Who can forget the matryoshka’s big fashion moment a few years back? It all started when some of fashion’s biggest names were asked to dress these traditional Russian dolls for charity in honor of Russian Vogue’s 10th anniversary.
(Photos from vogue.co.uk)
Pretty soon, matryoshkas were all over the runways and ad campaigns. Even Chanel was in on the trend.
And while matryoshka mania may have disappeared faster than a shot of vodka in Siberia, to me matryoshkas are more than just a fad. We always had a few of these hand-painted, wooden dolls lying around the house when I was growing up. And boy, were they well traveled. One in particular was made in Russia, had a hand in my mother’s upbringing in Uzbekistan, then followed her to Greece, then the United States, then back to Greece where it now spends its lonely days in a guestroom. I guess you could say it’s in retirement.
This matryoshka was given to my mother as a gift from a dear friend of hers and, recently, my mother gave it to me.
Despite what this glamorous photo shoot in my backyard and living room might imply, this poor little doll now sits on my kitchen counter next to the coffee machine. I had intended to give it a more worthy place in the house. Perhaps on the mantel. Or the dining room table. But the truth is that I just can’t seem to make it work with the simple, minimalistic décor. On the other hand, a house without a matryoshka just isn’t a home. So you can imagine my elation when I found this modern take on the Russian doll that I just can’t live without by Maison Martin Margiela.
Until Soon,
E
wandering muses 
we have a set of Matryoshkas at home, they are so sweet and fun!
Yes, they really are! And to think of the hard work that goes into hand painting each one…it’s really special.
Wonderful post – gotta love Matryoshkas… especially when they’re so fancy lookin’!