On 6 April 2013, he stepped into the UFC Octagon for the first time to face Marcus Brimage. It took Conor just one minute and seven seconds of the opening round to secure a technical-knockout victory.

At that time, he was not yet a global star or a two-division UFC champion. His 13-second victory over José Aldo had not yet happened. Neither had the historic night at UFC 205 in Madison Square Garden, when he would stand with two championship belts on his shoulders.

Yet even during that first fight, there was already something about him that went far beyond the talent of a promising athlete.

He entered the UFC with absolute self-belief and carried himself as though he already knew the place he intended to claim in history.

That was what fascinated me.

At the time, I was very young, living in a student dormitory in Moscow and only beginning to imagine what my own future might become.

I did not yet have an international name, my own fashion House or clients around the world. Everything was only beginning—with an idea, an inner sense of certainty and the ambition to create something truly significant one day.

I followed Conor not only as a fighter.

I was intrigued by the way a man who had not yet achieved global stardom already behaved as though he knew exactly where he was going. He spoke openly about enormous ambitions, never diminished his own potential and gradually transformed his words into reality.

Conor demonstrated that a person’s name could become far more than an identity. It could become a symbol in its own right—when supported by character, achievement and absolute belief in one’s chosen path.

While I was living in that Moscow dormitory and taking the first steps towards building my own life, his story gave me energy.

I saw someone who had come from ordinary circumstances yet refused to allow those circumstances to define the scale of his future.

It was then that I made a decision of my own: one day, the name VLAD BYKOV would also become known around the world.

I never wanted to replicate Conor McGregor’s journey. My own path has always belonged to fashion, couture craftsmanship and the creation of individually commissioned pieces.

What inspired me was the principle itself: never wait for someone else’s permission to think on a larger scale—and stand behind everything you create with your own name.

Conor McGregor’s journey would go on to become part of global sporting history.

In December 2015, he defeated José Aldo in just 13 seconds to claim the UFC featherweight title. It became the fastest knockout in the history of UFC championship fights.

Less than a year later, in November 2016, McGregor defeated Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205 in Madison Square Garden and won the UFC lightweight championship.

That night, he became the first fighter in UFC history to hold championship titles in two weight divisions simultaneously.

Yet Conor’s influence had already extended far beyond the Octagon.

He changed the perception of an athlete’s public image and demonstrated that personal style could be as integral to a person’s character as the way he speaks, moves and fights.

Classic tailoring, expressive colours, bespoke details, rare watches and distinctive footwear were never incidental additions to his image. Each became an extension of his personality.

Mules have also long been part of Conor’s personal wardrobe. He wears backless footwear with tailoring, knitwear and relaxed everyday looks.

The idea of creating bespoke mules for him therefore emerged naturally.

In 2023, I created the first bespoke pair of shoes for Conor McGregor.

The project held a particular significance for me.

The man whose journey I had followed since his first UFC fight now owned footwear created under my own name.

Two periods of my life converged in a single moment: the student dormitory in Moscow, where I could only imagine my future, and Couturier House VLAD BYKOV, creating bespoke pieces for internationally recognised individuals.

That first commission marked the beginning of a separate story. Over time, it developed into a personal collection of seven one-of-one pairs of mules.

To date, Couturier House VLAD BYKOV has created seven bespoke pairs of mules for Conor McGregor.

Each pair has its own material, leather finish, texture and colour palette. They are united by one defining detail: the personal name CONOR McGREGOR.

These are not existing designs from a ready-to-wear collection that were later selected for a famous individual. Every pair was conceived and created specifically for its intended owner.

The first pair is crafted from Himalaya crocodile leather—one of the rarest and most recognisable exotic materials in the world.

The defining quality of Himalaya crocodile lies in its natural colour gradation, transitioning from darker edges towards a pale central section. As this pattern is formed by nature and can never be repeated precisely, every finished pair possesses a unique visual character.

There is no need for a vivid colour or excessive decoration. The identity of this pair is expressed through the rarity of the material, the precision of the pattern alignment and the craftsmanship behind its construction.

The name CONOR McGREGOR appears on the piece as a mark of its personal ownership.

The second pair is crafted from nubuck crocodile leather in a deep green shade.

The leather has undergone an Italian finishing process that gives its surface a soft, velvety and matte appearance. As the nap moves beneath the touch, the shade changes subtly, creating a sense of depth while highlighting the natural structure of the crocodile skin.

The deep green was chosen not simply as a decorative accent, but as an expression of strength, composure and quiet confidence.

Conor McGregor has already received this bespoke pair.

The third pair is crafted from nubuck crocodile leather in a Royal Violet shade.

Following its Italian finishing process, the leather retains its natural structure while acquiring a softer and more dimensional appearance. Depending on the light, the violet tone shifts from deep grape to an intense royal purple.

Royal Violet was chosen for a man who has never sought to remain unnoticed and has always treated colour as an expression of character.

The personalised CONOR McGREGOR lettering completes the composition and transforms the pair into an entirely individual piece.

The fourth pair is crafted from matte crocodile leather in a natural Khaki shade.

The Italian matte finish preserves the leather’s distinctive texture without any ostentatious shine. The colour remains restrained, while the complexity of the material immediately reveals the level of craftsmanship behind the piece.

Khaki pairs naturally with everyday clothing, fine knitwear, tailored trousers and natural fabrics, making this one of the most versatile designs within the personal series.

Conor McGregor has also already received this pair.

The fifth pair is crafted from Italian-finished matte black crocodile leather.

Here, colour does not distract from either the silhouette or the material. The depth of black accentuates the scale pattern, the precision with which the individual sections are matched and the purity of the form.

This pair was inspired by the side of Conor’s character that requires no vivid colour to communicate strength.

The focus rests entirely on the rare material, the disciplined silhouette and the owner’s personal name.

The sixth pair is crafted from nubuck crocodile leather in a warm Cappuccino shade.

The Italian finishing process gives the material a soft, velvety surface. Lighter and deeper areas flow naturally into one another, revealing the unique pattern of every crocodile scale.

Cappuccino conveys a more relaxed mood. This design was created for understated everyday looks in which the quality of the material, comfort and precision of colour take precedence.

The personalised CONOR McGREGOR lettering establishes the pair as part of his private collection.

The seventh pair is crafted from crocodile leather in a deep Terracotta shade.

Terracotta combines the natural warmth of brown with the expressive energy of orange—one of the recognisable colour codes of VLAD BYKOV.

The shade evokes movement, confidence and inner energy. It is distinctive without losing the natural richness and sophistication of the material.

The final detail is once again the name CONOR McGREGOR, applied specifically for the future owner of the pair.

Of the seven pairs created, Conor McGregor has already received two:

— the deep green nubuck crocodile mules;

— the matte Khaki crocodile mules.

The remaining five pairs have also been completed with his personal name and will be presented to their owner.

This article showcases all seven designs: the overall silhouette, the texture of each material, the handmade details and the personalised CONOR McGREGOR lettering.

The story is therefore revealed not through a single pair, but through a complete series of bespoke works created over several years.

In 2025, Conor McGregor followed both my personal profile and the official Couturier House VLAD BYKOV account. A direct personal connection was established between us.

To an outside observer, a social media follow may seem like a minor detail. To me, it became a symbol of the distance travelled.

In 2013, I watched Conor’s first UFC fight from Moscow and was only beginning to imagine what my own future might become.

Years later, the man whose journey had inspired me at the beginning saw the pieces I was creating under my own name.

First, you watch someone else build a name known around the world.

Then you begin building your own.

And one day, the two stories intersect.

This story began on 6 April 2013, when Conor McGregor first stepped into the UFC Octagon.

Today, his name appears on seven bespoke pairs created under the name VLAD BYKOV.

For me, this is not simply a story about creating shoes for a famous individual. It is a reminder of the distance a person can travel after allowing himself to think on a larger scale—and continuing to work until an ambition becomes reality.