What is the value of fashion in times of war? From September 1 to 4, Ukrainian Fashion Week (UFW) tried to find answers to that question amid the ongoing adversity. It was the first time that Fashion Week returned to Kyiv since the Russian invasion of the capital and the start of the war in 2022. More than 50 local fashion designers, who had emigrated to London, Paris, Copenhagen or Berlin in recent seasons, returned to their homelands. The collections, which emphasized the country’s spirit of resilience and hope, were presented in various formats, including fashion shows, presentations, installations and performances.
“The voice of Ukraine must be heard,” said Iryna Danylevska, founder and CEO of Ukrainian Fashion Week, who has repeatedly stressed the importance of the Ukrainian fashion industry and the physical return to Kiev, despite the persistent and undeniable danger that not only lurks but is present. According to the Ukrainian military, it only repelled a new wave of Russian attacks on Kiev and Lviv on September 4.
“The war continues. But we live in this war, we fight for victory. We work for the present and the future,” Danylevska declared at the opening of the fashion week. The opening manifesto, which was considered a joint statement of more than 50 representatives of the Ukrainian fashion industry to the international community, took place on the steps of the Ukrainian House cultural center and was intended to symbolize the unity of Ukrainians, the solidarity of the fashion industry and the devotion to the ideals of freedom and faith in the future of the country. Well-known designers such as Lilia Litkovska, Ksenia Schnaider and Ivan Frolov held placards with texts such as “Brave to shape the future” and “We create hope despite the war.”
Ukrainian Fashion Week focuses on culture and diversity
Creating hope despite the war could also serve as a guiding principle for the entire fashion week, because although both the organizers and the designers are more than aware of the current reality, they choose to portray Ukraine as a strong, creative and culturally diverse country. The situation is by no means forgotten or even glossed over, because the war is in many ways omnipresent. For example, the historic Mystetskyi Arsenal, the main venue of Ukrainian Fashion Week, has an installation with designs by designers that reflect the Russian war, as well as portraits of Ukrainian fashion industry employees who joined the armed forces and were unable to participate in Fashion Week.
Visually, the fashion may seem far removed from the dark world of war, but a common denominator in many collections is the sense of a heightened cultural awakening in the country. It seems that fashion designers are doing everything they can to preserve the history and culture of their country, while another power is trying to destroy that and much more.
This is the case of Gunia Project, a brand that has always prided itself on designing based on traditional ethnic cultures. For their return to Kiev, the brand has decided to present a collection called “Viltse”, a name derived from a wedding tree that used to be an essential part of wedding ceremonies in Ukraine.
“This collection is a cultural manifesto that emphasizes the importance of preserving and reinterpreting national heritage in the face of globalization,” the brand explains in its product description. “It raises the question of how traditional values can be integrated into the present and made relevant for new generations.”
The collection saw an abundance of detailing, particularly embroidery, on white and cream garments, which ranged from tailored suits and structured pieces to knits and flowing dresses and skirts.
But it wasn’t just Gunia Project that drew inspiration from previously neglected history and folklore. Bobkova, a brand that has called Berlin Fashion Week its temporary home since 2022, took inspiration from Mavka, the heroine of Carpathian mythology, for its collection. The works of artists such as Mykhailo Kotsiubynsky, Lesya Ukrainka, Oleksandr Oles and Ivan Franko served as inspiration for the collection – even if the minimalist designs don’t immediately suggest this.
Nature, which also played an important role in the inspiration for the collection, was represented in subtle motifs, especially in the colours, which ranged from pale algae and duckweed to soft blues and turquoises, as well as in creams and colours. The choice of flowing fabrics in mixed fibres of silk, cotton and polished linen, as well as silk knits with a wet effect and decorative elements such as pearls, shells and stones, also harked back to the nature-related thoughts of the collection.
Ukrainian designer Lilia Litkovska had been living and working in Paris since before the war, but like Bobkova, she had been invited by Berlin Fashion Week and had presented her fashion in both the German and French capitals since then. Now she returned to Kiev.
“Kyiv has always been and will always be our home, and we wanted to create this feeling of coming home and bringing back wishes from the world to Ukrainians and from Ukrainians to the world,” the designer said of her return to the city, where she plans to open a flagship store soon. The store, which also served as a presentation venue for the brand, hosted an exhibition of 80 photographs that captured key moments from the brand’s nearly 20 years of existence and were described as “a harvest of achievements and memories for a new exciting page in their history.”
Paris, where the brand will travel next, is still on Litkovska’s mind and played a key role in the brand’s return, which opted for a presentation rather than a show. It unites the past and the present through “zhnyva,” both the name of the presentation and a historical harvest in Ukrainian, and the Kiev-Paris dichotomy that is part of the brand’s DNA, Litkovska said.
A key inspiration was the Ukrainian Underground Post after World War II, a hidden network of alternative postage stamps. Building on this historical narrative, Litkovska offered guests an interactive experience of the “Underground Post,” which began in Paris earlier this year. Visitors from around the world wrote messages of hope and peace for Ukraine, which were brought to Kiev and displayed as part of an art installation. Throughout the event, participants contributed letters and notes, which were later sent to Paris to revive the tradition of correspondence.
But while Litkovska was inspired by previous wars, such as World War II, the reality of ongoing war is ever-present. Viktor Anisimov, a designer who has made Copenhagen his home for the past few seasons, brought the conflict much closer to the catwalk visually. He returned to Kiev with a collection that explored the concept of uniforms, a recurring theme in his work.
A Ukrainian glimmer of hope
At most fashion weeks, negative reviews or even an angry guest unhappy with their assigned seat at an event are among the biggest concerns, but in Ukraine, security is still a key concern.
During Fashion Week, bunkers were set up on the main event site, as reported by industry outlet Vogue Business, to ensure the protection of attendees and visitors. Danylevska also stressed that all external locations chosen by designers would also have bomb shelters within a radius of 500 meters for emergencies. The measures impressively illustrate the challenges facing the fashion world in Ukraine, while also underlining the industry’s unwavering courage and resilience in these difficult times.
“Despite missile attacks, airstrikes and daily challenges, our commitment to supporting our designers in their creativity and business growth remains,” the organizer said, emphasizing the UFW’s mission, which is both about appreciating Ukrainian creativity and strengthening the local fashion market.
With international visitors barred by travel restrictions and warnings, organizers focused on the local audience. For example, buyers from western Ukraine, including cities like Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk and Uzhhorod, were invited to Kiev, according to Vogue Business. These regions proved to be a key support base for Ukrainian brands during the war, with many people moving from the uncertain eastern parts of the country to the safer west. In addition, numerous companies, manufacturers and brands relocated their headquarters to the west, which intensified support for local fashion retailers.
“Ukrainian designers continue to create, save jobs and speak to the world about Ukraine in the language of creativity, will and indestructibility,” said Olena Zelenska, Ukraine’s first lady, in a promotional video ahead of the event. “That can only mean one thing: the industry is developing, and therefore there is life here and now.”
Zelenska’s words were confirmed as the Ukrainian fashion industry gathered for the first time in its capital, taking the first bold steps toward a future where the local fashion industry can flourish again. The road ahead may be long, but the return to Kiev gives hope.
This article was previously published on FashionUnited.DE. Translation by AI, editing by Caitlyn Terra.
