Often lovingly referred to as the Russian Stussy, Saint Petersburg’s Wolee do everything a little differently. Founded in 2017 by Andrey Dugin, formerly of Mech fame, the brand’s relaxed fits and eye-catching designs have helped them build up a similarly loyal community to that of their Californian counterparts.
Wolee are much more than just another copycat brand, though. Inspired by Dugin’s love of comics and cartoons, they don’t drop collections, but “seasons” and “episodes”, with designs influenced by classic horror movies, street art, and Asian culture. The latter provided the inspiration for the brand’s mascot, Mr Wolee himself, a lucky cat whose image graces many of Wolee’s designs with their slogan, “Master of Life”.
While Wolee’s irreverent humour has sometimes got them into trouble – most notably when a t-shirt depicting a certain North Korean politician ended up with an invitation to the embassy to “explain themselves” – their increasingly unique designs and high-quality pieces ensure that their reputation as masters of the Russian streetwear scene continues to grow.