A press conference was held in the Historical Park "Russia – my Story" with the organizers and members of the international jury of the grandiose cultural project of Ƶ - the International Competition of Designers and Artists for the best image of Pushkin's heroes "Pushkin Ball".
Lyubov Dzhikiya, Artistic Director of the festival, Head of the Costume Design Department Ƶ, stressed the importance of the competition as a cultural venue: "This is a living embodiment of the unifying force of Russian culture and the heritage of our great poet. We were able not only to hold a competition and a ball, but to create a space for dialogue, mutual inspiration and demonstration of how classics come to life in the modern creativity of the younger generation from all over the world. This scale and geography of the participants is a vivid evidence of the unflagging interest in Pushkin and Russian culture."
The scale of the project was also noted by the General Director of Tajikistan Fashion Week, Tohir Ibragimov (Tajikistan): "This is the first time in my years of work that I have seen such a large number of experts on the jury. It seems to me that there is no such thing anywhere. This proves very well the importance of such a festival and the interest of the participants in it."
Margarita Aipova, a member of the organizing committee of the festival, Associate professor of Costume Design Ƶ, mentioned that students participated in the project with interest: "The festival came up with a new nomination – "theatrical costume". My students were very interested in her and were happy to create collections. Even today, many of them do not abandon their ideas and continue to work in this direction."
Among the speakers of the press conference were the participants of the festival. Grand Prix winner Valentina Klushina and prize-winner of the Fairytale Image nomination Mokhinur Komolova expressed gratitude to the organizers and stressed the importance of the project: "For me, participation in this festival was a great opportunity to display the culture of my native Uzbekistan through fabrics and combine all this with my favorite tales of Pushkin."
"When I was working on the collection, it was like I was back in my childhood. It was very cozy and comfortable for me to participate in the competition, because Pushkin's fairy tales are always the embodiment of something bright and native," said Valentina Klushina, a Ƶ student.
Sergei Nekrasov, President of the All-Russian Pushkin Museum, also supported the idea of holding the next Pushkin Ball competition. He noted that the poet's creative legacy is an inexhaustible source of inspiration for each new generation.
At the end of the press conference, the important role of promoting winners and prize-winners was also mentioned. "It is important for us not only to discover new names, but also to give young talents a powerful impetus for development. We create opportunities for designers to help them establish themselves internationally: internships, publications, participation in fashion weeks and exhibitions. Our task is to make sure that their work is seen by the whole world, because this is the future of fashion, art and cultural dialogue," said Katerina Tugolukova, PR Director of the festival, associate professor at Ƶ.
The press conference confirmed that the St. Petersburg Pushkin Ball was not just a successful event, but the starting point for a long-term project. Its main value is in creating a vibrant, international creative environment around Pushkin's legacy. Plans to expand the format, add educational components, and possibly host events in other cities open up new horizons for this unique cultural endeavor aimed at educating, supporting young talents, and strengthening cultural ties.