MOSCOW(TASS)-Legendary Russian fashion designer Vyacheslav Zaitsev has died at the age of 85.An obituary published by the TASS news agency said he died after a long illness but didn’t state when.
According to other Russian media reports, he was taken to a hospital in the Moscow region with stomach bleeding and died in intensive care.
“He has died indeed,” a spokesperson said, noting that Zaitsev passed away after a long illness.
Zaitsev, a Soviet and Russian fashion designer, is the People’s Artist of Russia (2006) and a member of the Russian Academy of Arts (2007). He was named an honorary citizen of Paris. In 2007-2009, he hosted a TV show “Fashion verdict” on Channel One. He designed dozens of collections and created stage costumes for a number of performances.
He rocketed to fame in his homeland — and to some extent the world — when Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev’s wife Raisa wore his creations in the 1980s and early 1990s.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s wife Lyudmila wore one of Zaitsev’s dresses and accessories for a state visit to the United Kingdom in June 2003, which included an audience with Queen Elizabeth II.
He founded his own fashion house in Russia, winning numerous awards in his home country and elsewhere.
