Summary
- Designer Gosha Rubchinskiy has relaunched his eponymous label after a multi-year hiatus
- The brand is starting with basics and has instituted a new casting policy
- He plans to sell online and go on a “small world tour” instead of doing fashion shows
Russian designer Gosha Rubchinskiy, a defining voice of post-Soviet streetwear in the 2010s, has officially relaunched his namesake brand. The comeback, which follows a multi-year hiatus, marks a new chapter for the designer after he shuttered his label in 2018. In an interview with the Business of Fashion, Rubchinskiy stated he is ready to “start everything anew.”
The initial phase of the relaunch is centered on a range of essential items, including T-shirts, sweatpants and hoodies in both menswear and womenswear. This measured approach is a deliberate strategy, as Rubchinskiy explained to the publication, “The analogy to draw here would be we’re building a house. You start with the foundations. That is why we decided to start with a fairly basic line, and then, little by little, build up to something more extended.” He plans to eventually expand into more complex pieces like jeans and coats, and is even considering couture and womenswear in the future.
The relaunch also includes a new casting policy, a direct response to a 2018 scandal where a minor accused him of soliciting inappropriate images online. Rubchinskiy has consistently denied the allegations, stating that his comments were taken out of context. He addresses the change in policy directly, “I was perhaps naive thinking that [model casting] can be done via text messages… But if you were to have a live casting with your team present, then of course the whole thing would be quite different, hence the change in our casting policy.” Around the time of the brand’s initial closure, the designer parted ways with COMME des GARÇONS, which handled the labels’ business and its trademarks as well as the label Rassvet he co-founded in 2022. He later re-emerged with a new role as head of design for YEEZY before departing to focus on his own brand.
With the relaunch of his eponymous label, the brand will sell basics online but plans to work with retailers on special collections, opting for a “small world tour” over traditional fashion week shows.
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