Get the know fashion designer and master thrifter Alexander Zdroyevski and what inspires his custom creations.
What do you love most about thrifting?
I love seeing the potential in things that get overlooked by other people. I think that translates to society as a whole. Countless individuals carry untapped potential each day, it’s the classic underdog storyline.
That’s kind of what I’m doing, I’m seeing the potential in these fabrics to become something else. I have a very transformative take when I express myself through fashion.
Designer Alexander Zdroyevski round out his look with Knu Skool Vans and Aimé Leon Dore hat.
What are some of your favorite textiles right now?
The textiles that really excite me are from the ’50s and ’60s. For me, it’s not about the ’80s or ’90s stuff. I’ve been sourcing vintage blankets, bedspreads and farm feed sacks for a while now. These are all referenced by Ralph Lauren. I love all that Americana and Western style.
People are also reading…
Where do you get your inspiration?
A lot of my inspiration comes from Margiela and Japanese fashion designers like Kapital, Rei Kawakubo, sacai and Hiroshi Fujiwara. I also really love Japanese Boro, indigo dyes, sashiko and Indian Kantha textiles. I’m like a kid in a candy store when I find vintage fabric like that.
How did you get started?
I’ve been collecting fabrics and patches for about seven years, even before I got my sewing machine. I loved picking up cool printed tablecloths at thrift stores. I’ve just been collecting and collecting and never threw anything away.
I don’t think I ever had an end game or a goal at that time when I started collecting, but it quickly became my business model. It’s really rooted in my love for the thrill of the hunt. It’s evolved over time and my fan base has grown and they have been incredibly supportive of my journey.
What’s your favorite piece in your collection at the moment?
My patchwork denim. I spend a lot of time curating and putting a lot of thought into creating the patchwork with these vintage patches—from the textures to the color palette to the shapes.
What are you excited about right now with your business?
I’m finally getting recognition from higher-level clientele. Since my clothing is one of one I’ve always had a product that fits with celebrity culture, but it’s just nice to get those types of people reaching out.
With that said, I’m just a really simple guy. I’m excited that I’m not bartending. I get to make arts and crafts for a living and live comfortably.
What does the future look like for Alex Zdroyevski?
I’m going to scale the world’s largest sustainable upcycled clothing business. I’ve worked hard to build connections and I have assets in massive rag houses that have 1,000-pound bales of clothing and blankets.
This is not going to be an easy task, but I’m going to show everyone what told me that this wasn’t a scalable business model and that I should just produce new clothing. I’m going to use my resources and build something really special in Buffalo. We’re going to have some fun here and we’re going to see how big we can make it
My approach is to maintain exclusivity while being inclusive. I want to show the world the true potential of upcycled fashion.
Do you have any new product drops on the horizon?
I’m working with Oxford Pennant and getting custom pendants made to put on the sides of hats and getting patches made to put on the front. I’m taking 100 deadstock ’70s vintage snapback trucker hats and doing the same thing I do on vintage t-shirts where I screen-print over existing logos. I’ll do the same on the hats.
I also have some new graphic tees coming out that are going to be on vintage blanks.
