RUSSIA: Traditional Russian felt boots "Valenki" are turning into something of a fashion statement

Record ID: 756115

  • Title: RUSSIA: Traditional Russian felt boots "Valenki" are turning into something of a fashion statement
  • Date: 6th January 2006
  • Summary: (L!2) DYMOVO VILLAGE, RUSSIA (DECEMBER 23, 2005) (REUTERS) OLD MAN WALKING ALONG THE STREET IN THE FELT BOOTS (VALENKI), PULLING SLEDGE WITH A GAS TANK / CLOSE UP OF VALENKI (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) MIKHAIL GOROKHOV, KALYAZIN RESIDENT, SAYING: "Valenki? Here, I'd say, valenki are the most comfortable footwear." A VILLAGE TREE BRANCH COVERED IN SNOW VILLAGE CHURCH TREE COVERE
  • Embargoed: 21st January 2006 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Fashion,Lifestyle
  • Reuters ID: LVAEIPCMVU8UTSYQYCOMLPG0SCJR
  • Story Text: Keep you feet warm, your stomach hungry, and your head cool, says an old Russian proverb.
    Keeping feet warm is essential during long, snowy winters, and so, Valenki, traditional Russian felt boots, are still worn in Russian towns and villages.
    Mikhail Gorokhov, 83, living in a village on the Volga river about 200km north of Moscow, has had valenki all his life. He still remembers when valenki were hand-made by his brother, a village valenki master.
    "Here, valenki are the most comfortable footwear," said Gorokhov.
    History of these boots goes a long way back. Until recent times, the boots were made by village masters, "kustari." Made of wool felt, valenki became an important part of Russian life.
    Through out the history, Russians of all ages wore valenki all winter long. However, recently many young people prefer trendier footwear.
    "Now, young people all like leather boots, not many wear valenki," said Antonina Ponomareva, 82, from Dymovo village not far from Kalyazin. "I don't know why, probably because it's in fashion."
    Valenki might be less popular than before, but they are still being fabricated in Russia.
    A valenki factory in a Russian town of Kalyazin was built in 1928, and still produces more than 16,000 pairs of valenki a month. The factory used to produce valenki not only for regular public, but also for the military. Along with tarpaulin boots, valenki are a part of Russian army uniform. However, last year the factory decided to change their standards and try to get young generation interested in the felt boots. They stopped making valenki for the army and concentrated on fabricating ordinary felt boots, decorated with with embroidery, pompons and ribbons.
    "There's still lots of work to be done with valenki. People have already tried everything with all the other types of shoes, but not with valenki," said Tamara Zakharova, a seamstress at the factory. "I've never seen anywhere people doing design on valenki as we're doing it here. And it's only the beginning. Before, this factory used to produce normal valenki, nothing special, but now, we decorate them. And maybe in the future something extraordinary will be created. Maybe there will be valenki on high heels, who knows!"
    Modern designers are also interested in working with the traditional footwear. At one of the recent fashion shows in Moscow, young artists designed valenki they claimed could be worn in a restaurant, at an official meeting and even in a dance club.
    "You can wear it with a dress," said designer Alina Assi, attaching red fur to her pair of valenki. "Maybe not with an evening dress, it might be too much, but you can wear it to go out in a very glamour style."
    Before, the Russians knew valenki as everyday village winter footwear. However, slowly but surely these atypical boots are attracting more and more attention of the young, stylish people living in cities. Wearing valenki for them is more a matter of fashion than of warmth.
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