Magazine «Fur's of the World» N4 (28) - 2004 March.
Interview between Doctor of Philosophy L.A.Sokolova-Serbskaya and journalist Irina Federova.

What Is Image

Lidia Sokolova-Serbskaya: She is Professor of faculty of aesthetic education and business culture of the Moscow State Institute of Management of Moscow Government, corresponding member of the Imageology Academy, vice-president of Professional Image-makers League, fashion designer, Phd, member of the board of France friends Association, vice-president of club "Sudarinya" of the Central Art Workers House.

- This issue is devoted to the problems of education in fashion. Lidia Aieksandrovna, what education have you got?

- I've 5 higher educations: I have graduated from the faculty of applied art of the Moscow State textile institute, the next year I entered the Institute named after M. Toreza to master the command of the French language. It has helped me, as many materials should have been translated from this language. Then I did the post graduate studies at the faculty of sociology. And I also got the education of the psychologist and did the course of Culture Studies. I believe that all these educations help me to read the course of Imageology.

- Should a fashion designer have good education?

- On the one hand it is good, when people have no basic education. Their creativity is not regulated by anything. On the other hand, the artist should know proportions, golden section, identity, nuance, contrast, should know and understand the colour not at the level of a layman, should know and understand styles. Certainly, it is wonderful, when people without education come. I name them people of natural gifts, such as, for example, Yudashkin. But I firmly believe that the fashion designer should have basic education.

- Imageology is a new science. How can you explain Interest to it?

- Imageology is theory developing on the border of Sociology, Psychology, Culture Studies, Philosophy, and Politology. Its main aim is adequate behavior modeling.

- What is a distinguishing feature of this science?

- It takes in complete account gender differences. Besides all kinds of Imageology are connected with the professional activity of people. Managers should have fitting image. But all should study the essentials. There are rules of clothes style creation. First one is to define the audience under influence. Second can be called the law of association: the out fit should arouse only needed associations and only positive. The environment changes, so the image should change.

- In one of your works you study the problem of Imageology and gender. What is your view on the perception of fur by different sexes?

- Nowadays mainly women wear fur coats. In course of time fur clothes were more characteristic of men that of women. But now many fur things for man one can see only on podiums.

- What is your personal attitude to fur?

-1 like fur very much. I wore, wear now and will wear it. Russia is a northern country and fur will always be worn here. In the last collections such interesting techniques as knitted fur, attractive accessories and fur trimmings have appeared.

Interviewed by Irina Fedorova