On June 14, 2023, in anticipation of the XXIX International Festival of Fashion, Art and Design "Admiralty Needle" in St. Petersburg, a unique preview was held under the motto "Beauty in St. Petersburg style".
The unusual atmosphere of the palace in the style of Florentine palazzo, the luxurious interior of the large white dance hall with sculptures of cupids and caryatids in the magnificent halls of the Palace of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich immersed guests of the evening in an atmosphere of theater, immersive show, exclusive fashion parade and Russian opera.
At the beginning of the evening the audience was shown an immersive composition "River of Time" performed by a talented young ballerina Diana Chemilevskaya - a student of the Boris Eifman Academy of Dance and Mena Cao - a student of the Institute of Costume Design Ƶ. Guitarist Dmitry Sokolov, laureate of Russian and international contests, performed a fragment of Antonio Vivaldi's world-famous Concerto in D major on a unique Russian seven-string guitar.
The long-awaited premiere of the elegant "Black Tie" collection created by the Russian designer Roman Sharuk (women's clothing brand "Sharuk Apparel") took place. Roman Sharuk is a graduate of St. Petersburg State University of Design and Technology, a multiple winner of the "Admiralty Needle".
The culmination of the evening was the presentation of the famous dress by designer Olga Malyarova "Crown of the Russian Empire," in which Anna Linnikova at the Miss Universe contest in 2022 represented the Russian Federation! Olga Malyarova is a graduate of St. Petersburg State University of Design and Technology, designer and founder of the brand of the same name, blogger, multiple winner of the "Admiralty Needle"; finalist of the project "Podium"; winner of the contest "New Names" Soba.ru; participant and winner of exhibitions and shows in Milan, Tokyo and Paris.
The audience could enjoy real St. Petersburg-style beauty when they saw a theatrical segment of the "Golden Thread" project - a collaboration between Russian and Chinese designers Bi Yuqing, Lu Chenglong, Anastasia Savina, Valeria Romanova, Irina Reikut and Yulia Gneusheva. The students of St. Petersburg State University of Tourism and Technology presented their collection "The Tale of Journeys".
Guests of the evening were presented a new cultural and humanitarian youth project in the field of costume design, digital technology and music "OPERA & PODIUM". The joint creative work of the students and professors of the University of Industrial Technologies and Design and the Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory has opened to the audience a unique atmosphere of synthesis between music and design. The truly St. Petersburg evening was complemented with fragments of Tchaikovsky's operas "Eugene Onegin" and "The Queen of Spades", each production being a small performance created by teams of young designers, artists and directors. All connoisseurs of fashion, art and design were able to see the live online broadcast of the Preview, which was accessible to a wide audience.
According to Alexey Demidov, the President of the International Festival of Fashion, Art and Design "Admiralteyskaya Needle", Rector of St. Petersburg State University of Industrial Technologies and Design, Deputy Chairman of the Public Chamber of the Legislative Assembly, Chairman of the Council of Rectors of St. Petersburg and Leningrad region, the future International Festival of Fashion, Art and Design "Admiralteyskaya Needle" on one hand will be devoted to digital transformations, multimedia technologies, virtual and digital technologies. The digital direction is currently being successfully developed at Ƶ.
Lyubov Dzhikiya, art director of the festival, professor of St. Petersburg State University of Industrial Technologies and Design, member of the Russian Designers Union said: "Today during the preview "Beauty in St. Petersburg" we could see the variety of talents of our graduates and students who demonstrated not only their love for fashion but also for Russia, St. Petersburg, our roots and traditions!
In October 2023, St. Petersburg State University of Industrial Technologies and Design will hospitably open its doors to designers, members of the international jury and the fashion community. For a few days professionals, journalists and buyers will be able to appreciate collections of designers from all over the world and choose the most outstanding designers at the XXIX Admiralty Needle Festival of Fashion, Art and Design.
The organizer and the main founder of the festival was St. Petersburg State University of Industrial Technologies and Design!