Gosha Rubchinskiy relaunches his eponymous brand
Gosha Rubchinskiy is relaunching his eponymous brand. The controversial designer announced the comeback of his own label in an Instagram post in February. Now_ actions are following words. In an interview with the industry magazine Business of Fashion (BoF)_ Rubchinskiy revealed that he is ready to "start all over again".
A first selection of basics_ including T-shirts_ jogging bottoms_ rucksacks_ hoodies and bomber jackets_ is already available in the brand's online shop. Further items such as jeans and coats are to follow later this month. Rubchinskiy also told BoF that he is toying with the idea of designing couture. However_ he has no intention of becoming part of the traditional Fashion Week calendar. Instead_ he is planning a "small world tour" through countries such as China_ Japan and the US to meet his "fans" in person.
Although Rubchinskiy is now targeting his brand directly at consumers_ he does not rule out collaborating with multi-brand retailers in the future. The opening of his own boutiques is also an option for the future.
Rubchinskiy's return after seven years
For the designer_ who founded his label in 2008_ the relaunch marks the final step in a long road back into the spotlight. In 2018_ his rapid rise – which he experienced at times alongside Vetements co-founder Demna Gvasalia – came to an abrupt halt. This followed accusations that he had sent inappropriate messages to a minor. The chat logs appeared on social networks at the time. His brand then declared that the exchange had been part of a casting process and had been taken out of context.
Rubchinskiy still holds this view today. However_ he emphasised to BoF that he would work with his own casting director in the future_ who would take over communication with models and agencies.
The relaunch is being financed by capital that the designer has saved from his previous work_ as well as by support from friends. According to BoF_ Rubchinskiy described the project as a "collective endeavour".
After the closure of his label_ he worked as head of design for Yeezy_ the fashion brand of rapper Ye_ formerly Kanye West. West lost his long-standing Adidas partnership in 2022 after making antisemitic remarks. The collaboration between Rubchinskiy and Ye ended earlier this year. This made way for a cooperation with Bikkembergs.