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Kate Zubarieva and Asya Varetsa cofounded the ethical sleepwear company Sleeper in Kiev in 2014, during the height of the Ukrainian Revolution of Dignity. At the time, the 20-something activists were participating regularly in pro-democracy marches. “We lived through a real nightmare, which made our recognition and acceptance of our true values swift,” they say. “All our fears vanished. We were unrestrained. We became ready to start a new phase in our lives. So, we came up with the idea of creating a company with its own voice, one that would bring joy in simple situations.”
Both young women had been working for over five years as fashion magazine editors. The idea of creating a line of night clothes that also can be worn as casual daywear, which they dub “walking sleepwear,” came to Zubarieva during a dream on Christmas night. She shared it with Varetsa, and six months later the two launched Sleeper’s first collection of ethically-made, all-natural daywear with an investment of just $2,000 in their own startup capital.
Sales have grown 500 percent since Sleeper’s launch in 2014. Two critical moments came early on in Sleeper’s existence. Only one month after their first product hit Instagram, the editor-in-chief of Vogue Italia named Sleeper “the brand of the month.” Then, in the summer of 2017, Marie Claire USA declared Sleeper's linen off-the-shoulder dress the “best garment of the year.” Today, most of Sleeper’s sales fall in the US market, where the brand is carried at Barneys and many other high-end stores.
Sleeper supports artisan manufacturing traditions and ethical consciousness. All pieces are handcrafted by seamstresses from natural, eco-friendly fibers. Because the garments are custom-made in the Sleeper sewing studios, there is zero waste due to excess production. Many of the artisans have 30 years of work experience, while others have just graduated from college. But all are paid competitive salaries and ensured fair work practices and a safe work environment.
“Sleeper stands for slow fashion. High quality, timeless, and chic yet sustainable garments are essential to our brand,” say Zubarieva and Varetsa. “We wanted to build a company whose aesthetics would infiltrate every product as well as our internal relationships, our customer relations, and our approach to solving problems.”
The company’s accomplishments are definitely important to its cofounders. But, they say, “It’s not about the destination. It’s about the road you’re on.” Zubarieva and Varetsa are concerned about the people who work for Sleeper. “We want them to be heard and be happy. We want our seamstresses to feel dignified and accomplished. All the rest – KPI, sales volumes, returns – only indicate our striving to be aces in the fashion industry. We enjoy excelling.”
Zubarieva and Varetsa say that being appreciated, feeling proud of and respected by clients, employees and partners is the greatest reward of their work on Sleeper. The greatest challenge they face is that their company is based in the Ukraine. “Already in our youth, we lived through two revolutions, and now the country is at war. Those are real problems. So, everything that we might consider to be a problem we choose to treat as an exciting challenge for tomorrow.”
To other young people looking to align their careers with their life purpose, Zubarieva and Varetsa offer this advice. “Always follow your heart. Fear nothing. Don’t compromise. Stay true to yourself. And please, be kinder.”
