In its place, the state commissioned projects to engineer a new Soviet type of dress, which drew on traditional clothing, constructivist forms, and technological facility. [21] Constructivists like Varvara Stepanova and Alexander Rodchenko agreed that fashion driven by the market was inherently harmful. [24] They employed the simple geometry of cubism to design clothing that was functional, easily mass-produced, and sometimes unisex. [25] Due to lack of adequate material and machinery, however, this prozodezhda, or “production clothing”, did not appeal to the proletariat audience for which it was intended. [26] Designs were only available to the most privileged members of the intelligentsia, who ultimately preferred Western fashion to the highly experimental prozodezhda.
Soviet industry was unable to produce fashionable clothing in significant quantity, and what did exist was not available for general sale. [33] During World War II, the Soviet fashion industry went on hiatus. [34] If the average Soviet citizen desired a particularly stylish item of clothing, they were usually forced to commission a private tailor. [35] Day-to-day fashion was often self-produced, and magazines consistently advised women to take a do-it-yourself approach to their appearance.
