For one, it was an educational smorgasboard of events for the fashionable dames and gentlemen or Russia’s capital – with ten lectures by the country’s best designers, stars and stylists over the course of just two days, and individual sessions given to more than 4,000 visitors by professional hair and makeup artists provided by Mary Kay® cosmetics. These required a particularly individual approach for each guest, as every face needs a different set of skills. Another 1,000 visitors received special stylist lessons – what to wear and what not to wear, and, more importantly, how to wear the garments biding their time in your wardrobe.
But it wasn’t just lectures, makeovers and lessons – the guests came to see (and participate!) in fashion shows. These shows used models aged 55 and over exclusively, and more than 135 models took part in just these runway extravaganzas.
Beyond the professional fashion shows, any visitor could try their hand at modeling their own outfits during the festivals immersive interactive performances. These were especially popular with our guests, and over 200 people could experience the thrill of walking the runway like a true supermodel and strutting their stuff in front of a live audience. Another 500 visitors took part in a special “Model Walk” master-class, with the judges of “Miss Russian Federation” competition giving a live lesson and tips for a gorgeous walk that can be practiced anywhere and is bound to turn some heads..
But what is a handicraft station without some selfies and instagram stories? The festival assisted its guests in creating their own stylish and successful social network accounts with its “INSTA-MEET” zone, which helped every guest set up their own private influencer platform and resulted in over 300 new accounts for the Moscow’s grand dames and fashionable gents, and more than 10,000 new posts in just under two days.
“We’re seeing – live – as the Moscow’s Longevity Projects changes the lives of our guests, their outlook on life and the quality of that life”, says deputy head of the Ministry for Employment and Social Services for Moscow, Vladimir Filippov. “They’re changing their entire look, their hair, their style… A person’s outward appearance directly affects their mood and outlook. We’re so happy we could help them transform today. We’re hoping to move away from runway shows being an elitist and exclusive affair and more towards a popular past-time. What’s more, we’re seeing people over 60 and 70 years of age participate this year. This is already becoming a trend to watch in Moscow.”
Just over these two short days, the festival was visited by over 10,000 people. For the first time in recent history, a full-scale fashion event was held specifically catering to the 55-and-over crowd, where the guests could feel beautiful, stylish and fashionable, could try their hand at modeling as well as watch the collections, and of course, create unforgettable memories.
