In early February, a curated vintage clothing store was launched in test mode, where you can buy or rent Maison Margiela, Prada, Issey Miyake, Jean Paul Gaultier and Helmut Lang items. There are also works by Ukrainian artists, designers and ceramic artists. DTF Magazine tells about the rotten bloom concept in more detail
A brief backstory of the store’s opening
The founders of the rotten bloom, brothers Marko Zakharov and Ihor Zakharov, have been selling vintage clothing online for over a decade on various international platforms.
‘We were well known in the world, but at the same time almost nobody knew us in Ukraine, — Ihor tells DTF Magazine in a commentary. — We are masters of inconsistent decisions, so we decided to move our office and team to Kyiv [from Zaporizhzhia] a few weeks before the first wave of blackouts’.
During the first year, they used the rotten bloom’s future space as a back office and warehouse. ‘Everyone who stopped by to visit us said it was a bit dumb, because the space was cool. And in general we weren’t so interested in working online anymore, we had faith in the big trend for offline projects’.
‘Around that time, the idea of a physical store came up, because someone had to open something like that in Kyiv, — Ihor adds. — Then Artem Vakhrin (chief architect and art director at akz architectura studio. — Note from DTF Magazine) appeared in our life and he said: “Let’s just do it”, and took over the art direction and interior. And then everything was in a blur’.
Interior features
The store occupies the top floor of a historic building directly above Landscape Alley and has a terrace that gives views of Lysa Hora, Vosdvyzhenka and Podil. Initially they planned to make the space as neutral as possible to ‘be able to modify and move the perception in different directions’.
‘It’s like traveling without a plan, because it’s definitely not our style to make long-term plans. We have thoughts about things like events, but that will be later, for now we are forming a vision and making arrangements with the neighbors’.
How a vintage clothing collection is formed
The collection presented in the store was formed long ago. Ihor and Marko collected these items for fun, and even though they were asked to sell these items, they refused.
‘Just selling is not much fun, — Ihor says. — I wanted to realize this potential, to demonstrate our vision and, perhaps, to remind Europe once again that Ukraine is not lagging behind in the vintage clothing market’.
The store offers men’s and women’s clothing, as well as shoes and accessories. These are mostly designer items — Maison Margiela, Prada, Issey Miyake, Jean Paul Gaultier, Helmut Lang, Comme des Garçons. They are mixed with other classic brands which, according to Ihor, have cultural influences — Polo Ralph Lauren, Levi’s and others. ‘Time will tell what the selection will be, we like to experiment and mix different trends’.
The collection is full of items from the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. Among the items, for example, is a pink Prada bag from 2005. Since 2020, the fashion house has launched a Re-edition line that repeats this vintage model. Or Maison Martin Margiela jeans from the late 1990s, which the designer created by recycling and dyeing ordinary Levi’s.
Items from the rotten bloom can also be rented — this option is now available to everyone, not just to stylists.
About local artists
‘We primarily try to attract attention with our main selection, but we also want to introduce audiences to different local artists that we like’, Ihor explains.
Now the store offers ceramics by Nina Laguta, several ROMAROMASHCHENKO jackets, chess by AKZ Product, canvas by Artem Vakhrin and other items. ‘We have big plans to develop this direction, because there are a lot of cool niche artists in Ukraine that we want to pay attention to’.
Address: 26B Velyka Zhytomyrska Street
The store is open from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. by appointment.
DM the rotten bloom before your visit.
The Strategic Media Support Program project will implement the Lviv Media Forum with the financial support of People in Need (PIN) and Pioneer Foundation.
