Tsigal Masha

On January did not say what year in the famous Moscow art family Tsigal-Birstein born Masha.
Her grandmother Nina Vatolina was a famous master of poster graphics, which made in 1941, the poster 'Do not talk! ". Grandfather, Max Birstein - outstanding painter. Another grandfather, Vladimir Tsigal - to sculptor, who built many monuments in Moscow. Pope, Alexander Tsigal - sculptor. Mother - Anna Birshtein - artist, whose works hang in the Tretyakov Gallery and the Russian Museum.

'Born in artistic family, I wanted to be anybody, not an artist! - Says Masha. - It's terrible when birthdays all need to draw gifts! " Where more than paint, Masha Tsigal liked bedizen mother and home decoration. English and art schools, figure skating - in her childhood was full standard set of educational, except, perhaps, the only music school. After high school general education, Masha enters Stroganovka, what cunning - to pull. 'She came to the exam in a taxi, wearing white shorts and t-shirt. Among the entrants found bearded men and women with serious family. Figure I was worse than all, but I still have. From such a family could not take. She could never go to the exam, probably '.

In Stroganovka Masha Tsigal been studying for three years: the limit of patience was the internship at the Gus Crystal. Student, working with glass, dreamed of Murano - and received a crystal factory, develops sets. Then decided - they will manage well with Stroganovka without each other. At this time began insane for Moscow Nineties:

In 1995, having become acquainted with fashionable people, Masha Tsigal begins active rave activity. 'It was all very bohemian and very similar to the real artistic life: just the fact, . what I wanted so much, . - Says Masha, . - Therefore, . to the consternation of parents, . I threw Stroganovka and began actively to hang out: 'Outraged parents resettled prodigal daughter in a separate apartment, . left penniless - and even without refrigeration,
. But idleness did not last long: 'hour X' has become acquainted with Andrey Bartenev. 'This I have never seen. I suddenly realized how adorns the human desire to work. Full Respect for all, and very nice '. Soon, Masha Tsigal makes first collection - from LPs.

'I wanted to do something, but it was not clear from what. No money, there is only a desire. And very fond of music! " Love for music resulted in a meltdown is not the best of its samples, recorded at my mother's plate: the house, along with a young man, they melted a plate-type 'For you, women'. Vinyl vengeance unreal stink: So was born a collection of 'We like the sun'. The performance was shown at 'The Hermitage'. Models in black tights bore the design of the plates. At the end of the show came Masha - with a backpack-sun (made of plastic, pasted foil) behind. The next day the front page of 'Kommersant' published an article under the headline 'In the' Hermitage 'the sun came up'. Sun a new day has made designer Masha Tsigal celebrity.

And then there was competition untamed fashion in Riga, the jury which sat Paco Rabanne: he gave Masha Tsigal top prize.

'Structures of the plates - these were not things, of course - says Masha Tsigal - Then in Moscow instead of the fashion show there art projects'. It is a bit complicated life: artists, working on modeling 'things that could be' do not understand where they belong. Masha Tsigal participated in exhibitions of painting and doing performances, which could sell the club as a show: the same way as today's pop stars sell their casino concerts. Her second collection, entitled 'Lapland' - from the molten plexiglass, pasted over an ornament of silver film - was just such a 'show on sale'.

Another collection of Masha Tsigal - already half-an avant-garde, half nosibelnoy - became Place Tsigal: it showed in the club 'Snowstorm'. For the club even had to make the scenery, which then led his long program Andrew Wolfe. At the podium came Lika Star, which then, in 1996, was a pop star - without underwear, in a transparent dress. Clothing from the Collection Place Tsigal, with your favorite ornaments that Masha was drawing since childhood - kitty, sailor and so on.. - Was the first step to pret-a-porter. The second step was the collection of such 'exhibitionist'. 'It's already been quite nosibelnye things that had to be somewhere to sew. Place orders in the studio cost is not cheap, but money, no one was'. Way out of the situation became theater workshops: due to lack of money, they will gladly take orders for a modest fee.

'This, in fact, is my distinct from other designers. They came into vogue from the Soviet studio, and I - from the real art of living '. Child of the real art of living, it is, thus, has never been a fan of second-hand and garbage dumps. 'I grew up on the good things: my mom always beautifully dressed, bought things from spekulyantok, wore old things grandmothers'. Therefore, all earned at shows and show the money spent on good tissue. And then - fabrics were painted, and decorated with prints.

The problem with fabrics plus fashion black among Moscow's bohemia - a collection of 97 Masha Tsigal decides to do in black. Joining forces with 'Station 106.8', at the time of a cult, they do a demonstration on Pushkin Square. Podium runs from the theater to Tverskaya Street, the area had to be cut. 'Someone business, and I have - show' - Masha laughs. It was a collection of 'Favorites of the Moon' - Gothic, with different hairstyles and models with whitewashed faces and black eyes.

The next collection 'exhibitionist' Masha Tsigal shows the newly-built City Bridge. Newspapers then wrote that if the bridge fell, Moscow would be deprived of all the celebrities. This collection has not been any avant-garde clothes perfectly suited to wear it. 'By the time I had completely changed world: to make art performances were more interested. However I do not quite understand who I am - an artist, a stylist or a designer: You should have new powers'.

Then Masha Tsigal goes to London - for the new forces and education, nevertheless, be necessary. Despite the fact that all in one voice urged her to stay (stupid to leave when the career thrived, and all logs are unanimous in their choice of designer), Masha left. I traded it all in the London College of Fashion, Faculty of fashion marketing. On course Masha was the only Russian. To overcome the snobbery of the public has helped the magazine Face, with a ten material about Russia - it did Ben journalist Iris, who had come to Moscow and became friends with bohemia and underground: in this article, of course, was machine picture. And nevertheless, life in London was by no means easy. 'Little money. Youth hostel. England put his head on the place '. Several phone numbers, imported from Russia, have helped to make you want to meet: Andrew Logan, with whom Maria met in Riga, helped arrange an assistant to Zandre Rhodes (Zandra Rhodes). 'Worked Cinderella. Do everything: sending faxes, making landing on a mannequin, ordered a pizza. I had to learn to cut and sew '. Then it hired Mr. Pearl - Master of corsets, a man with a very thin waist in the world, it has been seven years living in a corset - by happy coincidence, which so much was Masha's life, he was a fan of Russia.

In 2000, Masha a call from Moscow and offered to show in the gallery 'Actor': Study in London was completed, Moscow seemed more promising - it's time to return. 'All the tasks that I put before him in London, were carried. I learned a lot and realized that I wanted to do in life. Yet decided what to produce - that is sold, and what I will be going. Moreover, in Moscow a new life and new people, instead of bandits and drug-artists: Once again I became interested in here '.

For two years, Moscow has indeed changed. In this situation, there was only one way: instead of creating something new. That is, work long and hard. London Theme corsets could not get development: Masha makes a collection of 'Mania Tsigal'. Dresses with corsets, transparent laced corsages, underwear: The collection was dedicated to 'maniyam twentieth century': megalomania, dizziness from success, nymphomania and kleptomania. The next development of the theme of female sexuality has become a collection of Forever Love - it was first shown in Moscow's Russian Fashion Week. 'I really wanted to do lingerie, - says Masha Tsigal, - But, having arrived at Tushinskaja hosiery factory, I was faced with a full Soviet lawlessness. I realized then that even a very beautiful collection will have no prospects to get mass production. With this collection you can sit and work at home as a seamstress dear. But this - not my way of life '. Deciding that there must be some social guarantees, Masha enters the Union of Artists of Russia. 'Earlier in the questionnaire, I wrote that the unemployed, but now I write that I'm an artist'.

In 2003, Masha Tsigal went into business seriously: it takes money, rents an apartment on Petrovka, buy three sewing machines - and begins to implement the ideas in London. So there is a collection of XXX (Triple X) (Fall-Winter 2003/2004) in the style of 'glamor sport'. Sources of inspiration - a healthy lifestyle, modern art and music electro-Clash. At the same time, Maria is actively working with the musicians: they make stage costumes. Customers - 'Disco Crash', Dima Bilan, Decl, Group 'B-2', 'Tattoo'. It Masha Tsigal invents Lena and Julia images of schoolgirls in short skirts. 'I put them short skirts in the cell, stitched a cut in the classic Scottish kilt. And yet - the little T-shirts. Julia - pink, Lena - in blue. These handmade silkscreen t-shirts - girls from kissing comics 80-ies'.

Another collection is the spring-summer 'Five Stars', develops the theme of r'n'b - for self-confident young people with specific goals and aspirations. Fashion r'n'b at that time in Moscow was not - it came only next year. 'DJs even refused to play this music on the shows' - says Masha. Tops and T-shirts with the inscription respect marijuana leaves, embroidered with gold - things from this collection are sold in the 'Podium' and 'e-life' not less successful than Dolce & Gabbana. A beautiful ending the year: magazine "Persons of the Year. Idols Russia 'again puts Masha in the list of the best designers of the year (the first time they did it in 2001-m). And more: it finally registers the brand, he is now called Masha Tsigal Design International.

In 2004, the year on tour to Moscow comes to Whitney Houston. She has a request: she wants to buy something from Russian designers. Organizers bring her velvet tracksuits from Masha Tsigal - she buys five, and asks to introduce her to a designer ( "I went to her room at 'Hotel Baltschug Kempinski, she hugged me and said thank you'). At the scene of the Kremlin Whitney comes in a white tracksuit. Another star, sees the clothes from Masha Tsigal deservedly - Albert, Prince of Monaco. 'He saw a costume at a party at the oligarchs, immediately found me and asked to do the same'. Author suit was presented to Prince immediately.

Next autumn-winter collection called O2: it again overalls and leggings, Tops with hoods and down jackets, jeans and t-shirts. East Pole Masha now attracts more than the west: in the lens - Japan. 'Before creating I went to Tokyo, and inspired the theme of girls from Japanese manga comics and the theme of these guys Samurai'.

Collection of 'spring-summer' named ORB, which means 'orbit' or 'magic circle', symbolizes the depth of immersion: Masha is now interested in the mystical signs - a pentagram, an infinity sign, amulets, magic symbols. All that brings good luck and love. Not one black mark, only the net positive energy. Energy dynamic metropolis, combined with the magic of the ancient Kabbalah - that the taste of today.

'The last two months I kept watching and reading manga comics - confessed Masha Tsigal in February 2005, the first. She herself slowly becoming like the little girl manga: instead of curls - long hair tied in two tails: Now it is a creative workshop - a spacious studio in the Central Telegraph building, with very tall ceilings. In the right mood, she is working on a collection of autumn-winter 2005, which has already invented the sonorous name - 'A'. Again, bright colors, again, sexuality and sport; line of jeans, skirts, tutus, jackets, dresses and T-shirts - 7 April 2005 it was shown on RFW, in a tent on Vasilevsky descent.

Now Masha continues to do. Recent her collection can be seen at the Russian Fashion Week-2007 at the CHA.