[2] In 1952, he began his studies in the Faculty of Applied Arts at the University of Chemistry and Technology in Ivanovo, and during this time he became interested in manufacturing and received the credentials to become a textile artist.

[12] Alexandre Vassiliev, a Russian-born, Paris-based fashion historian and designer, stated that "[i]f he had had a chance to show his collections abroad he would have been most possibly a world-famed brand.

"[2] In March 1962, he began work as the artistic director of experimental technical garment factory Mosoblsovnarkhoza, where he oversaw production of women's clothing for retail stores in Moscow and the surrounding region.

Zaitsev came to attention in 1963 when he designed a chic version of the telogreika, Pavlovsky Posad shawl-inspired skirts and multi-coloured valenki for kolkhoz workers.

[3][4] Zaitsev designed a collection of costumes for the Soviet team for the 1980 Summer Olympics which were held in Moscow, for which he was awarded the Order of the Badge of Honor.

[2] Due to the patronage of the Soviet First Lady, he gained a reputation as one of the world's hottest fashion designers, and became an international celebrity and a household name in Russia.

[2] Zaitsev often complained to the Soviet authorities about the lack of essential materials for his craft, and The New York Times noted in 1988 that he "until recently" had been forced to use dressmaker's mannequins from World War II.

[24] In October 1987 he showed his collection at the iconic Waldorf-Astoria in New York City, which critics called overwrought, out-of-date and reminiscent of Western fashion from several seasons earlier.

[32][33] 1992 was also a significant year in Zaitsev's career, because it was then that he presented for the first time his recent fashion collection, as well as his paintings and works on paper in prestigious venues, both in New York and in Beverly Hills.

Never before was Russian fashion design demonstrated on the American runways, and never before were Zaitsev's most personal paintings and drawings allowed to be exhibited in the West.

Fashion shows and exhibitions were held at the Bowles-Sorokko Galleries on both the East and the West Coasts, and they were widely attended, marking the beginning of cultural exchanges in the area of visual arts between the USA and the new Russia.

Zaitsev, who planned to vote for Boris Yeltsin, stated on Zhirinovsky, "He wanted something distinctly Russian, so I thought back to the military-style jackets of the 20s, the 30s—like Stalin, only in new colours".

[38][39] On 27 May 1996, President of Russia Boris Yeltsin awarded Zaitsev the State Prize of the Russian Federation in the field of literature and the arts.

The casual wear collection is to be made exclusively from cotton from Turkmenistan and would feature the traditional Turkmen embroidery which captured his imagination.

[48] In September 2008, Zaitsev participated in The Russian Evening-2008 at the Institute for International Political Studies in Milan, which was attended by Svetlana Medvedeva and Clio Maria Bittoni, the wife of Italian President Giorgio Napolitano.

In 2004, The New York Times stated, "[i]t is her stolid image that he has been dressing all these years in flounces and feathers, poufs and peplums, gold and glitter.

[52] Whilst Zaitsev regarded fashion designers Coco Chanel, Christian Dior, Gianfranco Ferré and Hubert de Givenchy as idols, his own creations were strongly influenced by traditional Russian and Slavic styles, and his collections included a variety of theme-based shows reflecting his take on the industry at the time.

[25][53] In his creations, Zaitsev included elements such as traditional Pavlovo Posad shawls and embroidered quilted jackets, which were featured in collections such as "Expectation of Changes".