The best souvenirs are rarely souvenirs at all, but something that proves useful in everyday life – like a hat. This is the premise behind Ruslan Baginskiy’s summer residence at cult-favourite beach club Scorpios Mykonos, open on the Greek island until the end of September 2026.
The Ukrainian luxury headwear and accessories brand has dreamt up the earthy space under the art direction of its eponymous founder, a milliner and designer. Somewhere between an atelier, a gallery and a summer pop-up, it is filled with the brand’s signature styles, original workshop hat blocks, hat-making tools, and handwoven wicker pieces made bespoke for the project.
‘To me, trips are about exploring, so I wanted to create a kind of “wonder room”,’ Baginskiy tells Wallpaper*. ‘It’s a place where people can wander around a little and slow down, get lost in the details. Craft is meant to be experienced in person – to be seen, touched, and understood through its details. Just like the places we travel to, the real value for me is in the experience itself.’
Large handwoven wicker ottomans reinterpret the silhouette of classic Ruslan Baginskiy (RB) bucket hats, turning a familiar accessory into something with sculptural demeanour. Other handcrafted pieces were shipped from Ukraine, while vintage furniture from Mykonos and mainland Greece helps the installation bend into the existing Scorpios landscape. ‘We brought the real tools of hat making into the space, but at the same time turned hats into furniture you can actually sit on,’ Baginskiy says. ‘I like this play between something authentic and whimsical.’
The young milliner wanted the residence to feel like ‘a natural continuation’ of the destination, rather than a retail insertion. ‘That’s why the RB summer residence exists somewhere between an atelier, a gallery, and a friend’s beautiful summer home,’ he says.
A selection of RB summer hats and accessories, from the versatile HatBag to the quirky straw cowboy hat, can be personalised with fruit- and vegetable-inspired bag charms as well as limited-edition Scorpios medallions, turning each piece into a keepsake. ‘I love the idea that guests can leave with something that carries a memory of this beautiful place, of their time there, and of this summer,’ Baginskiy adds. ‘To me, the best souvenirs are the ones that become part of your everyday life later on.’
(Image credit: Courtesy of Ruslan Baginskiy)
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