The story of YARMICH — one of the most recognizable Ukrainian brands of men's classic wear — does not begin with a business plan or with investments, but with an ordinary student apartment in Kyiv. Yaroslav Kuzmych, then still a student and marketing director's assistant, faced a simple task: prepare a photoshoot for his boss without wasting time hunting for a suitable suit. Searching for a men's clothing rental service in the capital led to the conclusion that the market was practically empty — there were only a handful of active players. It was precisely this gap that became the starting point for a business that today counts nine boutiques and dresses Ukrainian TV presenters, artists, and athletes.
Three Suits on a Sofa and the First Client
The startup mechanics were extremely simple. Kuzmych was living with two friends, one of whom moved out, freeing up a room. The founder of YARMICH took two of his own suits — a black one and a blue one — plus one of his friend's suits, laid them out on the sofa, photographed them, and listed the lot on OLX for rent. The first client showed up in the evening: both had things to do, and the meeting took place in an informal setting. "Pick one and try it on. If it fits — go ahead and use it," offered the future entrepreneur. The suit fit, the client paid, and the first — immediately successful — transaction was made. According to Kuzmych, the average market price for renting a suit back then was around 1,200 hryvnia, so he deliberately set his starting rate at 800 hryvnia in order to win the trust of his first customers despite having no competitive advantages and operating in a "home-based" format.
From Rental to In-House Production
Initially, the project was called YARMICH Rent and specialized exclusively in renting classic looks. The shift to sales was a logical consequence of demand: clients who tried on the suits began asking to buy them. This gave rise to a second direction — YARMICH Store. The financial model in the early stage was closed: rental proceeds were reinvested in buying suits from other sellers on OLX, which were then rented out again. Days were spent on fittings and measurements, nights on searching for and purchasing new stock. The turning point was the tailoring of the first in-house collection: 100 meters of fabric, 35 black suits, and an investment of 100,000 hryvnia. The collection was sold out within three months, while some of the suits continued to work in the rental pool. It was then that "word of mouth" kicked in, and the brand started gaining recognition beyond a narrow circle.
Media Clients and Working with Stars
The first clients from the media sphere were the teams of the "Laha Smikha" (League of Laughter) project — a format that demands a flawless on-camera appearance. Today, according to Kuzmych, YARMICH suits can be seen on numerous media celebrities, TV presenters, and athletes. In an interview with Wave RBC.UA, the brand's founder did not disclose the full list of star clients, but emphasized that among the first customers from the apartment were already well-known people who came specifically to rent for a particular outing. Nine operating boutiques, work with public figures, and in-house production make YARMICH one of the notable players on the Ukrainian market for men's classic wear.
Ambitions: Competing with Italy and the Next Store
Kuzmych states outright that he is ready to compete with Italian brands — both in terms of quality and pricing. In the interview, he notes that he would like to open YARMICH's next store precisely in Italy, which underscores the scale of the brand's ambitions, having started with three suits on a sofa. For a company whose history fits within a single academic year of student life, the path from an OLX ad to nine retail locations and work with national media stars looks like a rare example of organic growth without external capital.
