There are plenty of designers taking Ukrainian clothing beyond the popular vyshyvanka. Last year, working with the USAID Competitive Economy Program, Jen Sidary, a global fashion brand strategist based in New York, and Alina Bayramova, a marketing director from Kyiv, invited Ukrainian design talents to show their work in New York during Fashion Week. For fall 2022 the number of participants was six, up by two from the previous season.
While the fashion flock has moved on to Milan, these designers’ collections remain in residence at Archetype Showroom, available to buyers and editors. Pieces like a fringed yellow coat, comfy knits, a jacket made from upcycled jeans pockets, corset dresses, flowery frocks, and chartreuse work boots exude hope and a belief in a future that looks much less certain after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
At the same time that tears were shed in the showroom, there was a renewed sense of purpose and pride. In New York, Sidary and Bayramova emphasized the importance of supporting Ukrainian brands during the crisis. That sentiment was echoed in an Instagram post from the Ukrainian capital by Kachorovska, one of the brands represented in New York, that read: “Despite everything, we stay focused and continue living our lives. We need your support now more than ever. We call on the world community to continue communication with Ukraine at all possible levels. Your support on raising the awareness of war, buying goods made in Ukraine, supporting Ukrainian volunteers and army, and informing at all scales are the steps needed as air.”
Below, meet the six Ukrainian brands supported by the USAID Competitive Economy Program.
For all the latest fasion News Click Here
