From Kiev, With Love – Style Bubble

There’s a strange feeling of disconnect that takes over when fashion month is on. On a daily basis for a little over a month, you’re consumed by shows, schedules, flights and appointments that essentially all revolve around… well, a rail of frocks. You forget to read the Guardian for a few days. You don’t switch on the news channels because you need to concentrate on filing. Whilst Paris fashion week was drawing to a climactic end, events in Ukraine were escalating to the point where there was potential talk of war as Russian troops took control of Crimea.

I felt slightly sheepish as we plodded on discussing the merits of Raf Simons’ criss-cross lacing on a bar jacket or the oh-so-lush shoes of Tabitha Simmons. I normally eye-roll at the slew of predictable comments on broadsheet newspaper websites that run along the lines of “Why is fashion being covered when there are far more important things going on in the world?” but this time, a feeling of unease did persist, especially when I’d obsessively check for news updates in between the shows.

Any feeling of guilt was put to rest when I dropped by the Fashion Scout showroom in the Marais last Tuesday as Sarah Mower together with Mercedes-Benz Kiev Fashion Days’ creative director Daria Shapovalova pulled together a last minute cocktail event to invite journalists and buyers to come and discover an altogether more positive spin to Ukraine. “The creative industry is also the face of the country,” said Shapovalova, who has tirelessly been promoting Ukraine fashion through the Kiev Fashion Days intiative. “There is nothing wrong with promoting this despite the difficult political situation.” Shapovalova says Kiev Fashion Days will still be going ahead, albeit in a more modest and compacted format, but she was still adamant that throughout London, Milan and Paris, the presence of Ukrainian designers should be promoted. In London, you had the Kiev Fashion Days catwalk show as part of Fashion Scout. In Milan there was a Vogue Italia/TheCorner.com showcase and finally in Paris, this guerilla cocktail, which brought the likes of Anna Wintour, Julie Gilhart and Patrick Demarchelier to offer words of support to a group of designers, who despite revolution and bloodshed on their doorstep, have persevered to produce their A/W 14-5 collections to present to the world.

The fashion designer collective in Ukraine are for the most part, pro-European. “I’m pro European because business wise, all my work is based on import and export of goods,” explained Anna October, a designer whose work I’ve written about in the past. “We don’t have a VAT system and it makes it a problem working with shops. Being within the EU, also makes me hope that corruption will somehow end. I believe that we are building a new country and with all the support that we are receiving here, we need to push forward.” October’s work has refined somewhat since I last wrote about her naïve childhood-inspired knits as she pushes an aesthetic that is balanced out between austerity and elegance. As one of two Ukranian designers selected in amongst the shortlist for the LVMH Prize, not showing an A/W 14-5 collection wasn’t an option. October had moved to Kiev in September just when protests were beginning to simmer. As the months went on and Ukraine borders and customs were stopping imports from France and Italy, October couldn’t get her fabrics delivered, so she resorted to reusing past season fabrics, layered up with organza. Something old turned out to be just right for her smoldering dresses that evoked icons like Catherine Deneuve and Charlotte Rampling.

Anna October

Alina Bevza wearing Anna October S/S 14 collection

Anna October A/W 14-5 lookbook

Julie Paskal of label Paskal is another LVMH Prize shortlisted designer. She impressed with a collection inspired by both the horizontal skyscrapers of architect El Lissitzky and the Fritz Lang film Metropolis. Poignantly, Paskal sees a parallel between the film’s dystopian corrupt state and her own country. By her rail of clothing was a charming plaque, declaring her hope that one day, Ukraine will join the EU so that she along with others can exist in their chosen fields as fashion designers. “In such tense times, we have to do everything we can do,” said Paskal. “Revolution has happened everywhere and somehow Ukraine will emerge stronger from this.”

Julie Paskal

Anastasia Chornaya wearing Paskal A/W 14-5 collection

Paskal A/W 14-5 Lookbook

Yasya Minochkina has had the benefit of being educated in courses at Central Saint Martins and Royal Academy of Fine Art in London as well as basing her brand in Moscow temporarily. She moved back to her native Kiev but along with other designers, found producing her A/W 14-5 collection difficult with the city’s roads closed and tailors and seamstresses unable to travel. Minochkina’s collection has an ease about it that’s made more interesting with its texturized patent fabrics in a solid palette of white, navy and bottle green. There’s something akin to school uniform in her work that’s quite appealing.

Yasya Minochkina

Anastasia Bondarenko wearing Yasya Minochkina A/W 14-5 collection

Yasya Minochkina A/W 14-5 shown as part of Kiev Fashion Days at Fashion Scout – Pics from Vogue.co.uk

For a lighter touch, there was Anna K’s “Fashion Circus” collection of t-shirts. No prizes for guessing what inspired Anna Kolomoets! Even I couldn’t resist getting papped with a “I am not a fashion blogger” t-shirt. Anna couldn’t be in Paris for the event as she wanted to be in Kiev to be with her family but definitely made a few Insta-giggles with her slogan tees.

Maya Novkovich wearing Anna K A/W 14-5 collection

Anna K A/W 14-5 shown as part of Kiev Fashion Days at Fashion Scout – Pics from Vogue.co.uk

A further web-only dig around threw up a few more Ukranian names that as yet probably haven’t created A/W 14-5 collections yet in light of the events. Shapovalova spoke of the pure joy and raw optimism evident in many of the young Ukranian designers. Her hope is that this energy will transfer to political emancipation “We are building our nation,” she said. “You see all of these new people of my generation – they will come to power eventually. We hope that we will join the European Union and that this will build a new future for Ukraine.”

This hope is definitely reflected in exuberant designers who take nationalist sentiment and incorporate it into their work. Take Anton Belinskiy who took to the Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square) in Kiev for a spontaneous fashion shoot using a mix of his recent collection mixed in with traditional Ukranian dress and the blue and yellow national flag. What sounds like an act of frivolity is in fact as strong in sentiment as protesters waving their flags of blue and yellow.

Protest shoot at Kiev’s Independence Square featuring designer Anton Belinskiy, photographed by Alexandra Trishina

Anton Belinskiy S/S 14 collection

Likewise Ksenia Schneider’s little Instagrams where her own SS 14 graphic camouflage print is mixed with a peace sign and a cluster of flowers are small signifiers that there’s this belief, positive creative expression, can make Ukraine stronger. That was my main takeaway message from meeting the group of Ukraine designers in Paris.

Ksenia Schnaider S/S 14 collection

RCR Khomenko designed by Yasya Khomenko’s fashion work runs parallel with her art work. There’s a childish streak that is hugely endearing and of course significantly exuberant at this particular time.

RCR Khomenko S/S 14 collection

Other designers like Sasha Kanevski have already emerged as established Ukraine designers. I only just discovered this home-inspired wood flooring and carpet printed capsule collection he did with Ukrainian streetwear brand Syndicate, which is in itself an interesting idea to fuse American heritage wear with a distinct Ukrainian identity.

Sasha Kanevski x SNDCT capsule collection

Masha Reva is another artist slash designer who has multiple forms of expression. She too has collaborated with Syndicate on a line of sweatshirts entitled “Odessa Series” It looks at the fusion of traditional Ukrainian kitsch with the desire of how Ukrainians want to look luxurious, hence the prints featuring Christine’s Auction pieces with flea market finds. This is just the tip of the iceberg in young freehand expression in a young country that is finding its feet politically.