The fancy tin arrived in the mail, looking for all the world like traditional Russian caviar. But inside, we found more original contents: an invitation to the premiere of a new designer collection.

The tin ≈ labeled "La Vie en Rose" ≈ was from the fashion house of Igor Chapurin, who also thoughtfully included a map to his couture boutique on Myasnitskaya Street, in the center of Moscow. A large crowd of Chapurin's clients and admirers gathered here Tuesday for a double celebration: the one-year anniversary of the boutique's opening and International Women's Day.

The "La Vie en Rose" theme of the collection was taken by many guests as the dress code for the evening: Some appeared in pink scarves, others in transparent blouses with rose prints, or in velvet jackets painted with roses. Even the waiters serving the wine were wearing pink aprons. The smell of roses mingled with the strong scent of tulips and dozens of candles burning, and the crowd sat patiently in this dark, aromatic atmosphere, waiting for the show to begin.

Their eyes were fixed on the wooden podium in the center of the boutique, where a construction of metal barrels surrounded with pink pillows and green grass in flowerpots underscored the "spring" feel of the collection. At last the first model stepped onto the stage, and the hum of the audience subsided.

"Each season, I propose a certain palette," said Chapurin. "Now I'm offering pink, and I'm sure all the pink clothes and shoes will be selling. In this choice of color, I'm trying to coordinate with international fashions, because many of our clients are mixing my clothes with Chanel or Gucci. And besides, this color is really suited to the skin tone of Russian women.

"Standing out among the jeans (cut from expensive Italian fabrics), the short white jackets made of thin wool (and worn with trousers), the variety of shiny and very open tops and short skirts running the gamut of color from gray and black to very light, the pink items were definitely the main accent. The clothes were often accented with glass beads and bugles, and accessorized with the bags made of combined denim and real straw ≈ a favorite Chapurin material.

This Dutch straw caused a sensation when his 1997 collection debuted in Moscow. The collection appeared after Chapurin had been working for Irene Galitzine's Italian fashion house, and stories about the glitzy straw man appeared in the Milan edition of Vogue and in the American fashion industry bible, Women's Wear Daily.

In 1998, the 30-year-old designer scored three triumphs, winning the Golden Mannequin award for best Russian designer during Moscow's High Fashion Week, an Ovatsia prize and a Style 98 award from Harper's Bazaar Russian edition. And this year, Chapurin has been named ≈ quite rightly ≈ the most promising Russian designer.

Today, when the international press is talking about the death of haute couture, 70 percent of Chapurin's collection is already bought ≈ before the sales. Fashion experts agree that Chapurin is "the main hope of our fashion business," as Irina Chernyak, fashion editor of Cosmopolitan said.

"Chapurin is a star, shining brightly in the sky of fashion," said Tatyana Mikhalkova, the president of the Russian Silhouette fund (and the wife of director Nikita Mikhalkov). "His present collection is stylish, elegant and dignified," she added. Needless to say, Mikhalkova is a satisfied Chapurin client.

"When I appeared in Moscow in 1992, my main aim was to bring us to the point when Russian women would not disdain the clothes of Russian designers, but would embrace them and wear them," Chapurin said. "And we have broken through this barrier. Besides our Moscow clients, about 30 percent of our clients are Russian women living in Europe ≈ as well as several French and Japanese women."

Indeed, it is likely that Chapurin's talent and potential will one day make his fashion trademark as well-known on the international market as Russia's famous caviar.