Varvara Andreyevna Karinskaya, an outstanding designer and costume artist, was said to have been born under a lucky star, and there was some truth to this. Varvara grew up in the family of textile magnate Andrei Zhmudsky, whose fortune exceeded a million rubles in the early 20th century. However, despite the wealth, the girl did not live in luxury and was accustomed to hard work from an early age. She particularly enjoyed embroidery. As she grew older, she married lawyer Karinsky and moved to Moscow, where she opened her own workshop. In it, she not only accepted orders but also honed her artistic skills. Her atelier might have become the best in Russia, but the events of 1917 changed her plans. Karinskaya decided to emigrate to the USA.

In New York, she continued to pursue her beloved craft and soon became a sought-after specialist. Varvara Andreyevna created costumes for renowned artists such as Salvador Dalí, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, and Marc Chagall. Later, she was invited as a talented designer by leading ballet companies. In particular, she created most of the costumes for Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo and Diaghilev's 'Russian Seasons.' Gradually, Karinskaya changed the standards of ballet costumes, abandoning hoops and sticks, and developed a lightweight tutu that emphasized the figure's slenderness. Karinskaya is considered the creator of the universally accepted ballet tutu.

However, her talent manifested not only in ballet but also in cinema. In 1948, she won an Oscar for Best Costumes for the film 'Joan of Arc,' and in 1953, she was nominated for another Oscar for the musical 'Hans Christian Andersen.' Additionally, Karinskaya introduced several innovations in 'civilian' clothing, mainly concerning the tailoring of dresses to fit the figure. Karinskaya lived a bright, long, and happy life, passing away in 1983 at the age of 96. In her homeland of Kharkiv, she was remembered only in the early 2000s. Although belatedly, historical memory was restored.