For many years, when Frol Burimskiy came Paris for couture week, it was always a big production. As the business partner of Ulyana Sergeenko since 2011, he was backstage by her side after each of her grand, Russian-themed collections, which made him a regular, albeit below-the-radar, presence.
This season he has returned to Paris to debut his own bespoke label, Flor et Lavr. Consisting primarily of menswear with some women’s suiting, every piece is one of a kind and will be tailored to fit each client. Nearly all of Burimskiy’s materials come from existing stock. Anything else—such as Vologda lace or the handcrafted nature-inspired jewelry—is developed directly with artisans to showcase and preserve their traditional techniques.
“If you want to bring something into the world, it has to be unique,” he said from the high-end hotel suite where he has set up a showroom along with fellow Russian designer Maria Belik. “I love things that have craftsmanship; I love things that have sense….And for me, working in the fashion industry since I was 17, I’ve had a chance to see what harm is done. So that’s why I came up with this concept.”
Among the more distinctive pieces: a fitted jacket with sleeves made from a Soviet-era rug; fluid shirts paneled down the front with custom lace that were alluring yet tasteful; and lightly-constructed jackets and high-waist trousers for women that, to use a favorite Rihanna term, snatched the waist with a belt system that acted like corsetry. “It’s a little grunge, but elegant,” said Burimskiy, referring specifically to the rug jacket, although this could be applied more generally, too. Uniform silhouettes were streamlined, while color and pattern were played up when a fabric spoke to him (see the velvet coat in a decorative motif of persimmon and dark green). Whereas the framework was formal, the attitude was easy. Burimskiy also drew attention to the hand-finishing of each piece, including boxy leather bags, roughly the size of a Rolleiflex camera, with briefcase hardware.
“My ambition is to deliver faithful and real things that have value—physical and intellectual value, at least to me,” said Burimskiy, who previously worked for Damir Doma in Antwerp and Paris and before that for Maison Martin Margiela in St. Petersburg.
The label’s name, if you were wondering, refers to twin brothers (Florus and Laurus in Latin) who became Christian martyrs in Byzantium during the second century. Mostly, Burimskiy liked the way it sounds. As for parting ways with Sergeenko, Burimskiy explained that it was a difficult but necessary decision. “Since I was a child I have had this dream of fashion, which later turned into a will to create something that I feel and believe in.” Growing his label from grassroots, he seems poised to flourish on his own.