REBUS ME

Playing intellectual fashion games...

Rebus. I bet every single Russian-speaking person is familiar with the meaning of the word 'rebus'. To put it the easiest way, it's an intellectual game where a word or a phrase is expressed by means of a combination of symbols, pictures, numbers and letters. The trick is to figure out the meaning of such a rebus, to figure out what word or phrase is hidden behind such a visual expression. Well, this is the primary idea of the word. Meanwhile, 'rebus' seem to expand its influence into fashion. How? Let's find it out...

In October 2014 fashion had been officially rebus'ed as a totally new concept store emerged in the capital of Russia - Moscow. The concept store that reminds you more of a personal yet quite spacious wardrobe is an idea, in other words a fashion child, of an Istituto Marangoni (London) graduate Elisabeth Selezneva. There's no need to hide it, we did study Fashion Business basics together, so we are course mates, in the past now. I believe this fact shows how diverse our course was and how different our fashion paths are now. So, as the Fashion Business graduate Elisabeth expanded her industry experience in the UK, Italy and France that, in turn, brought her to an idea - introduce Russian consumers to emerging capsule brands from all over the world by means of own concept store in Moscow.

And this strategy seems to work as at the moment REBUS stocks London-based CHARLI LONDON, Paris-based NUE 19.04, Seoul-based ALEE LANG, if we name just few brands. Such a diverse, international approach to concept store's range is actually the base to rebus modern fashion. So what does the actual 'rebus' has to do with this concept store? Elisabeth's REBUS is about logical and rational approach to fashion. It's primarily about encoding your message, personality, outlooks on life (and fashion) by means of high quality clothes and accessories. Pieces that are only going to emphasize your personality, your inner side. Pieces that will set you apart from the crowd. And the thing is you don't necessarily need to be that fashion intellectual. If you see fashion differently, not as a huge balloon with endless number of trends that you necessarily need to follow just to remain in the jet, remain relevant to others, but rather as a tool that can help you express believes that were lying deep inside for too long, then be ready to REBUS yourself.

For our first chapter (out of two) of REBUS x Practical Queen AP project that brings together intellectual, rational and practical side of fashion I couldn't escape but pull that fashion intellectual of mine. I would even say, fashion intellectual on duty. Quite simple, slightly laid back outfit is still based on little yet highly important details. Just pay a closer look to these ALEE LANG super-wide leg pants. Just take a minute... Spot the difference? The shades of grey are different... And it's not a defect but rather designer's trick. This trick seem to say: "If you are able to spot it, then you see things as they are". And if you did notice the color trick before reaching this paragraph, then you are pretty good at intellectual fashion games. So the following question is - when the light fades and greyness comes, would you really REBUS yourself?