Ukraine news and archive

Ukrainian designers showcase SS24 collections as “resistance” to war

Kseniaschnaider, Elenareva, and Nadya Dzyak, three fashion designers from Ukraine came together for a special Ukrainian Fashion Week showcase during London Fashion Week, despite the ongoing war in their country with Russia. At the joint spring/summer 2024 catwalk show, supported by the USAID Competitive Economy Program in Ukraine, an audio...

Fashion |Interview Featured

Frolov continues fight for Ukraine with standalone LFW show

Ukraine couture-to-wear brand Frolov, founded by Ivan Frolov, presented its debut standalone London Fashion Week show over the weekend, as the Kyiv-based designer continues to use his creations to spotlight the pride and resilience of his homeland and the challenges facing the country due to ongoing war with Russia. Frolov, who has gained...

Fashion Featured

Ukrainian fashion brands to present collections in a joint show at LFW

On September 19th Ukrainian fashion brands Kseniaschnaider, Elenareva, and Nadya Dzyak are set to unveil their SS24 collections in a joint presentation at London Fashion Week, marking a strategic collaboration between London Fashion Week and Ukrainian Fashion Week. In response to the full-scale Russian invasion, Ukrainian Fashion Week initiated...

Business

H&M announces reopening of stores in Ukraine

H&M is believed to be preparing to reopen its stores in Ukraine, despite the ongoing Russian invasion in the war-torn country. In a statement to DPA, the Swedish clothing giant said: "The company is in close dialogue with partners and authorities and is now planning to gradually reopen most of its stores in the country from November 2023.” H&M...

Fashion Featured

Labels to Watch: Ukrainian brands to get your hands on

Ukraine remains, despite the ongoing war, a country of creativity. Fashion and design from Ukraine, especially from the capital Kiev, have a reputation for being particularly innovative - and these labels prove it. The labels listed here represent four very different sides of femininity, but all four have the spirit of freedom and beauty in...

Business

Why Russian diamonds remain a conundrum for European sanctions

In a parallel to the fashion industry, the diamond trade faces challenges in tracing the origins of its precious stones, maintaining an opaque nature. Just as a garment produced in Romania may bear a "Made in France" label upon receiving final touches there, such as the addition of a care label or a button, diamonds follow a similar pattern....

Business

G7 countries pushing for deal to ban sales of Russian diamonds

Ever since Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022, a sore point of non-enforced sanctions has been the free flow of diamonds from Russia into Europe and the West. One of the reasons the sanctions have been bypassed is due to the revenue they bring to Antwerp and Belgian, arguably the diamond capital of the world, which relies heavily on Russian...

Fashion |In Pictures Featured

LFW: Ukrainian Fashion Week comes to London

On the last day of London Fashion Week, the British Fashion Council hosted a special catwalk showcase with Ukrainian Fashion Week, giving designers Kseniaschnaider, Paskal, and Frolov the opportunity to showcase their autumn/winter 2023 collections. The three Ukrainian guest designers held a joint show in London, as what would have been the 50th...

Podcast

Podcast: How creativity is breaking through the darkness in Ukraine

Former fashion editor at Vogue Ukraine Julie Pelipas and founder and editor in chief of 1 Granary Olya Kuryshchuk talk to Business of Fashion about how creativity has been a source of resilience during the war in Ukraine. "I have never been so grateful to work in fashion," Kuryshchuk says. "When so much has been taken away, you appreciate what...

Fashion

Fashion launches into geopolitics to support Ukraine with leopard print outfits

The hundreds of people posting Instagram selfies in leopard-print outfits in recent days launched fashion into geopolitics for Ukraine's successful campaign to get Germany's powerful Leopard battle tanks. Just moments after Germany finally agreed to deliver 14 Leopard tanks on Wednesday, Presidential chief of staff Andriy Yermak joined in...

RetailFeatured

Agent Provocateur under scrutiny for continuing to sell its lingerie in Russia

British lingerie brand Agent Provocateur has come under scrutiny for selling its collections in Russia. The business is operated indirectly via a franchise agreement, and has locally managed boutiques. Leave Russia, a team of Ukrainian researchers, analysts of KSE Institute and volunteers, launched a website in the early stages of the invasion,...

Business

Khaki nation: Ukraine dresses for war

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky created the trend by wearing khaki outfits in every setting since the beginning of the Russian invasion in February. In the eight months of war, his people have followed his sartorial lead. Even civilians far from the frontlines have adopted their president's khaki dress code turned weapon of communication....