Age: 26
Education: Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design
Profession: Fashion designer
Did you know? Frolov is a teacher at the university which he graduated
Ukrainian designer Ivan Frolov has an amazing portfolio at the age of 26.
He is a constant participant of Ukrainian Fashion Week and a holder of several Best Fashion Awards in different categories.
The U. S. star Gwen Stefani, British pop diva Dua Lipa were spotted wearing clothes by Frolov. This year, he even created two dresses for Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska.
His path to one of Ukraine’s great fashion designers started early in Kyiv, his native city. At age 3, he drew his first dress. A relative gave him encouragement. “Since then, I had no doubts what to do,” Frolov told the Kyiv Post.
He drew clothes during classes at school and tried to create a dress for his sister’s prom night.
Frolov has been engaged in ballroom dancing for nine years, so the first item of clothing he created and sold for a “decent amount of money” was a dress for dancing. He asked the owner of one local atelier to help him get practice in sewing, and sold another dress. for $130. The buyer wanted more. “I was extremely happy,” he says.
Frolov entered Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design in 2010 and is still enrolled in his post-graduate studies.
At age 16, Frolov managed to combine studying with work, and got a job at the Ukrainian 1+1 TV channel, as a “star manager.” At the same time, he started to give style tips to the stars he worked with. Eventually, Frolov became a lead stylist on various TV shows run by the channel.
In 2011, Frolov’s first “student” collection was launched. “It was very frank and very provocative, dedicated to body and flesh,” Frolov says.
His next collection, dedicated to BDSM, was successfully launched in 2012. In the next year’s collection, Frolov focused on transgender people.
Frolov debuted at the Ukrainian Fashion Week at the age of 20, with acollection dedicated to punk subculture. Later, he launched a collection called “Open” where he explores striptease. The same year he received Best Fashion Award for the Discovery of the Year.
“People began to say that Frolov is a provocateur,” he says. His design philosophy is “intelligent provocation,” which implies overt but tasteful sexuality.
Since 2014, Frolov has become a constant participant of Ukrainian Fashion Week. He is a long-time recordholder of Best Fashion Award for the Best Fashion Production, having collected five victories in a row.
Now, Frolov’s brand is represented in 15 stores in 10 countries. Apart from the dresses and women’s wear, Frolov also creates men’s suits and accessories.
Every piece of Frolov’s clothing has a realistic human heart, echoing the brand’s heart logo.
Frolov says that it’s important for him to create more than just beautiful items. He believes in purpose and philosophy. That is why he chooses such complicated topics for all of his collections.
In 2019, for instance, Frolov and jewelry house Sova decided to produce a joint collection of jewelry. Their goal was not only to create accessories — but also to help Ukrainians fighting HIV. The collection named “Fight for love” features a number of subtle accessories made to promote awareness about HIV and raise money to buy rapid HIV tests.
“It’s important for me to bring some true art into fashion and raise hot social issues,” Frolov says. “I want to create something more than just clothes.”
