Kira Plastinina isn’t the only Russian heiress playing the international fashion gameMeet Dasha Zhukova, the “Kova” behind the sexy Kova & T line and one of the new generation of privileged young Russians known as the “spoilt bratskies.” She is a regular on the global social circuit, partying with Joy Bryant and China Chow in LA, shopping with Camilla Al Fayed in London.She’s opening a contemporary art space in Moscow in July, with Amy Winehouse performing at the opening bash. She’s 26, beautiful and rich (her dad is oil magnate Alexander Zhukov), and she’s all set to become a trendsetter.“Russian women have always been into their appearance,” Zhukova says. “But now you see stilettos on the subway with Russian-style, head-to-toe logos — but there are also girls that dress much cooler.”Unlike Plastinina’s girlie pink, Zhukova’s line is a understated, simple and harder edged— dark colour, T-shirts tucked into bandage skirts and dresses that show a lot of leg. Russian teens are already imitating it.In late 2004, Zhukova and her buddy, Christina Tang, longed for a pair of unfussy jeans in a season of over-embellished, logo-heavy denim. And they decided to make their own. Neither had a design background. In 2006, they launched the line with skinny and boot-cut jeans and high-waist shorts, added a cotton dress, shorts and a “perfect” white T-shirt to round the collection. Their travels and chic friends (they name their clothing after their pals) proved to be a successful formula. Kova & T is sold at Saks Fifth Avenue, Harvey Nichols in London and TsUM in Moscow.Zhukova designs from London and Moscow, Tang in LA. “Does she really have 40 stores in Russia?” Zhukova asks. “Huh. I’ve never seen one.”-Melissa Magsaysay (LATWP)
