Vyacheslav Zaitsev

Vyacheslav Zaitsev
Вячеслав Зайцев
Born
Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Zaitsev

(1938-03-02)2 March 1938
Ivanovo, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Died30 April 2023(2023-04-30) (aged 85)
Occupations
  • Fashion designer
  • painter
  • artist
LabelSlava Zaitsev
Websiteslavazaitsev.com

Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Zaitsev (Russian: Вячеслав Михайлович Зайцев; 2 March 1938 – 30 April 2023) was a Russian fashion designer, painter, graphic artist, and theatrical costume designer. He was considered to be one of the most prominent fashion designers of the Soviet Union, and had been compared to Christian Dior and Yves Saint Laurent.

Zaitsev first came to prominence in the 1960s, when he was featured in the magazine Paris Match and dubbed the "Red Dior" by the French media. By the 1990s, he had designed outfits for Russian politicians and foreign celebrities. His style was influenced by traditional Russian and Slavic designs, featuring shawls and quilted jackets, and several of his designs were intended for "larger" women. The Hermitage Museum has an extensive collection of his designs on exhibition.