Hats Are a Thing in 2025, and Ukrainian Milliner Ruslan Baginskiy Is a Big Reason Why

Vogue

3 days ago

Happy 10th anniversary, Ruslan Baginskiy! A decade in business is a significant milestone by any measure, but even more so when, for the past three years, this Kyiv-based brand has been relentlessly and resiliently growing—from creative to commercial, production to distribution—despite Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Today, the label behind hats donned by Beyoncé, Madonna, and scores of other boldface names, will unveil an impressive takeover at Galeries Lafayette that includes all 12 windows facing out to Boulevard Haussmann, a pop-up at the store's entrance and a larger shop-in-shop under the historic cupola.
With 'Ruslan Baginskiy Tales,' each window presents a joyful, whimsical vignette illustrating how these hats and assorted accessories encompass a larger narrative that bridges traditional craftsmanship and contemporary culture. In one, there are tall bundles of straw juxtaposed with videos of artisans weaving and forming the hats; in another, playful, color-blocked bodies nod to Kazimir Malevich. There are surrealist hats at gargantuan scale, an oversized baker boy cap—the brand's hero item—and images from various campaigns shot along the coastline of Odesa or in the Carpathian mountains offering serene glimpses of home.
Baginskiy often says that his hats—whether the woven fedoras and canotiers, hand-dyed baseball caps and beanies, denim berets, or myriad other styles—function as a kind of voice out to the wider world. 'We need to do our best job to show the creativity and the culture of Ukraine,' says Baginskiy, who was named a cultural ambassador in 2023 by Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 'So this is super important for us right now.'
The brand has a few other central figures including co-founder Petro Yaskinsky, Victoria Semerei who oversees the commercial side of things, and Anastasia Padalka, who handles communications. His mother Lilia Baginska has been on board since early on and is currently head of production in Ukraine.
Each time the team arrives in Paris, as they have for the opening (the activation runs through August 25), they shrug off the extended travel and logistical challenges. It was a true wonder, though, that a freight truck with all the materials made it. 'Ten years, it's like this; every delivery is a miracle,' says Padalka.
While the war continues and Baginskiy could recount stories upon stories about all the ways his team, his loved ones, and his business have been impacted, it feels as though this is a moment for celebration.