Mass market fashion in Moscow

A guide to the best mass market stores in Moscow.

As the very name implies, the mass market is an unsegmented market segment with the broadest audience possible. Even if you can well afford buying clothing by higher-end brands, please do not underestimate Zara and H&M. The idea to blend pieces by luxury and affordable labels within a single outfit is as old as time. Just like the idea of mixing brand new and pre-loved items. It has become so common knowledge as to be neglected by too many. However, it's exactly vintage and inexpensive pieces that add that much sought-after careless touch that you badly need when your fashionista's skill and taste are put to test.

The number of mass market brands is ginormous with most of them wholeheartedly ignoring the latest trends. The fashion industry, however, is all about constantly working to keep the market knowledge on the bleeding edge. Only those capable of real-time responding to market signals survive in the long run.

Zara is the best case in point. This company has long been a popular subject of criticism and contention for their unashamed copying of pieces from collections by the most advanced designers of our time. However, consequentialism reigns supreme (at least when applied in the business realm): Zara's strategy is unchallenged, their loyal audience is the broadest imaginable, and their products are most coveted. Zara are the destination for high-street adaptations of items by Vetements, Acne, Celine, and other brands that have swayed the minds of fashionistas around the world.

H&M are an equal of Zara, at least if judged by the scale and brand recognition. This Sweden-based company sticks to a different strategy though. In a nutshell, H&M are the IKEA of the fashion world. The great bulk of their items are clothing basics and footwear, even though clever copies of runway hits are also in place. The number of items made by H&M borders on infinite, that is chances are sooner or later you run into an utterly insane piece that is well worth the effort.

Uniqlo are the number one destination for basics. As we all know the Japanese strive for meticulousness and perfectionism in making just about anything from cars to T-shirts. Uniqlo's greatest hits are ultra light down jackets that lend themselves easily to layering underneath overcoats and the like to keep you warm. Add to this Uniqlo's impeccable basic shirts and relatively inexpensive cashmere jumpers.

Nice and affordable basics are also available from the domestic brands: give a try to Oh, my and NNedre. Mango are definitely worth to pass by when looking for edgy overcoats, jackets, down jackets, and other outerwear of reasonable quality. Gap shine when it comes to denimwear.

Monki are best known for their 90s-ish schoolgirl-tinged style. Their stores are replete with high-rise mom jeans, crop tops, sneakers, and chokers. As hackneyed as this image might be as a whole, as standalone items they can add a refreshing touch to anyone's wardrobe. Pull&Bear have also been traditionally aligned with the 1990s grunge fashion.

Topshop's product quality deterioration in the recent years has been unmatched, if only by Topshop's upsurge in prices. As for New Yorker's product quality, it's sometimes just unacceptable even if one goes by the mass market standards. Bershka, Stradivarius, and Reserved each lack a face of its own, unlike all of the labels mentioned above. It doesn't follow, however, that they can't put a creative twist on a trend that you'll hold most dear to your heart.