Introduction to Moscow

Moscow is the capital city of Russia, known as the political, economic and cultural center of the nation. It hosted the 22nd Olympic Games and is home to artists, scientists and athletes. Moscow is the seventh largest city in the world and is a major trade capital. It is considered a tourist destination with sites such as The Moscow Kremlin, Red Square, St. Basil’s Cathedral and Bolshoi Theatre. The city is an attractive market for retailers due to its large population.

Demographics

Moscow has a population of around 13 million (2018). The majority of residents are Russian or Ukrainian. The number of tourists in the city has increased by 40% over the past seven years, according to the Mayor of Moscow, Sergei Sobyanin.

Top Five Shopping Streets:

1. Arbat Street: Known as one of the best shopping streets in Moscow, Arbat Street features high-end souvenir shops to elegant stores. It is the oldest and most popular street in the city for well-priced goods.
2. Kuznetsky Most Street: Kuznetsky Most Street is located in central Moscow and is known for its boutiques and bookstores. The street offers products from accessories to unique apparel; shoppers can also find stores with French and German styles.
3. Tverskaya Street: Tverskaya Street is famous for its countless luxury and mid-range stores.
4. Izmailovo Market: At this market, shoppers can find paintings, handmade items, books, coins, clothing, purses and furniture.
5. Petrovka Street: Petrovka Street lies at the heart of the city, running north from the Bolshoi Theatre. It has modern boutique shops and arcades. TsUM, a high-end mall, is located here, hosting around 1,000 brands across clothing, footwear, accessories and cosmetics.

Famous Retail Events

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week: Russia is emerging as a fashion capital, and this event features prominent local labels from Russia, such as Fashion Laborator, KseniaSeraya and Pirosmani.

Top Innovative Retailers

Kuznetsky Most 20 [caption id="attachment_98096" align="alignright" width="192"] Source: usa.km20.ru[/caption] Kuznetsky Most 20 (KM20) is a concept fashion retail space that was founded by Olga Karput in 2009. The KM20 store has three floors and showcases installations and furniture from brands such as Off-White, Gosha Rubchisnkiy, Heron Preston and Vetements. The latter recreated a carpet shop and Off-White designed a temple. KM20 has a restaurant with a rooftop area, as well as an underground garage that hosts exhibitions and product launches. KM20 has collaborated with Gosha Rubchiskiy, and exclusive items for the store have also been released by Virgil Abloh, Heron Preston and Demna Gvasalia. Location: KM20, Stoleshnikov Lane 2, Moscow, 125009.   BELIEF [caption id="attachment_98097" align="alignright" width="185"] Source: foundation.beliefmoscow.com[/caption] BELIEF was launched in 2011 as an outlet to provide customers with global brands that were not already available in Moscow. The store showcases artwork from AWS, Futura and Kostas Seremetis. The retailer stocks many Asian streetwear brands, such as Neighborhood and SOPHNET. The store carries pieces catering to people who enjoy music, skating and the streetwear culture.   Location: BELIEF, Leont'yevskiy Pereulok, 5, Moscow, 125009.   Brandshop [caption id="attachment_98098" align="alignright" width="186"] Source: brandshop.ru[/caption] Brandshop was founded in Moscow in 2008 and has one of the largest selections of sneakers in Russia. The store hosts raffles for rare and highly valued pieces, such as the Yeezy Boost 350. The two-story shop has dedicated areas for footwear, womenswear, menswear and children’s clothing. There are black fixtures throughout the store, which contrasts with the white walls and ceilings, giving the interior a minimalistic aesthetic. The store carries brands such as Puma, Reebok, New Balance, Champion, Norse Projects, Patagonia and Stone Island, to name a few. Location: Brandshop, Petrovsky Boulevard 21, Moscow, 125057.   SVMoscow [caption id="attachment_98099" align="alignright" width="193"] Source: svmoscow.ru[/caption] SVMoscow is a concept store that opened in 2001. In 2014, the retailer was included in Vogue’s list of the 10 best new concept stores in the world. It houses designers such as Damir Doma, Junya Watanabe and Maison Margiela, among others. SVMoscow was one of the first stores to bring brands such as Vetements, Ashish and Haider Ackermann to Russia. It launched a capsule hoodie collection with Vetements. The interior of the store is minimalistic and monochrome. Location: SVMoscow, Malay Molchanovka, 6, Moscow, 121069.   Trend Island [caption id="attachment_98100" align="alignright" width="258"] Source: trendisland.ru[/caption] Trend Island is a department store that houses mid-range apparel brands, jewelry counters, accessories, beauty and homeware. The store includes a “beauty zone” and a café, as well as an area where workshops and seminars are held. Trend Island is located in the Aviapark shopping mall, taking the form of five 3,200-square-foot spaces on the third floor. The store also has a space where shoppers can eat, drink and relax. Location: Trend Island, Aviapark, Khodinskiy Boulevard, Building 4, 3rd Floor, Moscow, 125167.   Tsvetnoy Central Market [caption id="attachment_98101" align="alignright" width="255"] Source: pinterest.com[/caption] Tsvetnoy Central Market is a luxury department store in Moscow. The six-floor store offers designer brands, fast-fashion brands and beauty and technology products. Tsvetnoy Central Market provides the latest fashion trends alongside designer classics. It also features a flower market, food hall, restaurant and bar. Location: Tsvetnoy Central Market, 15 Tsvetnoy Boulevard, Moscow, 127051.   Underline by IKEA at MEGA Teply Stan [caption id="attachment_98102" align="alignright" width="250"] Source: istockphoto.com[/caption] Located within the MEGA Teply Stan mall, Underline by IKEA is a 65,000-square-foot concept space that was launched in 2018 to give online brands a physical retail presence. It also includes pop-ups and offers over 30 brands in a warehouse-style format, such as Cocos Moscow, Akhmadullina Dreams, Demeter and Marie by Marie. The brands in the store are constantly changing, so retailers can take short or long leases for a space in the store or do a pop-up. The apparel and retail portion of the space only takes up 21,500 square feet; the rest of the Underline store is dedicated to lifestyle services, such as yoga classes, workspaces, a café, beauty spaces and workshops. The store houses Double B, an artisan coffee shop, as well as 365 Detox-café. The store also features a barber shop and a bookstore. Location: MEGA Teply Stan, Kaluzhskoye Shosse, 21-й км, Сосенское, Moscow, 142704   Hamleys Worlds of Play [caption id="attachment_98103" align="alignright" width="244"] Source: www.fitch.com/work/hamleys-worlds-of-play[/caption] The new retail concept for Hamleys was designed by Fitch and Paragon Creative. It offers shoppers and visitors nine “Worlds of Play”: Enchanted Forest, Imagination, Lego World, Magic Kingdom, Metropolis, Motor City, Park, Safari and Space. The 75,000-square-foot store opened in 2015 and received 2 million visitors in the first two weeks. The concept is that of a theme park experience for children and adults. On display is a go-karting track, a train, a castle, a 43-foot-high LEGO rocket and a full-scale replica of the Millennium Falcon from Star Wars. Location: Hamleys, Lubyanka Square, Moscow, 101000.   Tommy Hilfiger [caption id="attachment_98104" align="alignright" width="244"] Source: istockphoto.com[/caption] Tommy Hilfiger has introduced virtual reality technology to allow customers to experience runway shows in its stores. The technology was first employed in the retailer’s New York Fifth Avenue store and then in London, Paris, Milan, Florence, Zurich, Moscow, Dusseldorf and Amsterdam. The aim was to bring a “one-of-a-kind fashion show to the retail setting,” according to Tommy Hilfiger. The concept was created in collaboration with WeMakeVR—a company that makes 360-degree 3D virtual reality experiences—and uses a Samsung GearVR device. Location: Tommy Hilfiger, Kuznetsky Most Street, 7, Moscow, 107031.   Cara & Co [caption id="attachment_98105" align="alignright" width="244"] Source: caraandco.com[/caption] When Cara & Co opened at Winzavod in 2007, they were listed in the “best five boutiques in the world” by Wall Street Journal. Cara & Co was created by Russian-born Australian, Rosa Kamenev. The motto of the store is “No Logos, Fashion Only,” as it promotes quality over branding. The location is a preserved historical industrial space and features items from different time periods. Cara & Co offers collections of apparel and accessories from around the world, including Australia, Denmark, New Zealand and Portugal. The store also houses books and magazines by famous authors and features a vintage corner that resembles a museum. Location: Cara & Co, Winzavod Modern Art Center, 1/6, 4-y Syromyatnicheskiy pereulok, Moscow, 105120.   Must-See Area: Bol’shaya Novodmitrovskaya Street Bol’shaya Novodmitroskaya Street is home to many boutiques, innovative workspaces, businesses and an amusement center.

1. Capsula: This store features apparel and accessories from local and global streetwear brands.
2. Flacon: The Flacon amusement center hosts cafes, markets and concept stores. It is famous for being a design village that is located on an old factory site. Flacon also serves as a community center that holds festivals, exhibitions, lectures and master classes.
3. TRENDROOM: A concept store with a mixed collection of apparel and handmade goods.
4. Kawaii Factory: Kawaii Factory is a fashion accessories store that offers a broad collection of items, from handbags and cosmetic bags to sleep masks and more.
5. Delhi-базар: Around the corner from Bol’shaya Novodmitroskaya Street is an Indian fair that offers fruits, clothing, jewelry and handmade items.