There are currently no employees working at the Sleeper headquarters in Kyiv. Some Those who stayed in the Ukrainian capital clocked in at home. Others have followed the brand’s founders, Asya Varetsa and Kate Zubarieva, to Istanbul, where the casual-wear brand has set up a makeshift outpost or been forced to work remotely wherever war breaks out in their country. However, Varetsa and Zubarieva said they still “dream” of returning to the office they were forced to abandon in February.
Housed in a former shoe factory in Podil, the headquarters is both an ode to the history of Ukrainian design and its potential future: Varetsa and Zubarieva asked local architect Veronika Arutunyan and Olga Malyshenko, who were in their early 20s at the time, brought their space together. They finish the project very late 84.
)Objects found include a 84 Portrait of two men, from Berlin.
When it comes to the design itself, they took inspiration from the Zoloti Vorota metro station, which in turn resembles the god Kievan Rus temple. When it comes to lighting, its influence is strongest: a bronze chandelier in the main showroom features similar but modern candle-like bulbs to the famous transport hub. The Bauhaus style – which originated in Germany and spread throughout Eastern Europe – was also an important reference, with Arutunyan and Malyshenko using simple geometric forms to embrace the building’s industrial roots. (In one room, you’ll even find the classic Marcel Breuer Cesca armchair.) Meanwhile, work by contemporary artist Masha Reva — who also does Harry Styles — graces the walls. Another notable accent? One401 chairs that once belonged to the Dnepr Hotel in the central Ukrainian city.
Employees of the once occupied office in Kyiv.
by Sleeper
Sleeper office has A certain softness, which makes sense. Given that the brand is known for its luxurious pajamas and one-piece linen dresses, creating comfortable interiors is at the heart of the ethos of Varetsa and Zubarieva’s headquarters. “We wanted to create a space where you would be inspired to be there, but also feel a little bit more relaxed at the same time,” says Zubarieva. Fittingly, the centerpiece of the office is a sunken modular velvet chocolate sofa flanked by their own designs Green marble table. When they were in the office together, sometimes the staff would stay after get off work to watch episodes of
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