hobby for her. The designer's mother influenced the development of creativity. After all, she designed and sewed costumes for her daughter's dance performances.
Growing up, Anika Kerimova began to order clothes in the atelier. She enthusiastically engaged in the development of sketches and thought through each image in detail.
After some time, Anika decided that she was ready to launch her own atelier. After all, this will allow her not only to sew things for herself, but also to earn money in her favorite pastime. At first, only three people worked for the designer: a cutter and a couple of tailors. The first clients were numerous friends and acquaintances of the fashion designer, who to this day remain fans of the ANIKA KERIMOVA brand. At the moment, the brand is successfully developing and continuously growing. In addition to the author's store in Moscow, the brand boasts branches in Lipetsk, Minsk and Rostov-on-Don. For 5 years, Anika has been working hard and expanding her business by leaps and bounds.
Anika Kerimova about her brand:
“For me, the main thing is to meet the needs of people, to create high-quality, inexpensive clothes for the middle class.”
Paying special attention to the unique design, Anika does not forget about the quality of things. By special order, fabrics and accessories are brought from France and Italy. Often they have markings of world brands: Valentino, D&G, Cavalli.
Each specific item of the designer, whether it be: a dress, a skirt or a suit, will please the buyer with an ideal appearance. Quality control is present at tailoring of each collection. Competent specialists carefully study every thing in order to eliminate even the smallest flaws inherent in inexpensive brands. Anika Kerimova works for the masses and offers clothes for work and offices, everyday looks for city dwellers. Evening dresses and collections for holidays in resorts and hot countries have long won the love of the public.
The designer does not go in cycles in thin women and offers sizes from 42 to 54, at the moment models are being developed for ladies of size 56. Anika is sure that every woman deserves to look stylish.
A couple of seasons ago, designer overalls made a lot of noise. There are more than 15 options in Anika's collection! Dresses and suits will competently emphasize the dignity of any figure. Each model is distinguished by comfort and ease of wearing, clothes can be called unique, because this cannot be found in luxury chain stores. For wealthy clients interested in exclusivity, the designer offers a premium designer clothing line, in which you can find only 3 copies of each model in different sizes!
Moscow, st. Sharikopodshipnikovskaya, 13, TC Dubrovka, row 6, shop 186
Tel.:+7 968 726 30 64
Many girls love to dress up dolls. Invent, and then sew beautiful clothes for them. Some carry their childhood passion into adulthood. The ability to sew for yourself and your loved ones helps not only to save money, but also to have a stylish and original wardrobe. However, not everyone dares to turn their children's hobby into their life's work, into a serious business that brings a stable income. Designer Anika Kerimova made up her mind and believes that the main thing here is to correctly determine the pricing policy in order to seriously compete with chain clothing stores.
From mother's dresses to own atelier
Anika's passion for sewing and fashion began in her childhood. In post-Soviet times, it was not easy to buy beautiful clothes. The mother of the future designer found a way out - she sewed clothes for herself and her daughter herself. The girl could watch the process for hours. Before her eyes, an ordinary piece of fabric gradually turned into a dress, skirt, blouse. Watching her mother, little Anika cut and sewed dresses for a teddy bear and her favorite dolls.
Anika Kerimova: “For all events and school holidays, my mother sewed dresses for me. In addition, I was engaged in dancing, and for each performance my mother prepared a new costume for me. Such a creative atmosphere is addictive: it has become natural for me that clothes reflect my style and personality. Over time, of course, I began to help in the creation of costumes and come up with my own models.
Having matured, Anika decided to go to study as a designer, but her parents did not support her daughter's idea. Therefore, the girl entered the Faculty of Economics of Altai State University. Later, she became convinced that she got her first profession for a reason - her knowledge helped her a lot in business.
Gradually, Anika came to the conclusion that she wanted to do what she always liked. I thought for a while. With the support of her close friends, she opened a small atelier. At first, three people worked there - a cutter and two tailors. Anika bought two sewing machines for 50,000 rubles each and a cutting table for 20,000.
Anika Kerimova: “I came up with the models myself. My first customers were my friends. And myself, of course. Slowly we started to develop. Word of mouth worked. They found out about us, orders began to arrive. ”
A few years after the opening of the atelier, Anika thought about scaling. This, of course, required a lot of money, and she took a long-term loan from her husband.
Anika Kerimova: “We agreed that this is a long-term loan, not a gift. I consulted with knowledgeable people, painted a business plan and showed it to my husband. He weighed all the pros and cons, assessed the risks, as befits a business person, and decided to give me the opportunity to test my strength, for which I am very grateful to him. To date, I have paid all the debt in full and I am glad that the money did not become the cause of our quarrels or disagreements.
The businesswoman rented a two-story building for 300 thousand rubles, invested about 150 thousand in advertising her first serious collection. The work was in full swing. Now Anika is a brand with more than 30 people working on its products.
Clients and competition
Anika focused her products on the middle class. There are, of course, more expensive things - premium, but even ladies with average incomes can afford them. Let's say overalls - a feature of the fashion house of Anika Kerimova - can be purchased at a price of 12 to 15 thousand rubles. The range is also designed for women with curvaceous forms - this allows you to attract even more clients who want to look stylish and original. Despite the fact that clothes do not cost sky-high money, Kerimov uses imported fabrics and accessories, and the quality of each sewn product is strictly monitored.
Anika Kerimova: “We bring fabrics from Europe; bypassing intermediaries, we buy from stocks in Italy and France. I'm very lucky that I have friends there who can help with shipping. We also import threads and accessories from abroad. Thanks to this, we create successful competition in the market: we can reduce the cost of the final product without losing the quality of fabrics and other consumables.”
Anika notes that before launching a new line into production, she always tries to listen to customers. For example, go to your store and see how people react to certain models.
The competition in this type of business is really big. The main ones are chain stores. In the discount season, you can completely update your wardrobe without spending a fortune. The main difference between the fashion house "Anika" and the rest is just the price. Indeed, on average, designer items cost from 20 to 30 thousand rubles. But Anika is confident that by keeping prices at an average level, she can attract more customers.
Now among the regular clients of the fashion designer is the famous TV presenter Yana Churikova, singer Irina Ortman, actress Anna Peskova and many others.
From 100 to 200 people visit the online store every day, some of them then return to order things they like for themselves.
Three boutiques have been opened under the Anika brand. In Moscow on Dubrovka, in Rostov-on-Don and in Lipetsk, where their own production is also located. There are plans to open stores in other regions.
How to guess the customer's needs?
A few tips from Anika Kerimova for those who want to start producing their own designer clothes:
- First you need to listen to yourself. What would you like to wear? Anika herself prefers the clothes of her brand, because she sews only what she likes herself. Remember that the great Coco Chanel also wore mostly her own clothes.
- Starting such a business, you need to think about the range. What exactly do you want to produce? Casual wear, office style or dresses and suits for going out.
- Do not forget that every self-respecting fashion house must have a decent "cruise collection". These are clothes that will be comfortable in hot countries, on vacation: shorts, tunics, flyaway dresses.
- For production, you need to choose only high-quality natural fabrics so that your customers feel comfortable and comfortable wearing them.
- Be sure to provide size plus clothing - this will attract even more customers.
- Consider a children's line. Now it is very important when mom and baby are dressed in the same style. Of course, clothes for children should also be made from natural high-quality fabrics.
Anika brand in facts and figures
Initial capital
Approximately 300 thousand rubles.
Monthly expenses
The seamstress's salary is 50 thousand rubles (4 people), the cutter is 60 thousand rubles, the rent of the premises is 300 thousand rubles.
Social networks, own website - anikakerimova.ru, publications in glossy magazines, on network resources, etc. by barter, that is, clothes in exchange for publications.
seasonality
Partly affects. On the eve of major holidays, such as March 8, the number of customers increases.
Number of stores
3 - in Moscow, Rostov-on-Don, Lipetsk.
Profitability
Clients
Women, children.
Average check
Clothing prices range from 7-8 thousand rubles, this is when it comes to dresses and skirts. The lace collection has a higher price. Overalls, which have become the hallmark of the brand, cost 12-15 thousand rubles.
