Ukrainian designer, Ruslan Baginskiy, creates hats for Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour.
Custom-made Ruslan Bagisnkiy hats animate the stage at Ms.Carter’s long-awaited Renaissance World Tour, the first concert of the tour took place in Stockholm, Sweden. Six years after her last tour in 2016, Queen Bey returns with an arresting live performance.
26 bespoke silver boaters by Ruslan Baginskiy, designer and founder of the eponymous brand, were chosen for Ms. Beyoncé and dancers for the performance of Formation, complementing her silver look created by Loewe; upholding the effervescent and distinctive stage presence put forward by Beyoncé.
Every piece displays the brand’s dedication to craftwork and an atelier approach to millinery creations, bringing them from paper to life.
The silver reflective boater hats involved a lot of experimentation, the team had to create them to be durable but very light; find the perfect form and material. After a couple of days of putting minds together at the hat shaping shop, part of Ruslan’s own Ukraine-based production, the team came up with a prototype and went on from there.
“I’m a huge fan of Beyoncé as a music artist but also of her performances; the artistic approach put into every appearance. Every time, it’s something monumental. We all know Beyoncé’s silhouette and it has become associated with amazing hats and headdresses, details. It is part of the incredible costume design that brings Ms. Carter’s performances to life for the world. Those moments stay in our minds forever. It is an honour and a dream to become part of this story” shares Ruslan.
The hats were all produced in Ukraine, while the country is still fighting off the russian invasion in a tolling war. The integrity of Ruslan’s production was involved in the creation process. Since logistic services in Ukraine are also under effect the team had to send hats by dedicated car to deliver the pieces. It is one of the first occasions for Ukrainian design, especially in the niche of accessories, to be involved in a project of such scale.
Ruslan comments, “Ukrainian presence and involvement in big cultural and pop-culture moments like this one is part of our resistance, it means we are still here. It’s also about building the future. Gives hope for what Ukraine could be after victory. To make these hats, despite all possible difficulties we are currently overcoming, has been an incredible and crazy journey. Because of our realities here, everything is a struggle – logistics, sourcing materials and even finding professionals, who have had to flee the war. Some days I thought we wouldn't make it. I can’t describe how glad I am that we did.”
“Of course we were worried about everything – the look, the fit, the feel, the durability. We didn’t know which hats exactly would accompany Ms.B on her tour until the moment we saw them on stage so you can imagine the anticipation and excitement for the entire team” Ruslan Baginskiy.