Dmitrii Kitavin (@kitdmit)

Bangkok. I love it for its contrasts, its bright colors, the energy, the culture, the humor. This city has it all. And everyone can find something for themselves. For each person, Bangkok will be a different story, a different experience. And even for me, every visit is different. I strongly recommend everyone experience Bangkok for themselves. This time I went there to meet Diana. We actually met at the airport right after customs, accidentally. I mean, of course, we had planned our flights to arrive at the same time. She arrived from Moscow, and I came from Da Nang. But it was very unexpected to see her right after I got the stamp at immigration. And then, I showed her my Bangkok. Not what you think - the city. Hehe And even though we were only there for four nights, it felt like three weeks because the city is so packed with so many different attractions and interesting things. Just walking around, you will get different scenery: the new and the old, the beautiful and the ugly, the calm and the crazy. Everything is there.

I recently went on one-day trip to Hue. City near me that used to be Vietnam’s capital. Honestly, it wasn’t some big cultural tour or anything. It was just a chill, fun day out with my friends. And I feel so lucky to have such amazing people in my life. It’s actually kind of wild how I even met them. I’m usually super private, not really going out much and by “going out,” I mean leaving my apartment or area where I live. But somehow, I found these awesome girls, and I’m so, so grateful for them! We actually met at my favorite coffee shop . I’d never seen them there before, and that day, they were sitting at my table, where I usually sit and do my own thing: working or just writing in my journal. So, I saw them there and just went up and asked, “Hey, can I join you?” (it’s a big table) And we just clicked. Now, here we are, traveling together and doing all sorts of stuff. It literally all started because of one table in a coffee shop. Lately, coffee shops are pretty much my main way of socializing. Most of the time, I just end up chatting with whoever’s sitting near me. I really like talking to people who are visiting these spots because I go to the same places all the time, so, when I see new faces, I’m just welcoming them as if it were my own place. And I’ve just realized this happens a lot. People often think I’m in charge or something. Even if it’s my first time there or I just got invited! I guess I just feel this weird need to welcome people in new places. I don’t know why, but I always want everyone to feel comfortable. Maybe I’m just a big people-pleaser, haha.

An unexpected side effect of living in the middle of nowhere is constant happiness. It sounds sketchy, but it’s true! When I say “in the middle of nowhere,” it isn’t an exaggeration. I have literally almost nothing in my area and not many people around, but I do have all the essentials: a supermarket, a local coffee shop, a gym, and the beach. The same applies to the available goods in the supermarket. The selection is limited and often not to my taste, so I primarily eat simple food and very little processed food. Every time I want to buy something “special” - what I used to call sweets or junk food - I usually just leave empty-handed because I don’t like the things they have. It means I eat healthier and I love it, especially because I don’t have the self-control. What I especially enjoy is the quiet - almost complete silence - the greenery, and the fresh air. The air! Because of the humidity and blooming, it often feels like a spa, especially after polluted city. All of this brings happiness. Also, whenever I travel somewhere, even just to downtown Da Nang, I feel soooo excited because everything feels amplified. Even experiences that would have felt mediocre before now bring joy! The food, the drinks, the people... Everything feels exciting! I also see a huge difference between myself and people who live in big cities. I have a lot of energy and an inner light; I feel like I spread rays of joy. I’m often smiling and greeting strangers, and laugh when I see the confused Russians who clearly weren’t ready to receive a smile. In contrast, people in big cities often seem drained by the city life. Remembering my life in those big cities, I realize I rarely treated everyday experiences as something special. It was quite hard to impress me. I have to admit, that mentality is a joy-killer; you’re constantly unsatisfied for no reason (of course, there is one: the expectation level is incredibly high). Now, I’m easily impressed by almost anything! 🤪 It might sound silly or naive, but these emotions are genuine, and it’s amazing to experience them often!

Life lately. Surprise on the last pic in the carousel 😘

Today, I unexpectedly received photographs from six years ago, capturing the moment when I decided to shave my hair for the first time due to hair loss. At that time, I was working on an art project about my baldness, and this shoot was meant to be the first part of that project, telling the story of the psychological challenges faced by a balding man. It's a problem that no one talks about, yet so many men encounter it and find it very difficult to go through this moment alone. Research shows that up to 60% of men aged 30 to 50 are affected by hair loss! I would have never thought that in my early twenties, I would be inspired by Donald Trump when choosing a hairstyle, and by the age of 25, I would switch to Vin Diesel's look and shave my head completely. It's funny that six years have passed, and the first photo is more relevant than ever!

Here is the backstage of the campaign for @magnursofficial produced by @kitavin.studio . Photos by @leo_skryabin That was my last shoot in Dubai. By “last,” I mean THE last one. I’m officially retiring from set design at 31 years old. It’s hard to say out loud and even harder to write it down publicly on Instagram. Being a set designer isn’t my identity anymore, even though it’s been a big part of my life for eight and a half years. People literally have my contact saved as “Dmitrii, set designer,” “Set Designer Dubai,” etc. Many of you here know me because of my work or work-related events. But I feel like I'm bigger than this. So now I’m taking the label off and going on a new, exciting personal and professional journey. I hope you will still love me! Xx

It was such a cute and sunny photoshoot for the children's campaign of Level Shoes. Everything was maximally simple, but so me! Abstract lines, beautiful colors, and a bit of geometry. I custom-made some colored foam cubes, and they thrilled the kids! Although shooting with children is usually quite energy-consuming and challenging, this time it went very smoothly. The kids were so crazy about the foam cubes that even after the shoot, the parents asked if they could take them. I was happy to give the children a new toy. I wonder how quickly they got tired of it... #setdesign #setdesigner #setdesigners #setdesigns #setdesigning #setdesignstudio #setdesignerlife #setdesignerslife

I was fortunate to attend the opening of @designdohabiennial in February and witness another triumph of the Qatar Museums team @qatar_museums. The event was impeccably organized with a great selection of regional designers. I'm sharing this so that next time you have a long layover in Doha, step out of the airport and visit this exhibition, as it will run until August 5th!

Do you believe in the concept of privacy? I think the statement "private trash" in the first photo is quite powerful. In the past, people hid their dirty laundry, and those interested had to be cunning to find some dirt. Today, even if you don't want it, everyone dips you into their dirty laundry. And honestly, I like it! I like that we know everything about everyone. Of course, some try to hide and show only the pretty picture, but with a little effort, it's easy to reveal the truth about anyone. And the OF culture brings it to another level! Share your links bellow 🤭👇

Pink mood🌷

It might sound cliché, but traveling is crucial to me as it fuels my creativity through the discovery of new cultures and traditions. My close Emirati friend is quite surprised at how much I know about the local culture and the history of the Emirates and the region as a whole. To be honest, before moving to Dubai, my knowledge of the Middle East was quite limited. However, thanks to my inquisitive mind and belief in the importance of adapting to the culture of the place where you live, led me to observe people in their everyday settings. After extensive observations, many things become clear, and when you add historical knowledge to this, it becomes much easier to understand why certain decisions are made in the way they are. Observations about the culture of dating deserve special attention, but I'll save that for next time...😈

It's such a pleasure to work with favorite brands across different countries! I've shot for Disney in Russia multiple times, and it was really nice when they approached me in Dubai. Obviously, legally it's a completely different company and team, but it's great to connect these dots together. This time, they came to me to shoot a campaign for a collaboration with a Saudi fashion brand celebrating Disney's 100th anniversary. The theme of the collaboration: Snow White. So, we decided right away that we would create a forest setting. I had the idea to style it like a theater set from the late 19th century. I scoured through theater and art archives for inspiration and, finding the necessary references in a German theater archive, I ran them through AI to get the needed elements, and then we printed all of this onto wood-textured panels. And, as usual, all of this needed to be done in just a few days, and as usual, we managed. #setdesign #setdesigns #setdesigner #setdesigners #setdesigning #setdesignstudio #setdesignerslife #setdesignerlife #disney100 #designprocess