Haut Couture and High Fidelity - Music and Fashion Meet in Moscow

On April the 20^th the Residence of the British Ambassador in Moscow hosted an exhibition with the collections of famous Russian milliner, Konstantin Gaidai and the iconic British jeweler, Stephen Webster. The haute couture collection with the simple title #theSHAPKAS (the hats) was presented as a traditional art exhibition.

A special guest of the exhibition, Alef Hi-Fi is the exclusive distributor of the British hi-fi brand Naim Audio, in Russia. For more than 40 years Naim Audio has endeavored to design and produce the world's best audio technology components.  Naim systems formed an integral part of the exhibition, providing the perfect soundtrack to the show.

The collection was inspired by Russian folk costumes and traditional headwear; Konstantin Gaidai studied the religious and cultural traditions of different regions of Russia and from his research the 15 images inspired by 19^th and 20^th century Russia were born.  Gaidai is known for his love of rare and antique materials; for this exhibition semi-precious stones, freshwater pearls, embossing and feathers from exotic birds were used, embroidered with crystals, velvet, jacquard, and other valuable artifacts.

Legendary British jeweler Stephen Webster needs no further introduction. Exactly 10 years ago, he was the first British jeweler who supported the then novice designer Gadai.  The designers have since become friends and are actively involved in each other’s creative processes. The British Ambassador's residence in Moscow was the ideal platform for the joint exhibition of these two talented designers, and the event itself consolidated the results of ten years of friendship, cooperation and inspiration.