THE NEW EAST
There are moments when change happens gradually, almost imperceptibly. And then comes a point when it suddenly becomes clear: we are looking at an entirely new reality. Uzbekistan is experiencing such a moment today. Recent years have changed the way the country sees itself — and the way the world is beginning to see it. A new generation of designers, artists, photographers, architects and other creative voices is shaping a contemporary visual language for Uzbekistan. A language that no longer needs translation.
This is precisely why the September cover of ELLE Uzbekistan is called The New East. To me, The New East is not about geography. And it is certainly not an attempt to position East against West. It is a new cultural state of mind. One in which Uzbekistan’s heritage no longer exists solely as history. Ikat and suzani, traditional embroidery, craftsmanship, architecture and the layered history of the Great Silk Road are becoming starting points for entirely new ideas. We see this in the work of designers such as Dildora Kasimova, SAADI, Lali, Mursak, J.Kim, Azukar Moreno, Moel Bosh, Zulfiya Sulton, Nigora Hashimova, Dilnoz, Liliya Dulat, Porso and Morobulsin, as well as in the emergence of a new generation of creatives — No.Sugar, Cherry Mx and M.Marjona — who are unafraid to look to their roots while speaking about them in the language of today.
And this movement extends far beyond fashion. A new cultural infrastructure is emerging in Uzbekistan, contemporary art is developing, Tashkent is changing, and international attention is increasingly turning towards Bukhara. Artists, designers, photographers and other creatives from the region are becoming part of a global cultural dialogue. In a way, the cover itself became a reflection of the idea behind The New East. We photographed it in Milan — one of the cities that has shaped the language of global fashion for decades. In the frame is Loro Piana, an Italian House with its own history and tradition of craftsmanship. Our cover star is from Uzbekistan. I love this meeting of two worlds. Not as a contrast, but as an entirely natural dialogue. Because contemporary fashion has long ceased to belong to one capital, one culture or one direction. And today, I am particularly interested in seeing the place Uzbekistan is beginning to occupy within this conversation.
At the same time, it is important for us to look not only outward, but inward — to pay closer attention to the country’s culture, its people and its stories, to discover new names and give them space. And perhaps most importantly, Uzbekistan should not have to wait for someone else to tell its story. We can tell that story ourselves.
When we created ELLE Uzbekistan, it was important to us that it would not simply be an international magazine published in Uzbekistan. I wanted it to become a platform through which talent from Uzbekistan could be seen far beyond its borders. For the names of Uzbek designers to appear alongside those of the world’s great fashion Houses. For photographers, models, artists and creative teams from the country to become part of the international industry. For the world to see contemporary Uzbekistan as we discover it through the pages of ELLE: bold, intellectual, beautiful, contradictory, young and constantly evolving.
The New East is not a new version of the old East. It is an East that knows its history, but decides for itself what its future will look like. And I believe the world is only just beginning to truly discover it.
Photographer: Dima Kutsenko
Model: Nora Isayeva (Fashion Model Management)
Stylist: Tanya Tuka
Hair & Makeup: Ildana Khalitova
Creative Director: Natasha Kasatkina
