Boston, Harvard. one evening in 2012, a group of friends were chatting over a glass of wine. At a certain point, one of the girls complained that she could never find a pair of glasses she actually liked. “you do it then” was the challenge directed at Sergei. And yes, that Sergei was indeed Sergei Zubkouski, who a few years later would go on to found Gamine.

In truth, until that particular evening he had never really given eyewear any thought; his world revolved around New York’s artistic milieu, which had also introduced him to the underground music scene. after graduating from art school, he had begun working in an art centre and was therefore surrounded by fascinating characters, famous or unknown, each expressing their individuality through eccentric clothing and their own aesthetic language. “You do it then” marked the beginning of a new adventure, an entry into an unfamiliar yet utterly intriguing territory. And Sergei accepted that challenge, thrown almost playfully, with courage and determination. Why not? It was essentially a matter of pushing beyond one’s own boundaries, stepping outside the comfort zone.

He prepared a project and began contacting various companies. Finally, after numerous unsuccessful attempts, someone believed in his idea and offered him a chance: rebuli, the Valdobbiadene-based company founded by Romano Vedova. Thus, in 2015, the first collection was born, just four models, each named after well-known neighbourhoods of major international cities: St Martin (London), Kreuzberg (Berlin), Williamsburg (New York) and Shimokitazawa (Tokyo). Each frame tells a story that inevitably intertwines with the personal story of the wearer, while the inspiration comes from that special atmosphere Sergei had always lived in, translating it into geometric forms, architectural lines and an international breath.

In 2016, Gamine made its official debut at Mido: a bare stand, four frames and no expectations. It was there that Sergei met Michele Saladino of Revolutionary Eyewear, who later became his agent. Sergei remembers his very first client clearly: Bertrand from Òptica Creu verda in Andorra, still among the most loyal. And that very first Mido turned out to be an unexpected success; as many as 700 pieces were sold. That same year, Lady Gaga wore the Le Marais model in her Netflix documentary, and the Harajuku model on the streets of Los Angeles.