Organized by Soho Rooms and Russian fashion label Lenskaya, the event came as a celebration of Oriental chic and elegance, and was attended by a host of celebrities such as singer Prohor Shalyapin, singer Aziza, TV host Anna Chapman, artist Daniil Fedorov, film critic David Shneiderov, clip maker Pavel Khudyakov, Russin top models, Hollywood actor Til Schweiger, actor and film director Fedor Bondarchuk, actor and showman Igor Vernik and rapper Timati among others.

Guli’s Spring-Summer 2013 Collection demonstrated how various traditions may intertwine and how genuinely national can be combined with contemporary trends in fashion. Gulnara Karimova, the designer behind Guli fashion label, believes that the Orient is strong in traditions, which can be easily incorporated into fashion. Gulnara places emphasis on the idea she advocates in her works: intertwining ethnic subtleties.

Inspired by the fine eclecticism of oriental traditions and bold western fashion solutions, GULI’s latest collection presents new formulas of cultural synthesis in contemporary fashion. The regular geometry fed into the art deco ornaments feature stylized ikat patters. The hand-embroidered collars in Richelieu technique have become a remarkable “exception to the rules” that unexpectedly complement the whole picture composed of high-waist trousers, tutu and floor-length skirts and, of course, modern variations on the legendary chapan (robe), the latter claiming to be the must-have of the new season.

The centerpiece of the collection is a dress with a Confucius quote – “I am not bothered by the fact that I am unknown. I am bothered when I do not know others” – printed on it. The collection is complemented by GULI-designed accessories: mini-clutches with intricate patterns, ichigi boots as well as leather and velvet bags. The collection uses silk, velvet, knitting and laces. The novelty of the GULI creative lab is “alo-bahmal” (silk velvet) created from natural silk and cotton.

The presentation of the two perfumes, ‘Mysterieuse’ for womеn and ‘Victorious’ for men, drew as much interest from the crowd. The perfumes come in limited-edition bottles hand-created by masters in Limoges, a commune in France, famed for their exquisite creations. The patterns on the Mysterieuse bottle are in gold leaf with ornaments inspired by Guli jewelry. The patterns on the Victorious bottle, also gold leaf, draw on frescoes of the Palace of Hudoyor Khan, (an 18th-century Kokand khan). The label also produced a popular version of the bottles with no precious metals.

The fragrances were created by leading French perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour, who has masterminded scents for Givenchy, Christian Lacroix, Christian Dior, Amouage and Comme des Garcons.

It’s a very brave approach through modern pop, trip-hop and soft rock from the buoyant rhythms and sultry vocals of the opening song “Night” to the in-your-face “How Dare”, the empowering ear-candy beats of ‘Wake Up”, to the dreamy revelations of “I’m Alive” to the dance floor pumper “Round Run”. Famous Russian producer and composer Maxim Fadeev contributed to the album.