Andreas Moskin is perhaps the first premium men's suit brand that has dressed most Ukrainian stars. Founders Andriy Moskin and Andreas Bilous turned a profit after the first drop and almost immediately decided to launch their own production. Now the brand operates not only in Ukraine, but also on the international market.
For the AIN.Business publication, Andriy and Andreas told the story of their own brand, why they decided to focus on the premium segment, and how they managed to become popular among Ukrainian stars.
Unfilled niche
Before launching their menswear brand, Andriy Moskin and Andreas Bilous worked in the event industry. It was then that they first felt the lack of men's suits, both classic and stage. "Being at the peak of our careers, we could afford to have our suits custom-made. So we thought out each model down to the smallest detail. Clients constantly asked where we got such outfits," the founders recall.
An unfilled niche was identified. According to Moskin and Bilous, most classic menswear brands at the time were betting on the business community, not on events.
This is how the idea came to create our own brand and give customers what was missing in the Ukrainian men's suit market - a variety of colors and exclusive cuts.
Invested $15,000
The first thing the co-founders did before launching the brand was to analyze the market. Based on the collected data, they developed the first collection in colors in which suits were not widely available. After that, they signed contracts with contractors, rented a small space for a boutique, and hired two stylists. The amount of investment at this stage was about $15,000.
According to Andriy and Andreas, the brand immediately focused on the premium segment:
"These are solvent people who value originality and are willing to pay the appropriate price for it. In addition, the premium segment is always less competition."
Andreas Moskin's first drop consisted of ten models in six sizes. It sold out quickly, and the brand immediately turned a profit. The founders cite several factors that they believe contributed to their success:
- The launch coincided with the start of the season for proms, weddings, and other events that call for classic attire.
- An unfilled niche. The audience was looking for an event outfit, while competitors worked mostly with businesses.
- A personal brand in the event industry that did good advertising, and therefore contributed to sales.
"The brand that dresses the stars"
The founders said that many clients who ordered events automatically became clients of the Andreas Moskin brand. There were also reverse cases. First, men came to the boutique to buy something, and only then ordered the organization of events.
After some time, Andreas Moskin, according to the brand owners, became almost the first men's brand in the premium segment, which dressed many Ukrainian stars and influencers.
"Through acquaintances, friends, and partners, we were able to establish connections with some Ukrainian stars and influencers. Over time, customers began to associate Andreas Moskin as a brand that stars wear," the entrepreneurs add.
The team also worked with social media. At that time, few brands were actively developing their Instagram, but the founders emphasized it as part of their marketing. They published every day and held live broadcasts every week.
Niche business with niche production
Despite the fact that in the first year the brand's team consisted of 4 people, Andriy and Andreas add, a successful starting season helped to quickly set up further work.
Currently, a large number of people are working on creating collections. In total, the team has 50 specialists. First, the creative team analyzes the trends and anti-trends of the current season, trains its intuition. Then everyone offers their ideas, and after that, a moodboard for the new collection is created.
Then the ideas are shown to the designers, fabricators, and tailors at the factory. Sometimes, during the process of creating a model, there are 10 possible options, from which the best one is chosen.
"The market may dictate the production of a certain super-trendy item, but if we don't like it, the factory won't take on its production. We emphasized from the very beginning that this is a niche business with niche production, not a mass market."
The heroes point out that they realized from the first drop that working with contractors does not provide the flexibility and freedom that their own production provides. That is why, in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, they decided to open a factory in Lviv.
With its capacity, the brand has gradually expanded its range to include casual and sportswear. The production currently produces about 200-250 suits per month, although the maximum capacity is about 600 units.
Simpler – from more expensive to cheaper
The formation of the price for a suit depends on many factors. First of all, Andriy and Andreas explain, the price cannot be low, because its production is a complex process, compared to the production of other types of clothing. The professionalism and competence of the staff is also a valuable resource in the field.
Among other reasons:
- High quality fabrics. For example, the thread can be Chinese, or it can be German. The latter costs five times more.
- Limited collections.
- Additional service and lifetime warranty on every product.
The founders note that the price may seem high, but if you compare it with foreign brands operating in this segment, the picture changes:
"In the first year of the brand's existence, we argued about pricing. In the end, we decided to make it expensive, because we understood that it was still difficult to go from cheap to more expensive. It's easier to go from more expensive to cheaper," the owners add.
They planned to open a boutique in Paris
Andriy and Andreas decided not to spread themselves too thin and work on the international market in the wedding dress segment. As of the end of 2023, the suits can be seen in wedding salons in more than 10 countries around the world.
The global goal of the brand is to popularize Ukrainian products in the world. The founders dream of the Made in Ukraine logo being a symbol of undeniable quality and prestige.
"Before the full-scale invasion began, we planned to open a boutique in Paris. But now our main desire is to dress world stars."
As part of the strategy, Andreas Moskin participates in international thematic events and also collaborates with a PR agency that has taken on the brand's positioning abroad. As a result of this season's collaboration, the first couture collection was released, which was developed specifically for the foreign market.