Locals: aesthetics of eroticism and irony in the items by Kyiv brand Sociopath Studio

The beginning: the look that got 40,000 likes

At the start of the full-scale invasion, brand founder Yulia Hordiienko returned from Berlin with a desire to work on her own project, as well as to develop the local market and influence the culture.

Yulia started making clothes for herself and taking pictures in them: the first post where she is wearing a suit from Towel Babies drop gathered 40 thousand likes. This is a set of mini skirt or mini shorts and a top, which are complemented with drawstrings and cutouts.

‘After people from all over the world wanted to buy these clothes and friends started reacting to the clothes I made with ‘Gosh, can I buy that?’, I decided to found a small brand’.

‘I like to create up to date collections in the spirit of the time that revolves around fashion, when everyone wants everything in one: old, new, tricky and haute couture, — Yulia says. — People want to look cute when the end of the world comes, and I just fantasize about it’.

The first impression of Sociopath Studio’s items is that they are filled with the aesthetics of the noughties and eroticism. However, Yulia says that Y2k fashion is not a brand code, but only a trend that she takes into account when creating the design.

Eroticism is evident not only in the sets from the first drop, but also in the details of the second drop, such as mesh tops with piercings in place of nipples, and deep cutouts on knit dresses, pants, and skirts.

Yulia notes that she explores the nature of this phenomenon. ‘Sexuality is inherent in animals as well, but eroticism is inherent exclusively in humans, that is, it is a conscious and cultured sexuality’.

‘An erotic person is a cultured person, — she adds. — I like that line, it’s interesting to use it in the design of clothes’.

In the Sociopath Studio brand they use natural materials such as merino wool, viscose, silk and cotton. They also use deadstock fabrics, but mainly for decoration.

As an example, Yulia cites a bag decorated with threads and scraps of materials left over from creating clothes. ‘I work with a limited range of colors, so all the ‘waste’ looks aesthetically unsurpassed, and it gives me the opportunity to be at least a little more sustainable’.

Sociopath Studio releases items in the format of mini drops. In the fall of 2023, the brand released its second drop The world is not safe anymore.

‘It’s an irony about the difficult life in the realities of war and the desire to look cute on the last day of the world’s existence’, Yulia explains its idea.

The collection includes longsleeves with prints of a toy horse and a bear with the inscriptions Ketamine and The world is not safe anymore respectively. As well as knitted dresses, skirts and pants with deep cutouts, plus accessories: capors with the Sociopath logo, knee socks with drawstrings and tabi gloves.

One of the special sets of the collection is the Courtissane moderne set, which consists of a translucent top and shorts with bows and ruffles. Sociopath studio made a dress with similar design elements for Luna’s stage image. The singer asked Yulia to do it a month before her concert in Kyiv.

‘We discussed the vision, I offered her a choice of designs for two dresses, she liked both, I think you’ll see her in the second one as well, — she says. — I enjoyed designing clothes for her, she is sensitive, talented and bold’.

Yulia has a Master of Arts degree in academic painting and drawing. However, she decided to work in the fashion industry rather than in art: before founding Sociopath Studio, she was part of the team at L’Officiel and Bibliothèque Nationale.

In her own brand, she acts as creative and art director, creates all designs, takes photos and deals with all creative processes. She also engages project managers and is now looking for an assistant to help with shipping, purchasing and organization. ‘I like to handle all the processes myself, but as the brand grows, I plan to increase the team and delegate tasks to professionals’.

The Sociopath Studio brand collaborates with several local production facilities specializing in sewing small batches of clothes. They also cooperate with a print shop that makes prints and work remotely with a knitter who is also based in Ukraine.

‘I make the designs and samples myself, but I give more complex patterns to professionals with extensive experience, — Yulia adds. — Often I sew an initial model, a base, and then I finish it, complicate it or add something to it’.