I have never been to Russia and actually know very little about Russianfashion and designers. But two days ago my friend returned from a business trip to this mysterious country and brought me a pair of felt boots which the Russians call ‘Valenki’. I was amazed to see the Ugg-type footwear that looked… attractive!!! I hate Uggs for their horrible look, lack of style and elegance. Valenki are totally different.
Besides being very pretty these boots provide great comfort, but they do have a drawback – they are made of wool and have no hard soles, so you just walk on that wool fabric. As my friend has told me Russian winter is normally very frosty and rather dry with no puddles or mud, so they don’t need the stiff sole to be attached to the boot. So, valenki turned out rather unpractical for our climate : (((
I’ve made a little research and found out that valenki have been Russian traditional footwear for many centuries. Then in the middle of the 20th century they became unpopular and only now returned. Modern versions of valenki are designed with embroidery, sequins, stones, ribbons and plenty of other type of adornment to every taste. They can come in various colors, too.
My valenki are black with flowers embroidered on them. And you know, I think I’m going to attach soles to them and wear on the regular basis. Hope it works.))
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