In a studio in Kyiv, there stands a very tall mirror, a window that nearly reaches the ceiling, and a beautiful ray of sun through which it streams. This small but very comfortable space is the design studio of Maryna Kostogryz – a local designer with whom Postmark Ukraine has teamed up to create the most delicious designs.
In fact, Maryna is no stranger to Postmark Ukraine. If you remember our very first collection of one-of-a-kind designer bodysuits then, in fact, you have already become acquainted with her work. Not only is her work creative, inspired, and completely unique, the craftsmanship is hard to beat in terms of price for completely bespoke designs.
(If you’re interested in the audio version of our little chat, head on over to the Ukrainian Couture page and take a closer look at the possibilities. Otherwise, tuck in to a favourite corner and start the scroll…)
Lana
I'm sitting with Maryna Kostogryz from Kyiv, Ukraine with whom Postmark Ukraine has started some collaboration with some fabulously interesting designs, custom-made, all very boutique, and all very high quality. What's really exciting is that this is a special time for Postmark Ukraine as well, because we really understand that something “unique” to our clients is really important. We're really happy to be able to provide this service to our clients, to our customers, to the Postmark Ukraine family, and we welcome Maryna onboard as well to our family.
Maryna
Lana, thank you.
Lana
Maybe you can tell people a little about yourself..?
Maryna
Absolutely, so I’m a designer of dresses for special events for women, dresses for dancing, costumes for dance from ballroom dancing – which includes not only long ballroom gowns but also Latin American dresses – which are more open, more playful. As well, dresses for parties, for special events, and now I’m starting to dive into evening dress design and dreaming to design wedding dresses in the near future. I've been doing this since 2016 and I think that the more I explore, the more I do, the more I want. I'm excited about everything upcoming with this.
Lana
So you get your inspiration from all corners. For Postmark Ukraine, for our clients, for our customers, usually they want something that's a little bit more Ukrainian, but actually you run the full gamut. It doesn't just have to be just Ukrainian inspired.
Maryna
Right. For me, the most important source of inspiration is the client, the woman herself. When I hear her request, her story, the way she wants to show herself, what she puts into this dress design, the costume design, what she wants to transmit, what inner emotion she wants to show and to put into the design – that's the largest inspiration for me because it's so unique already. It's so custom and individual and you just have to listen to what she tells, what she wants, and that drugs me, and I already start drawing pictures in my head. So if she wants something in Ukrainian style I start to dive into this design. It's really natural to me as well because I'm born in Ukraine, in Kyiv, and was raised in a family, which appreciates Ukrainian traditions, Ukrainian clothing.
Lana
That's wonderful. I know that the Postmark family will really enjoy working with you very soon, actually. What about the idea of fashion in general? Is there something that brought you into this realm? Or what pulled you here?
Maryna
So, to start with childhood, I remember that during all my childhood I wasn’t attached to fashion at all. I was really limited with five pieces of dress for school, but I remember that I was drawing, drawing, drawing, drawing, drawing, but never thought that it's something that I want to follow. I've been dancing all my life and I was all the time connected to beautiful dresses, but I couldn't connect this in myself. But then I started a new type of dance and I thought that, okay, I want to look good at each training. I don't want to look good only at the performance, but every time I do something for myself, I want to look good. And I thought: I want to have something designed for me. I drew this, I started to dance in this, and I received appreciation from the other girls who told me, “I want this as well”, “design this for me”, and then it started. So that is how I was brought into fashion.
"The most important source of inspiration is the client, the woman herself"
Lana
What about in terms of a specific style? Do you have a designer or a style or a philosophy that really attracts you?
Maryna
For sure I'm really inspired by Alexander McQueen. I like this because they are really into structure, into construction of the dress, perfect fit, and still super womanised. I don’t how they combine this. This brand inspires me a lot. And talking about style, I gain endless inspiration from Grace Kelly’s elegance and all her images. And the philosophy – the woman herself, her body, and she herself is already a part of inspiration for me.
Lana
That's wonderful. You and I have spoken about the process of creating a design or a dress for someone. Maybe we can talk a little bit about that now for someone who doesn't live in Ukraine, for example, and who wants a custom dress designed for her, for a special event, maybe graduation or wedding, or some special awards ceremony. Can you walk us through the process of how that can work, even if this person isn't physically in Ukraine?
Maryna
Sure. So the most important thing here is that even if this woman is far, I want to make her feel that she's present here. I want to be like her reliable partner in this process, a friend, and all the time be in touch and support her and listen to her requests., I like the process of reporting, showing the options, so that she feels really safe, and that it’s not that she just clicks on a website and buys, and you don't know what you're buying. Here, you are buying a service of real support.
The masters at work here in Ukraine are reliable, and it’s my responsibility to get this design done. So once the client is into this, she sends her precise measurements in Zoom or in Skype, then we buy the fabrics together with her online. And then we have the mannequin, or we can find a person of the same measurements, and we do the fittings remotely, showing the process, discussing everything, so that the customer feels that the design is happening for her. We film all the fittings, and if there is some decoration from my side, I do this by hand.
And then we send this dress to her and if something is not fitting perfectly, she can send it back and we improve this. We want to build a relationship with this customer, not just give a dress and “bye bye” – no. This is a long-term relationship.
Lana
That's wonderful. I think that this is the start of something that's very special with yourself and with Postmark – it’s going to be very good. What about when you're not working, when you're not inspired by drawing beautiful dresses for special women? What do you like to do in your free time? If you have any – we are busy women!
Maryna
That’s a good question! I don't have intended days off, because that's not my format. I have lots of projects, lots of dresses, and as well I'm doing shootings for other fashion brands. So, I have orders all the time in my head and when I need some inspiration I go out and run or walk and I look at architecture and photography journals. Anything that's connected to visualisation, to visual beauty.
Lana
If we were to return to these seats 12 months from now, what do you think that this next year will look like? What will transpire, what will happen?
Maryna
That's my favorite question (laughs). For sure I want to have a separate studio, so same seats with you, in the same district – in center of Kyiv, but in separate studio, which will be the full house studio. So, it will be really structured and there will be a team who is focusing separately on dancing costumes, other masters will be working with individual evening and wedding designs. And there will be a place for selling the dresses, which I will design from my creativity. I plan to spend all day there, so my business days and free days. I want to have orders one year in advance to be booked. And I want to be the key person in Ukraine and to Ukrainians and to foreigners. So, when people think they need something special for special events I want to be the number one who they're thinking about.
Lana
I think that's a great goal. Very manageable knowing you.
Maryna
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for believing in me.
Lana
Yes, absolutely. It's been a pleasure speaking to you today. And it has been my personal pleasure as well to start this project with you. And I look forward to some incredible moments together. We already have one in the works, which we will post about and make sure that everybody sees and falls in love with. Maybe we won't say too much about it just now (smiles).
Maryna
No, no, secret secret!
Lana
Thank you again.
Maryna
Thank you, Lana, for your questions, it was a pleasure.
**The written transcript has been edited to be readable for an English-language audience. The sense and meaning have not been altered.
Have an idea for a beautiful design or an event coming where you want to really make statement? Get in touch with us and we will custom create an outstanding dress, suit, or vyshyvanka just for you. Connect with the roots of your Ukrainian roots in a design made today that you can wear for any tomorrow. Write to us at Support@PostmarkUkraine.com for more information or to get started on your dream design.