Where to buy Ruslan Baginskiy hats on sale? And who is Ruslan Baginskiy? Find out all about the Ukrainian headwear designer.
I want to make headgear great again, it deserves to be an essential part of men’s and women’s wardrobe. –Ruslan Baginskiy
Ruslan Baginskiy is the Ukrainian headwear brand that counts a seemingly never-ending list of A-list celebrities as fans—from Bella Hadid to Madonna to Kaia Gerber, the Ruslan Baginskiy family keeps growing. So if you’ve seen your favorite celeb sporting a boater hat recently, chances are it was a Ruslan Baginskiy hat.
But who is Ruslan Baginskiy, and how did this brand conquer the heart of fashionistas all over the world…seemingly overnight?
Who is Ruslan Baginskiy?
Ruslan Baginskiy was born in Lviv, Ukraine, in 1989.
Unable to afford a renowned fashion school like Central Saint Martins, he studied geography at the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv while working as a stylist for several Ukrainian designers. He created his first headwear pieces for fashion photoshoots, and gained further experience in local millinery shops.
“It was a long process, but very fascinating and inspiring,” Baginskiy told Metal Magazine.
In 2015, Baginskiy founded his eponymous label. The first celebrity to discover the brand was influencer Lena Perminova, who shared a photo of herself wearing a straw boater hat with her 2 million followers. But it was after Bella Hadid wore some of Baginskiy’s creations that the brand’s Instagram account blew up, gaining fans from all over the world.
Despite his international fame, Baginskiy draws inspiration from Ukrainian customs and traditions. In 2020, Baginskiy presented his second couture collection, TSVIT, in collaboration with two Ukrainian artists—photographers Synchrodogs and stylist Julie Pelipas. Each of the seven pieces of the collection was a tribute to Ukrainian culture.
Baginskiy’s trademark? The baker boy cap, stitched with the RB initials.
Our favorite Ruslan Baginskiy hats
Here are our top picks this season:
Ruslan Baginskiy Linen Baker Boy Cap
This best-selling hat was born after a trip to Paris in 2016, when Baginskiy became fascinated with French train conductors’ uniforms. Today the Ruslan Baginskiy signature baker boy cap comes in over 50 styles, and every RB girl (as the designer likes to call his fans) owns at least one of these stylish hats. We especially love this beige linen version from SS22—embellished with the RB monogram and crafted from premium quality linen, this is the perfect hat for summer. Look effortlessly chic!
Ruslan Baginskiy Straw Boater Hat
Traditionally worn by gondoliers in Venice, the boater hat is another of Baginskiy’s signature styles. In 2021, after BTS’s V (Kim Taehyung) was pictured wearing one of the brand’s straw boater hats in a teaser photo for “Butter”, the hat sold out within hours. This chic straw boater hat is embellished with the RB initials and features a straw chin strap adorned with golden starfish and shell pendants. It’s the perfect hat to protect you from the sun this summer, while looking stylish.
Ruslan Baginskiy Straw Fedora Hat
It’s no secret that fedoras are back in style. But Ruslan Baginskiy truly takes this classic style to the next level! The Ukrainian designer offers a range of exquisite designs, from classic felt fedoras to pearl-embellished ones. But our must-have this season is this monogram-embellished straw fedora hat—the perfect companion for your summer adventures!
Now that you know more about Ruslan Baginskiy, here’s where to buy Ruslan Baginskiy hats.
Where is Ruslan Baginskiy on sale?
Until recently Ruslan Baginskiy was selling exclusively through Instagram. It was only during the pandemic that the brand launched its online store. In July 2021, the first-ever Ruslan Baginskiy pop-up store was opened in the Parisian store Paradise Garage Store.
In an interview with Metal Magazine, Baginskiy said that, “since [his] first trip to Paris, [his] big dream is to open a boutique on Saint-Honoré, and [he hopes] it will come true soon.”
We hope so, too. But in the meantime, you can shop italist.com–we offer a wide selection of Ruslan Baginskiy hats, including baker boy caps, fedoras, boater hats, and more.
Show solidarity to Ukraine in these difficult times by supporting Ukrainian businesses. Italist stands with Ukraine!
About the Author
Alex English is the Head of Content Marketing at italist.com, building on a lifelong passion for fashion and luxury. After publishing a lifestyle blog for nearly ten years and obtaining an MBA in Milan at SDA Bocconi, one of Europe’s top business schools, he joined the italist team in 2019. His work since then has focused on upper-funnel messaging, brand storytelling, establishing italist as a thought leader in the space, and enriching the customer experience on the platform. Find him on LinkedIn.