This is Russian designer Leonid Alexeev, whose latest showcase at Moscow Fashion Week is raising eyebrows. Well, outside the Kremlin at least.
Alexeev collaborated with Russia's Defense Ministry for a militant-themed collection that was inspired by the invasion and annexation of Crimea by Russian forces, according to the Guardian.
Vasily Maximov / AFP / Getty Images
The collection featured lots of male models wearing balaclavas -- an allusion to the outfits worn by plain-clothed Russian army fighters who invaded the Ukrainian territory without acknowledging they had been sent by Moscow.
Vasily Maximov / AFP / Getty Images
"I do not sew army uniforms, but I can help make the army attractive to people. This is my personal form of patriotism," Alexeev told Russia's Time Out.
Vasily Maximov / AFP / Getty Images
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"The military has a very strong sense of duty and responsibility," he said. "These are people of honor. It is a very strong, masculine energy."
Vasily Maximov / AFP / Getty Images
The Washington Post labelled the collection "absurd."
"This is a gratuitous political referencing for commercial purposes," New York fashion expert Hazel Clark told the Post.
Thousands of people have been killed in fighting in eastern Ukraine, as Russian-backed rebels motivated by Moscow's annexation of Crimea seek to separate from Kiev.
A 22-Step Guide To Understanding How Crimea Voted To Join Russia And Why Eastern Ukraine Might Be Next
http://www.buzzfeed.com/miriamberger/a-22-step-guide-to-understanding-how-crimea-voted-to-join-ru#.evxxm2MBa
Crimea Has Voted To Join Russia In A Vote Recognized By Few Besides Russia
http://www.buzzfeed.com/maxseddon/crimea-has-voted-to-join-russia-in-a-vote-recognized-by-few#.rnr2V4A10
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