Ukrainian Fashion Week will return to Kyiv for the first time since the Russia-Ukraine war escalated after gaining support from more than 50 Ukrainian brands, including Litkovska, Frolov, Bobkova, Paskal, Nadya Dzyak, TG Botanical, The Coat, Gasanova, Gunia Project and Kseniaschnaider.
Slated for Sept. 1 to 4, Ukrainian brands will present new collections at the nation’s capital for the spring 2025 season via fashion shows, presentations, installations, performances and trade shows.
Mystetskyi arsenal, the main location for Ukrainian Fashion Week, will host an installation of designers’ creations that aim to reflect the war as well as portraits of the Ukrainian fashion industry workers who joined the ranks of the country’s armed forces.
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The four-day showcase will kick-start with a symbolic demonstration of unity with emerging and established designers and models in their designs walking down the stairs at the Ukrainian House at European Square.
Throughout the conflict and despite destruction in Mariupol, Rubizhne, Kerson and Kharkiv, government officials including President Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife Olena Zelenska have encouraged residents in Ukraine and business owners to try to carry on with their lives and professional pursuits to try to keep the economy buzzing. While Zelensky continues to appeal to global leaders for military support, Ukraine’s first lady has championed the arts and the country’s creative community.
In a video message announcing UFW’s return, Zelenska said, “Ukrainian designers keep creating, preserving jobs, taking to the world about Ukraine, in the language of creativity, will and resilience. This means only one thing: the industry is developing, and therefore life prevails right here and right now. We thank everyone who supports us along this journey.”
Zelenska has also supported Ukrainian designers by wearing their creations for major photo-ops and in off-hours too. This year’s projected volume for Ukraine’s e-commerce fashion business is expected to be $236.8 billion, with most of that revenue being generated in China, according to Statista’s “Fashion E-commerce Market Data and Analysis” report. That figure includes apparel, accessories and footwear.
“Despite missile attacks, air raid sirens, and daily challenges, our commitment remains to support our designers with their creativity and business growth,” said Iryna Danylevska, founder and chief executive officer of Ukrainian Fashion Week.
Earlier this week Ukraine’s largest music festival Atlas United was held for the first time since the Russian invasion. Ukraine has sent a national team to the Summer Games in Paris to compete in the 2024 Olympics.
As a sign of the country’s resilience, the nonprofit Angel for Fashion, a platform that supports Ukrainian designers and brands, will host “The Day of Ukrainian Fashion” on Monday at Parc de la Villette in Paris. Open to the public, the event will spotlight Frolov, Kachorovska, Gasanova, and PHY and attendees can meet the designers behind each brand and check out their collection and purchase charitable items that will support Ukrainian creativity and resilience.
Angel for Fashion’s founder and chief executive officer Jen Sidary first attended UFW during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, and was floored by the “stunning location, production of the event and the talented designers’ creations on the runway.”
Planning to return to Kyiv in September for UFW, Sidary said, “It’s monumental for them to host it during the war. Many of the brands from Angel for Fashion will be participating so I must be there to support them in person.”
Gunia Project’s co-founder Maria Gavryliuk said that UFW boosts job opportunities, international sales, and recognition. She also said that fashion can be a diplomatic tool, during times of war, by creating greater reflection about the conditions under which people are facing while running businesses.
Although UFW participants were worried about the integrity of their supplies, the timing of shipments and other variables under such extenuating circumstances, Gavryliuk said, “It is essential for us to show that we are strong players in the international market — invasion or not. This is true for every aspect of our lives, and UFW is one of the great ways to show it.”
