Introduction

Celebrity and Glamour in Contemporary Russia: Shocking Chic focuses on the culture of glamour and the phenomenon of post-Soviet celebrity, two interrelated concepts that have come to symbolize the era of Vladimir Putin’s leadership, both as Russia’s president (2000-8) and as prime minister (2008-present).1 After the hungry, chaotic, and humiliating years of Yeltsin’s government, the growing prosperity of Russian citizens in the first decade of the millennium has led to an impression of stability, even well-being. The economic boom stemming from the high price of natural resources, especially oil and gas, and the rationalization of the Russian economy after the financial crisis of 1998, enabling Russia in 2007 to pay off all foreign debts accrued in the 1990s, predictably fanned the country’s ambitions on the international political arena. As a new member of major international organizations, Russia now exercises greater influence in world politics, and that status has prompted efforts by Putin’s government to transform Russia’s image at home and abroad. The project of re-branding the nation – and particularly its leadership – has entailed various initiatives, including the launch of the first Russian English-speaking digital television channel, Russia Today; the organization of the Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art; Moscow’s hosting of the Eurovision Song Contest in 2009; and the choice of Sochi as the venue for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games.