History

Cult of laconism

We are proud of our history which is rooted as far back as the nineteenth century. The building where our Company has its headquarters housed a handicraft school for girls maned by the Russian Empress Maria Aleksandrovna and patronized by the Russian Empress Maria Fedorovna. In the Soviet times, the sewing factory Pervomayskaya Zarya occupied the premises. It became not only a leading enterprise in the industry, but a famous brand of St. Petersburg.

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1882

A handicraft school for girls was opened under the patronage of Empress Maria Fedorovna.

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1926

A vocational sewing school was turned into the factory of women’s dresses named after Muntsenberg.

1964

The factory became the base for a sewing production association under the name “Pervomayskaya Zarya”.

1993

The first Russian fashion brand for women named ZARINA was created.

1996

The Swedish fashion company Kurt Kellermann AB became a shareholder of the closed joint-stock company Pervomayskaya Zarya.

Modern history of Melon Fashion Group, a company known to and admired by millions of people in Russia and abroad, started with the assembly of people driven by business and fashion. Galina Sintsova, Mikhail Urzhumtsev and David Kellermann met at Pervomayskaya Zarya in mid-nineties.

Strong-willed, tireless and charismatic visionaries, they have changed dramatically the company’s life and established ways, giving it a new sense and a new development vector. They shared entrepreneur’s spirit and unfading energy that like a spark, ignited the others. The crucial fact that these people met, produced an unbelievable impact on the market as a whole.

This restart brought a new name to the fashion industry, which was soon to become one of the biggest companies in the national fashion retail.

2002

Launch of Befree.

2005

Pervomayskaya Zarya shareholders diversified the business. Melon Fashion Group was established.

2009

Launch of LOVE REPUBLIC.

2019

Melon Fashion Group portfolio replenished with fourth SELA brand.

2020

The head office of the company has won the Best Office Awards 2020 prize.

Melon Fashion Group joined the rating of the biggest companies in Russia by the RBK-500 version, it was also enlisted as a system-shaping business.

2021

Melon Fashion Group became the winner of the HR Brand in the special nomination – Equal Opportunities.

The head office of the company is the laureate of Architect Today.

We have been creating fashion for 15 years project has won a special prize – Golden Site.

2022

The company has decided to scale up stores and brand collections.

Melon Fashion Group has been included in the Forbes Best Employers list with gold status.

2023

Launch of IDOL.

Melon Fashion Group took 1st place as a fashion retailer in the ranking of the best employers in Russia according to hh.ru.

2024

Brand SELA was the first among fashion retailers who opened Vigge Cafe inside own stores.

Befree launched an online platform for talent search with the aim of uniting creative people for the development of the fashion industry in Russia.

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