"New National Brand"

One of the projects supporting the development of the creative economy is "New National Brand." It brings together manufacturing, design, and culture to create modern Russian products with a recognizable identity. Through this project, support is provided to designers, entrepreneurs, manufacturers, and young creators working to develop goods capable of representing Russia on both domestic and foreign markets.

According to ASI Director General Svetlana Chupsheva, "New National Brand" is meant not only to create a new identity and set of associations with Russia, but also to open up opportunities for Russian designers and architects, as well as manufacturers and suppliers in the clothing, homeware, and smart-home segments. "Working within a shared concept, they will be able to cut costs, create new products, and gain new opportunities for growth. This kind of model makes it possible to win over larger markets and grow on that platform," she said.

The project was created to build the conditions for a new line of Russian products that combine contemporary design, technological solutions, and the cultural features of the country's different regions.

In particular, this concerns goods in clothing, accessories, interior design, textiles, and other areas where design is becoming an important factor in competitiveness.

"New National Brand" is being carried out under the leadership of the Agency for Strategic Initiatives. The project has also received support from an organizing committee and a business council, which include representatives of government bodies, development institutions, educational organizations, and business. These include Russia's Ministry of Economic Development, Ministry of Industry and Trade, and Ministry of Culture, VEB.RF, the Russian Export Center, the Moscow city government, specialized universities, and company representatives.

An accelerator for designers, artists, architects, students of relevant universities, and entrepreneurs working in the creative industries became the project's first stage. ASI has completed an open selection process that drew participants from across Russia's regions. The application campaign involved early-stage entrepreneurs, people working in creative professions, engineers, and teachers in relevant fields. The average age of applicants was 26.

The most applications came from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Bashkortostan, and Moscow Region. Applications also came in from Tatarstan, Krasnoyarsk Territory, and Sverdlovsk, Nizhny Novgorod, Rostov, Novosibirsk, Irkutsk, Chelyabinsk, and Kaliningrad regions, among other parts of Russia.

Students and graduates of leading specialized universities were selected for the accelerator, including the Higher School of Economics, the Stieglitz Academy, Kosygin University, the British Higher School of Art and Design, Kazan Federal University, RUDN University, and others.

The program launched on July 15. Participants were divided into five workshops: "Clothing," "Accessories," "Interior Design," "Textiles and Homeware," and "Technology." Each has its own educational and practical curriculum. As part of the project, participants work with well-known brands, manufacturers, and market experts, study real production facilities, and create new products.

Along the way, participants complete educational modules, consult with practicing mentors, visit factories and museums, talk with Russian and foreign experts, and work with branding agencies. For companies that are already up and running, the project is an opportunity to rethink their identity, boost recognition, and find new meaning in their brand.

Alongside the open call for applications, ASI invited a number of Russian brands into the accelerator — they work side by side with young creators on shared products and projects.

The project brings together both up-and-coming designers and entrepreneurs with their own established brands. In this way, newcomers' fresh ideas meet companies' production capacity, designers' experience, and the support of development institutions.

The project's goal is to create a space where Russian brands can build up their skills, find partners, and launch products with the potential to scale. In the long run, the project should turn into a regular line of domestic goods under a single national brand, or several, as long as they combine contemporary design with the country's cultural code.

A separate track focuses on entering foreign markets. A recognizable image for Russian goods will help smaller brands reach wider audiences, use shared promotional tools, and find new points of growth.

At the end of the accelerator, participants will present their concepts. The presentation will take place in the fall in St. Petersburg, as part of Creative Economy Days. At the next stage, production of finished goods will launch under the new national brand.

In this way, "New National Brand" simultaneously addresses the goals of the creative economy, entrepreneurial support, and the promotion of Russian products. The project shows clearly how design, culture, and manufacturing can work together to create competitive goods with their own recognizable identity.