„Stories of forgotten dresses” – it is a project that makes me proud of us – women. In spite of our duties as wives and mothers, we still somehow manage to find time for career, art and self-expression. Exactly this is the type of women that the authors and participants of the project are. The founders of the project “Stories of forgotten dresses” is the art-group called “Dairy” – the journalist Ana Popenco, and the photographers Natalia Mitereva and Olga Zybalo. The participants of the project are twenty-five fantastic women from our country. Each of them has revealed a part of their self, of their past and have shared a story of a forgotten dress. Every woman has at least one of these dresses

I had the great opportunity to participate in this intimate project. The choice of the dress was complicated. When I have opened the wardrobe, I understood that there are many forgotten stories. Memories rushed into my mind, loudly outvoicing each other, but one of them was louder and distinct from all others…the memory about Vera. Vera Grigorievna – my grandmother. Slim, stubborn, beautiful, harmonious, elegant, well dressed – this is how my Vera looks in every memory from my childhood. I have seen her for the last time when I was twenty.  By that time I didn’t manage yet to form a finished image which contained in it her small copy. I absorbed her world, her life principles and it makes me feel comfortable.

In order to transmit my perception of Vera and the mood of those times, I have chosen a velvet suit – behind this confident male cut I always try to hide myself, that young adventurous girl.  Unfortunately I didn’t manage to impersonate in her look earlier, so she could see me and notice the similarity between us. I believe that she would be very happy.

Project: Stories of forgotten dresses
Project authors: Ana Popenco, Natalia Mitereva, Olga Zybalo
Photo: Natalia Mitereva, Olga Zybalo