St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg
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St. Petersburg
JULIA MASNICH, WGSN 07.04.05
The port city of St Petersburg has always been famous for its
white nights, fairytales and magnificent architecture. WGSN
hones in on some of the city's best fashion boutiques and
shopping, as well as the rich inspiration the area has to offer.
Tips
St Petersburg architecture
Russian inspired fashion at
Blumarine A/W 2005/06
The national currency is
rubles, but be prepared for
touristy establishments that
demand payment in US dollars
or "standard units"
(abbreviated YE).
Beware of buying antiques
(anything pre-1960) and
contemporary art, as these
items will require an export
licence from the Ministry of
Culture and a possible tax of up
to 100% of the object's value.
Only 250g black caviar are
allowed for export.
Yelagin Island can be reached
on foot from Primorsky
Prospect, 2.5 km west of
Chernaya Rechka metro, or bus
#411 along the embankment.
Organised tours and day trips
by coach to Novgorod are
available from kiosks outside
the department store Gostiny
Dvor in St Petersburg. Be
aware that guides speak
Russian, the cost does not
include entry into museums
and churches, and the bus
journey is far from comfortable.
Novgorod embroidery
Russian women love Italian fashion and the relationship is clearly a
mutual one. The autumn/winter catwalks in Milan showed clear Russian
folk influence. Head scarves and embroidered dresses were seen at
Dolce & Gabbana, Blumarine and Miu Miu. There were also touches
at Etro (embroidery and prints) and Alberta Ferreti (shape of coats
and fur trims).
In New York and Paris, folk style hints appeared in collections by Anna
Sui, Kenzo, Oscar de la Renta and Cacharel.
Addresses
Dolce & Gabbana
Autumn/Winter 2005/06
Kenzo Autumn/Winter
2005/06
Cacharel Autumn/Winter
2005/06
Antikvariat
Nevsky, 51
Concept stores
Atmosfera
Malaya Sadovaya st., 3
The most progressive shop in St Petersburg is considered to be
Day&Night. Famous for its interior decor and impeccable buyer, this
shop is currently undergoing an expansion and will be reborn as a
seven-level superstore.
Babochka Gallery
Nevsky av., 153
This is the place where fashionistas and celebrities flock for the latest
Balenciaga, Ann Demeulemeester, Bernhard Willhelm, Rick
Owens, Undercover and Boudicca. Shoes, accessories, perfume and
Bolshoy Gostiny Dvor
Nevsky av., 35
www.babochka.ru
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St. Petersburg
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jewellery are also sold in-store.
www.bgd.ru
Bosco di Ciliegi
Nevsky av., 6
www.bosco.ru
Comme des Garçons
Suvorovsky av., 47
Day&Night
Malaya Posadskaya st., 6
Defile
Nab. Kanala Griboedova, 27
Day&Night
Day&Night
www.defilenaneve.ru
Export licences
Ministry of Culture
Malaya Morskaya u.17
Open: Monday-Friday 11.00am2.00pm
Flea Market
Near Udelnaya metro station
Freelance
Nevsky prosp., 147
Gianni Versace
Nevsky av., 37
Day&Night
Ugo Cacciatori
The Grand Palace
Nevsky av., 44
For the city's best selection of art and fashion books and magazines, visit
fashion-insider haunt Opium concept store. The shop is located at the
www.grand-palace.ru
Grand Palace, a shopping mall on the city's main avenue Nevsky
Prospect.
Hamam (banya)
Zatavskaya ul.19
The shop has a firm commitment to discovering independent newcomers
– this is a great place to hunt out small, quirky brands, such as Corpo
Tel: +781 308 08 37
9, Jan&Carlos, Haute, Ioanis Guia, Share Spirit, Sharon Wauchob,
Ysack, praised Russian menswear designer Denis Simachev and
The Hermitage
others. Don't miss the independent designer jewellery, such as Ugo
Palace Square
Cacciatori's skull necklaces, as well as Comme des Garçons and
www.hermitagemuseum.org
Diptyque perfume and incense.
Another must-see is Russia's only Comme des Garçons flagship store,
stocking all the brand's lines, perfume and incense. Look out for CDG's
legendary fashion shows held here seasonally, arguably the most
exciting local fashion event of the year.
Larusse
Stremyannaya st., 3
www.larusse.ru
Lomonosov Porcelain
Nevsky pr., 160
Open Air
Nevsky av., 79
Opium
Nevsky av., 44
www.opium.jp
Opium concept store
Opium concept store
Sokrovischa Peterburga
Vladinirsky av., 4
The Russian Museum
Inzhenernaya st., 4
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www.rusmuseum.ru
Tatiana Parfionova
Nevsky av., 51
www.parfionova.ru
Urbanomania
Kanala Griboedova embankment,
20
www.urbanomania.ru
Comme des Garçons
Comme des Garçons
City-centre shopping
For city-centre shopping, the best place to start is St Petersburg's
equivalent to the 'Champs Elysées', in the heart of the city: Nevsky
Prospect. A good place to take in the city, Nevsky Prospect boasts
waterside walkways and stunning architecture.
Shop buildings range in style from ornate art nouveau and art deco to
19th-century palaces. The street is also lined with the past homes of
several of the city's legendary residents, including Gogol, Tchaikovsky,
Turgenev, Nijinsky, Rimsky-Korsakov and Dostoevsky.
Vanity
Malaya Morskaya st., 4/1
Reki Moiki embankment, 59
Nevsky av., 44
Mikhailovskaya st., 1/7
Nevsky av., 57
www.vanity.ru
Where to eat
Fine Dining
Aquarel
Perogradskaya Storona, Birzhevoy
bridge
Tel: +7812 320 8600
www.aquarel.ru
Canvas
Pochtamskaya st., 4
Tel: +7812 380 4000
Ginza
Aptekarsky av., 16
Tel: +7812 310 7007
Nevsky prospect
kiosk on Nevsky prospect
First stop should be the Bosco di Ciliegi store, which specialises in
Kenzo and MaxMara. Cross the street to one of the city's several Vanity
chain boutiques, this one full of Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Celine and Marni
clothes and accessories, as well as a good selection of Jimmy Choo
shoes.
St Petersburg has a number of Vanity boutiques, including one at the
Taleon Hotel, where you can choose from YSL, Gucci and Lanvin, and
another at the Grand Hotel Europe, mostly stocking Azzedine Alaia
collections. The Vanity stock shop at Nevsky Palace Hotel has designer
items from past collections at more affordable prices.
www.ginza.ru
Il Grappolo
Belinskogo st., 5
Tel: +7812 273 4904
Moskva
Petrogradskaya embankment., 18a
Tel: +7812 332 0200
Casual
Che
Poltavskaya st., 3
Tel: +7812 277 7600
www.cafeclubche.ru
Fasol
Gorokhovaya st., 17
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Tel: +7812 571 7454
Laima
Griboedova 14
Nevskiy Prospekt/Gostiniy Dvor
metro
Bolshoy pr.88
Petrogradskaya metro
Macaroni
Rubinshteina st., 23
Tel: +7812 315 6147
Window display at Vanity
Urbomania
Urbomania
Further up, next to the Kazansky Cathedral, stands the Urbanomania
boutique with its orange and grey interior. Designed by the owner
himself, its funky decor mirrors the colourful items on display, including
Etro, Iceberg, Matthew Williamson and Yoshiki Hishinuma clothes, as
well as Key Te and Fessura shoes, some hip perfume and club music
CDs.
Just across the Griboedov canal is Defile boutique, which specialises in
clothes produced by local designers. Check out the Princess And Frogs
and Arngoldt collections, two of the most interesting labels in the shop.
The owner, a firm fashion lover, also organises St Petersburg Fashion
Week or the Defile Na Neve.
Orient
Bolshaya Morskaya ul.25
Nevskiy Prospekt/Gostiniy Dvor
Metro
Suvorovskiy pr. 18
Ploshchad Vosstaniya metro
U Tyoshi na blinakh
Ligovskiy pr. 20,
Ploshchad Vosstaniya metro
Gorokhovaya ul.43
On the corner of Sadovaya ul.
Sadovaya/Sennaya Ploshchad
metro
Teremok
Manezhnaya pl. downtown
outside several mainline train and
metro stations
Where to stay
Hotel Astoria
Bolshaya Morskaya st., 39
Tel: +7 812 313 5757
www.astoria.spb.ru
Defile entrance
fashion at Defile
Nearby is Bolshoy Gostiny Dvor, which was the main department store
of St Petersburg for more than a century. Here, Sonia Rykiel, Fendi, Paul
Ka, Georges Rech, Cacharel, D&G, Exte, DKNY, Francesco Smalto all
have concessions. Situated directly opposite is The Grand Palace, the
most upmarket shopping mall in the area. Inside you'll find the best
Vanity shop, carrying Jil Sander, Marc Jacobs, Miu Miu, Capucci and
Hussein Chalayan for men and women. Opium, mentioned earlier,
Femme Etoile and gourmet boutique Café d'Or are also worth a look.
The Grand Hotel Europe
Mikhailovskaya st., 1/7
Tel: +7812 329 6000
www.grandhoteleurope.c...
Mariott Renaissance St
Petersburg Baltic Hotel
Pochtamskaya st., 4
Tel: +7812 380 4000
Continuing around the corner, browse for flowers, gifts and customised
antique furniture in Atmosfera. Hidden in a park, Donatella Versace's
favourite Versace flagship store occupies a building designed by 19th
century Italian architect Rossi.
www.mariott.com
Next stop should be the recently refurbished Tatiana Parfionova
boutique for embroidered fashion by this local fashion designer.
Tel: +7812 318 7051
Matisov Domik Hotel
Pryazhka River Embankment, 1/3
www.matisov.spb.ru
Inspirational places
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Hamam
Zatavskaya ul.19
Tel: +781 308 0837
Museum of Decorative &
Applied Arts (LP)
13 Solyanoy pereulok 191028 St.
Petersburg
Open: 11am - 5pm
Closed: Mondays and Sundays
Nearest metro station:
Chernyshevskaya
Freelance
Bolshoy Gostiny Dvor
Tel: +781 273 3258
Novgorod Folk Centre
14, Bredova St., Novgorod, Russia
Tel: +781 6227 6053
Yelagin Palace
www.alexanderpalace.or...
Related links
Moscow city guide
Catwalk lace trends
Autumn/Winter 2005/06
Tatiana Parfionova
Tatiana Parfionova
For a taste of local fashion, take a look at local chain store brands such
as Extra or Oxydo at the Open Air where the city's young clubbers
come for their party outfits. Further ahead, you'll find the Freelance
flagship store: their delicate shoe designs can be seen on many a foot at
the city's fanciest clubs and restaurants.
Autumn/Winter 2005/06 trend
research: Fable
There are three Babochka designer fashion boutiques on Nevsky
Prospect. One sells only Ermenegildo Zegna, while the others have
Tod's, Blumarine, Roberto Cavalli, Chloé, Michael Kors, Jean Paul
Gaultier, Antonio Marras, Barbara Bui and Zac Posen, as well as
Michel Perry shoes for women; and Brioni, Zilli, Armani Collezzioni
and Gucci clothes, plus John Lobb shoes for men.
Alternative retail
One of the most lively, picturesque places in St Petersburg is the flea
market near Udelnaya underground station. The haphazard Saturday
and Sunday market is full of old Russian ladies, drunkards and random
collectors selling bargains and memorable fragments from the Soviet
era.
Lomonosov Porcelain set
Soviet memorabilia pins at the flea market
St Petersburg is renowned for its old-fashioned pharmacies and antiques
shops. For vintage art nouveau handbags, fans and silk gowns visit
Sokrovischa Peterburga or Antikvariat. For Russian folk treasures
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such as chests or distaffs (weaving implements used before the spinning
wheel was invented) head to Larusse.
Russia has a longstanding tradition of porcelain manufacture. Europe's
third oldest porcelain factory, Lomonosov Porcelain, has more than
500 items in its catalogue. Visit the shop on Nevsky for the best prices.
Aside from the atypical Russian matryoshka doll sets, the most common
souvenirs are lacquered boxes. Folk products made from birch wood bowls, spoons and platters – and birch bark – handbags to lampshades –
are available in St Petersburg at Lakir, Russian Traditional Souvenirs
and Vernissazh outdoor tourist market.
Gorodets woodpainting
Polkhov-Maiden painted
matryoshka dolls
lacquerware painting
Palekh style paintings on
lacquered box
Khokhoma-style crafts
Where to eat
Credit cards are accepted by most top-range and foreign-managed
restaurants, but this shouldn't be taken for granted. Lunchtime is usually
between 1pm and 4pm. For fast food, choose a chain serving more
authentic Russian cuisine, such as Laima, Orient, U Tyoshi na blinakh
or Teremok, whose distinctive brown-and-yellow kiosks sell freshly
made bliny in savoury and sweet fillings.
Macaroni serves the best lasagna and pizza in the city. It's the kind of
place where the food is good, the wine is good, service is excellent and
everyone is happy. Fasol is a popular place serving cheap and tasty
international cuisine. WGSN recommends the delicious poppy parfait
with mint sauce.
Che is open 24/7. The restaurant specialises in wine, coffee, tea and
desserts, but also serves soups and main dishes. You can also listen to
good live jazz here almost every night.
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Macaroni
Moskva
For fine dining, Moskva (Russian for Moscow) is the latest place to see
and be seen. Lunch here is affordable. Visit to experience the
atmosphere and chef Evgeny Vereschagin's celebrated cuisine. Ginza
serves Japanese and European food and is well-known for its glamorous
parties and music. Popular with the jet set, who dine on caviar rolls and
drink Cristal champagne.
Situated at Marriott Hotel, Canvas has always had excellent reviews.
The menu offers an inventive and creative twist on traditional Russian
cuisine. Il Grappolo is one of the best places for Italian cuisine, and is
famous for its wine list. The restaurant's charming wine bar, Probka, is
open until 1am.
For wonderful views of the sunset and Neva River in a modern setting,
head to Aquarel. In the summer, loungers appear on the terrace and
the restaurant becomes the best place to escape the city's heat and fuss.
The fusion menu offers Mediterranean cuisine.
Probka at Il Grappolo
Aquarel
Fasol
Ginza
Where to stay
There are no boutique hotels in St Petersburg, though there are an
impressive number of conservative, formal places. While some can be
pretentious or lack charm, WGSN recommends these:
Hotel Astoria is considered to be the most noble and sophisticated
hotel in St Petersburg. It is situated right beside St Paul's Cathedral
and has a Clarins SPA Centre.
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Grand Hotel Europe
Mariott
Grand Hotel Europe is a fashionable and expensive place to stay.
You can find a Vanity boutique inside, as well as Brioni's flagship
store.
Mariott is located in a quiet, lovely area. It includes the famous
Canvas restaurant and one of the best summer terraces for cocktails
and fantastic views.
Matisov Domik is a cosy, three-star hotel with a quiet location on
the Pryazhka River embankment, an area beloved of Russian writers
and artists.
Inspirational places
The Hermitage Museum is one of the world's best museums. Its
collection of Western Art includes works by Leonardo Da Vinci, Raphael,
Rubens, Rembrandt and El Greco, as well as Monet, Van Gogh, Picasso
and Matisse. Part of the exhibition is at the Winter Palace, a former
tsar's residence.
Exterior of The Hermitage
A 18th century dress worn
by Catherine II at The
Hermitage
Exterior of The Russian Museum
Laurits Tuxen's 1895 The
Coronation of Nicholas II
and Alexandra Fyodorovna
at The Hermitage
Peter Carl Faberge's 1900,
Miniature replicas of
Imperial regalia at The
Hermitage
The Russian Museum contains a fine collection of Russian art. Don't
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miss the ground floor's 19th century collection and the Benois wing of
avant-garde 20th century works (much of the recently unveiled display
was put in the storage after the advent of Soviet realism in the 30s).
For peace and relaxation, or just to watch the locals, head for the Kirov
Islands of Kamenny, Yelagin and Krestovsky. The islands' picturesque
summerhouses, cycle paths and gingerbread mansions make it a popular
picnic spot. Yelagin Palace, built by Rossi for Tsar Alexander I's wife,
Empress Maria, is open to the public.
Architecture aficionados might be interested in the red brick buildings of
New Holland. Until recently, the inlet has been closed to the public for
military purposes. Take a boat trip, another favourite leisure activity of
both natives and tourists, and make a stop at the island. Yusupov
Palace is well worth a visit, if only to see the waxworks tableau of
Rasputin's murder in the actual cellar where it happened. Its sumptuous
apartments offer a tantalising window into aristocratic tastes.
The Blue Salon at Yelagin Palace
New Holland
Begun in 1878 by Baron Stieglit, and a former School of Technical
Design, the Museum of Decorative & Applied Arts (LP) has a
splendid collection ranging from medieval handcrafted furniture to a rare
collection of Russian tiled stoves. Don't miss the Terem Room, decorated
in the style of the medieval palace of Moscow's Kremlin.
Tsarskoe Selo (Royal Village), consists of two gigantic palaces set
amid parkland: the splendid Catherine Palace, home of Catherine the
Great, and the Alexander Palace. The town is 25km south of St
Petersburg, but well worth the trek to experience the history and
architecture.
For a typical Russian experience, head for one of the many banya or
bathhouses. Buy a venik at the entrance – a leafy bunch of birch twigs
or prickly juniper twigs with which bathers flail themselves in the steam
room to open up the skin's pores and enhance circulation. Don't be
surprised if your fellow bathers start beating each other – it's virtually a
national pastime.
Hamam,open 24 hours, is a good place to start. As well as a Turkish
steam bath, massage, Finnish sauna, wood-fired banya and swimming
pool, the establishment offers billiards and karaoke. Alternatively, head
to the north of the city, where there are several banyas around the lakes
in Ozerki. In Winter, you can forego the cold plunge pool and try the
Russian custom of leaping through ice into freezing water instead.
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Novgorod's Museum of Wooden Architecture
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Novgorod handicrafts
If you're visiting for folk inspiration, you might consider travelling to
Novgorod. The town, a three-and-a-half-hour journey from St
Petersburg, offers a clutch of inspirational churches and museums,
including the Folk Embroidery Museum and the outdoor Museum of
Wooden Architecture.
One of several such museums to be found in Russia, many of the old
buildings have been dismantled at their original location and
reassembled and restored on the museum grounds. Prices for traditional
handicrafts are much lower here. For an authentic experience, plan your
visit to coincide with one of the many festivals staged throughout the
year.
© WGSN 2005
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