Ukrainian bags and accessories brand keep has opened a new space at 2A Zolotovoritska Street in Kyiv. The new store will also offer exclusive items initially available only offline, with the Østerbro bag being the first.
DTF Magazine spoke to keep founder Mykola Serezitinov about the new space and how the brand adapted its operations after its office was destroyed as a result of a Russian strike in June 2026
The brand initially planned to open the store on September 1, but the opening was postponed due to circumstances unrelated to the destruction.
The destruction of the office further slowed down work on the space and preparations for the opening, but keep decided not to abandon the idea and to continue working on the project.
‘I believe that as a Kyiv-based brand, we are very deeply integrated into the city and its locations. Therefore, offline presence in the ‘Upper Town’ is quite important in our business model’, Mykola explains.
About the space design and location features
keep’s first space was located on Yaroslaviv Val Street, while the second, which is still operating, is at 6A Zolotovoritska Street.
After opening the new store, keep plans to continue operating the showroom at 6A Zolotovoritska Street. For now, the team plans to experiment with differences between the two locations, including their product ranges.
The team decided to stay in this part of Kyiv and chose a courtyard at 2A Zolotovoritska Street.
The brand worked on the store’s design together with all design agency. ‘As an owner, I wanted to embody the character of keep. I wanted eclecticism, classic lines and street details’, Serezitinov says.
The key colors chosen for the space are keep’s signature green and the brand’s ‘favorite milky’ shade. The facade retains its original rough-cast plaster, while the stairs are covered in red tiles. The store is also equipped with a wheelchair lift.
Mykola adds that, as a bag brand, wall display was important for keep, so preference was given to hooks rather than shelves. In the future, keep plans to use the space to showcase collaborations and host performative events.
View this post on Instagram
During the store’s opening weekend, it will feature an installation dedicated to the destruction of keep’s premises:
‘It won’t dwell on the suffering in any way. On the contrary, we view our past experience as fertilizer that allows us to bloom today. To bloom through new experiences, new products, creativity, style, the desire to live. And to keep moving forward’.
About the offline exclusive and the store opening
The first accessory that the brand will exclusively present in the new store is the Østerbro bag.
It is a reversible unisex bag made from CORDURA and lightweight nylon, featuring a system of pockets and internal compartments, as well as an adjustable strap that allows the bag to be carried by hand or worn over the shoulder.
About the destruction of keep’s premises and the brand’s work
The strike on Kyiv damaged keep’s office, warehouse facilities, studio, and part of the brand’s production responsible for woven products and vests — a line that keep launched in 2025.
View this post on Instagram
At the same time, according to Serezitinov, keep’s main production facility in Chernihiv continues to operate. The brand is also planning to open an additional workshop in Chernivtsi and is currently looking for seamstresses, cutters and other staff.
Currently, the brand has not restored the production pace and volumes that it had before the attack. ‘We lost a huge stock of products and materials, were in debt to our customers, and haven’t recovered from it’, Mykola says.
Serezitinov adds that the brand still cannot produce the quantity of goods needed for a constant supply, particularly high-demand accessories. As a result, keep had to reduce and optimize its product range. However, according to Mykola, the attack also ‘motivated’ the brand to work on new silhouettes rather than trying to reproduce the old ones.
Following the attack, keep released a drop of items that survived the strike. They were intentionally not cleaned and are being sold in the condition they were pulled out from under the rubble. Read more about the drop and the attack on keep in our article.
