The last time Melbourne style queen Rozalia Russian released a clothing line with Australian label Atoir it sold out within 20 minutes. The same is expected when her second range goes live on Thursday.
The last time fashion influencer and former model, Rozalia Russian, released a clothing line with Australian label Atoir it sold out within 20 minutes. In the following weeks, celebrities such as Kylie Jenner, Eva Longoria and Sophia Richie were spotted wearing her designs in LA. On Thursday her second range with Atoir goes live, and it is likely to generate a similar kind of reaction from customers to the last range.
Russian’s latest range with Atoir has already garnered some high-profile celebrity attention, she told Forbes Australia.
“Rita Ora is in the country and she’s selected three pages of outfits, and I am like ‘sure’ [take them]!” Russian said.
Russian – whose family left Uzbekistan in the early 90s with two suitcases and $250 – is known around Melbourne for her impeccable style, business savvy and high- profile connections. For Russian – who is married to Melbourne nightclub and events company owner, Nick Russian – it is important for her new range of “fashion-forward staples” to be of excellent quality that will last for “years and years to come”.
But joining the fashion industry was never a life goal for the mother of two, she told Forbes Australia. “No, no, it never was [a goal]. I had gone to the Australian ballet school but and I had this moment of reality where I realised that I had put all my eggs in one basket. My Mum was a gymnast and I was very lucky that I was born with all the skills, but I didn’t the heart,” Russian says.
“Talent will only get you so far…if you don’t have the drive behind you, you’re not get to get to where you need to go.”
Rozalia Russian
Russian, who studied advertising and marketing, met her husband Nick at the age of 19, and he’d always supported her in discovering what she wanted to do, but it took time for her to discover what she was passionate about, she says. Russian took an office job working for property developer Tim Gurner, who she has known for years. She discovered while working for Gurner that she “wasn’t suited to an office job”, and took on various other pursuits before discovering the power of social media. Russian – who now has 261,000 followers on Instagram –began posting selfies of her outfits on Instagram because people continually asked her where her clothing was from. Fashion brands began approaching her, leading to collaborations with a number of high-profile brands such as Anton Jewellery Uniclo, Country Road and Camilla & Marc.
This is Russian’s second and final collection with Atoir. She plans to release another two collaborations with other brands, before starting her own brand, she told Forbes.
“Having my own brand is something I have always wanted to work towards. Being the Mum of two small children I have always said that I need them both to be just a little bit older, because once I do this, I am going to really do this.”
This collection is inspired by Russian’s personal style and aesthetic and was designed with “no detail overlooked”. The designs are simple but taking the smallest detail into consideration to achieve the perfect composition she could never find anywhere else. There are seven colourways and a range of items from traditional loungewear to tailoring with luxe fabrication including 100% Wool and Cashmere. With this being the largest collection that has been brought out by Atoir (114 SKUs), the pieces are perfect for anyone who appreciates tailoring and classic silhouettes. Pieces in the collection are priced between $90 and $800.
“When I started designing the first range [in 2020], COVID hit, and I remember standing in my kitchen thinking that no one is going to want to wear blazers and jeans. Nobody will buy that now,” she says. “So I found a gap in the market. I couldn’t find nice loungewear. Obviously there are tracksuits – I am not re-inventing the wheel – but the quality wasn’t there and it didn’t make me feel good about myself. So we did it and it went amazing!”
Nobody was more surprised over how quickly her first range with Atoir sold out than Russian herself. “I was like, what? I was baffled. It’s just loungewear, we are not re-inventing the wheel, but it’s just all about the fabrication and the quality. People want quality. It just lasts and lasts.”
There are seven colourways in total and a range of items from traditional loungewear to tailoring with luxe fabrication including 100% Wool and Cashmere. With this being the largest collection that has been brought out by Atoir (114 SKUs), the pieces are perfect for anyone who appreciates tailoring and classic silhouettes.
“I feel like we are not only offering the perfect simple everyday staples but also new fitted classic silhouettes with a big focus on premium fabrication. This collection showcases some of the most elevated loungewear that will sit beautifully and last after every wash. I’m super excited to share this with Australia and cannot wait for our customers to get their hands on our pieces.”
Atoir founder Cynthia Farchione says the collection represents Russian and Atoir’s shared love of simple, staple pieces that car be worn “no matter where you are”. “We’re thrilled to be partnering with Rozalia Russian once again,” said Atoir founder Cynthia Farchione. “Our last collaboration was a huge success, and we’re excited to be working together again to create something truly special.”
