What is it about hats, as objects, that continue to inspire you? Do they offer a different kind of creative freedom than clothing?
Ruslan I see hats as sculptures and I see them as something dynamic. So it is about endless inventions. There are so many materials you can use, so many fun things you create, to create. We have the RB hat bag, which is a hat and a bag. I made fly hats. The options are endless.
STORIES
Design in Conversation: An Interview with Ruslan Baginskiy
Design in Conversation is a series exploring the vision, craftsmanship and heritage of the makers shaping the Scorpios Bazaar.
For this edition, we sit down with Ruslan Baginskiy, the milliner behind the eponymous label, who joins us in Mykonos this summer for a guest residency. Ruslan and his team have transformed a corner of the Bazaar into an immersive extension of his Kyiv atelier, complete with wooden hat blocks, artisan tools and woven straw materials that offer an intimate glimpse into the world behind his creations. In conversation, he reflects on fashion as a vessel for storytelling and memory.
Do you think there are distinct differences between occasion wear and everyday wear? Or should dressing always be an act of celebration?
Ruslan I think you should just wear what you like.
Many of your hats reference vintage silhouettes, the baker boy, the boater, while pushing them into something distinctly contemporary. Which of the styles did you choose to bring to Mykonos and why?
Ruslan I chose our signature styles that are made for the sun. I wanted people to really have choices—and room for a styling session when they're choosing their hats. So, there are a lot of possibilities. Cowboy hats, fedoras, canotier hats, baker boy caps.
How does the immersive environment that you’ve created for the Mykonos Bazaar and being in a place like Scorpios allow guests to play with self-expression?
Ruslan I think a hat is a must-have item on vacation, but it is also very memorable. It’s a kind of magical piece; when you put it on at home, you will be transported to your memories. And to deepen that connection, we made the Scorpios medallions. When people wear their hats, I hope they remember the feeling of this place.
If fashion can become a vessel for personal memory, how do your Ukrainian heritage and cultural memories shape your designs?
Ruslan Everything we see has a story. Our visual story is Ukraine. Even if people aren’t aware of our story, the hats are like small manifestos speaking to our past, and our contemporary fashion. It can be found in a material, it can be in the hand embroidered details, but it is all about who we are.
Every Ruslan Baginskiy hat is made entirely in-house, from start to finish, with a very strong emphasis on handcraft. What does that level of involvement allow you to achieve?
Ruslan Quality, of course, but it also allows us to create a family. There are over 150 people who work in production at Ruslan Baginskiy. This allows us to preserve culture and craft. It allows us to tell a real story. ■
RUSLAN BAGINSKIY AT SCORPIOS MYKONOS
Open from 12 July through to the end of September.
Ruslan Baginskiyʼs summer residency is part of Scorpios’ ongoing program of on-site collaborations with inspiring artists, designers and brands.