Officers in Russia's Far East played fashion critics to a haute-couture designer this week when their unit tested out his new military uniforms. The Defense Ministry scored some much-needed cool points by commissioning Moscow's premier fashion designer, Valentin Yudashkin, to update their look. The theme of the new collection is "comfort," which we assume won out just narrowly to "Hollywood glamour of the '30s and '40s."

The Ministry shelled out $2.8 million for the fashion project, with part of the money going toward an expansion in the staff officers’ line and the creation of a groundbreaking new pullover. Hey, Mr. Yudashkin, why don’t the uniform coats have breast pockets anymore? All the better to hang orders and medals on, of course!

As RIA Novosti reports, many are grumbling about Yudashkin’s lack of military experience. Only somebody who’s never been in the trenches before would place buttons on a ribbon, one officer laments as he fusses with the garment. All nitpicking aside, though, the report ends on a positive note: “The officers have more critical comments on the uniforms.”

We recommend watching RIA Novosti's video for the story, if only to enjoy the preposterously up-and-down cadence of the voiceover guy. Somebody sure loves his BBC.

Russian Far East’s military try out new uniform [RIA Novosti]
Yudashkin.com

Photo: Yudashkin fishes for compliments, courtesy of daylife.com