UFW – 25 years: history, innovations, trends

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This year 25th anniversary season of the Ukrainian Fashion Week took place. Throughout 25 years Ukrainian Fashion Week impressed the world with innovative formats, with progressive views and discovered many names, known to the whole world now.

In honor of the anniversary Woman Magazine talked with insiders of Ukrainian fashion-industry about how the idea to organize Ukrainian Fashion Week came to mindhow Fashion in Ukraine has changed in Ukraine in 25 years), and what trends await us in the near future.

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Facts

  • The First Fashion Week in Ukraine took place in November 1997 .
  • To 2005 year in UFW there was a second name — Sunday pret-a-porter “Seasons of Fashion”.
  • Ukrainian Fashion Week became the first fashion event in Eastern Europe.
  • More than 1,600 fashion shows and 400 brand presentations took place within the framework of UFW .

The beginning of history

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History of creation of Ukrainian Fashion Week once upon a time should definitely become the basis for a screenplay . On the birthday of Irina Danylevskaya, designer Sergey Byzov came with an unusual gift – the idea of holding a fashion event “like in Paris  .

At that time, Irina was the editor-in-chief of the magazine “Eva”, and Sonia Zabuga worked in her team. They wrote a letter to the Chamber of Fashion of France with a request to give permission for Fashion Week. And a few days later they received a fax with all the rules. It was created on the basis of the Ukrainian Fashion Week according to international standards of performance prista-porter.

 

 

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Iryna Danylevskaya, co-founder and CEO

 

“We didn’t have a business plan, but we had a clear understanding of the ultimate goal. We formulated our mission as “the creation of a fashion industry in Ukraine”, with all its nuances, for example, the presence of fabric manufacturers and Ukrainian gloss, which at that time did not exist. We realized that we would have to move gradually, including intuitively. The first thing we realized is that designers need to be made cult personalities. It will introduce the society to people no less talented than the stars of show business, television and theater”

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Debutantes

Brand VOROZHBYT&ZEMSKOVA, whose founders are Elena Vorozhbyt and Tatiana Zemskova, participates in Ukrainian Fashion Week from its foundation. They admit that when they started their careers, their clients were ashamed to recognize that they were dressed by Ukrainian designers.

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Designers Elena Vorozhbyt and Tatiana Zemskova, founders of the VOROZHBYT&ZEMSKOVA brand

 

“As such, Ukrainian fashion did not exist then. She, as well as the state, just born. 25 years ago, when was the first show, everything was very fun, on enthusiasm. Everyone did, what he wanted, without thinking, why and for what does he do it. But our clients talk about what the Japanese wear.  And only over time, since 2004, it became normal and then it became prestigious to say that you buy Ukrainian brands”

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How to get to Ukrainian Fashion Week

On the platforms New Names and Fresh Fashion young designers are given the opportunity to prove themselves, where they can understand, does this path suit them or not, what are the development prospects of their brand. 

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“We keep designers here for several seasons, as if in an incubator, to make their brand stronger”, – Irina Danilevskaya comments.

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The selection of young designers takes place in several stages: selection of sketches, evaluation of clothing items, presentation of 5 fashion images in the form of fashion show. The jury chooses three winners, who get a chance to show their collections at Fashion Week. According to Iryna Danilevskaya, an important component is also that, how a person works, its formation and how stable is his company.

“First of all, you have to love your job, team, which helps to scale. The absence of rules gives designers more freedom — that is the secret to success. Compared to European fashion weeks, there are many more new names and experiments in Ukraine. We have many talented brands, who want to develop themselves and their creativity. In Europe, there are rules that must be followed”

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World celebrities choose Made in Ukraine 

Hard to believe, that then it was a shame to wear things of Ukrainian brands. After all, now is the era, when world-famous celebrities wear products of Ukrainian designers.

Singer Adele receives the Brit Award in a Marianna Senchina dress.

 
 
 
 
 
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Celine Dion and Dua Lipa in Ksenia Schnaider jeans.

 
 
 
 
 
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Madonna in a cap by Ruslan Baginskiy.

 
 
 
 
 
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Preparation for Fashion Week

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Yulia Perekrestova, founder of the JULIYA KROS brand

“The organization of such an event is a responsible process, requiring financial and energy costs. Everything is important in the organization — team, backstage assistant, models, music track, beauty-insults and productions of the show. If one detail is missed, the whole mood of the collection can be spoiled or conveyed incorrectly to the viewer. Therefore, our preparation begins a month before the show, and the last week is always the most difficult. It is necessary to present a minimum 12 formed collections. But the first minutes after the show always remind me of that, that everything was not in vain! Most often during this period we sleep little and forget to eat”

As part of Ukrainian Fashion Week, the founder of the shoe brandBohdan Honcharenko, collaborates with other designers and creates a collection of shoes for their shows.

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Bohdan Honcharenko, founder of the HONCHARENKO brand

Usually everything starts with studying the future collection of clothes. Based on the seasonality and style of the collection, we select the style of shoes and start sketching. Adjacent materials are always used as a basis, characteristic of brandand, for example, for ROUSSIN reflective fabrics”

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The role of the UFW in the development of brands

NADYA DZYAK, the designer of the brand, presented her collections for several seasons. According to her, participation brought as dividends good PR and mediaeffect, helped develop the brand in Ukraine and abroad.

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Nadia Dzyak, founder of the NADYA DZYAK brand

“Today, our collections are sold in more than 15 countries of the world. We develop as wholesales, showing new collections in digital format to international buyers, as well as retail sales through our own online store, releasing special drops and limited series. We managed to grow from a small atelier into a modern professional one design studio, where masters of their craft work”

 
 
 
 
 
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The Iva Nerolli brand continues to make shows , but exclusively for the brand’s clients.

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Designer Iva Neroli , founder of Iva Nerolli

“My refusal to participate in Ukrainian Fashion Week was balanced and deliberate. Show expenses are big, and there is no expected feedback. The price includes: lease location, lighting and staff services for help with clothes. The participation of the models must be paid separately, beauty-teams, press and PR managers. A big plus showed on UFW – help in formation of image and young designer, if, of course, the brand is going to “play long”.

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International experience

Some designers, who started their career with shows on U.F.W. now presenting collections in world capitals of fashion. So, for example, Elvyra Hasanova in September 2021 year presented the collection within the New York Fashion Week. Svetlana Bevza has been holding shows in New York.

 
 
 
 
 
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According to Valeria Manzyuk , the head of the PROFashion project , which organizes fashion shows in  New York, participation in such an event allows you to bring the brand to a new level and attract clients around the world . The cost of participation in Fashion Week in New York makes up $7-50 thousand. But participation alone is not enough. The American market is huge, to reach such a level,  there must be production capacity and development strategy. Starting to work with celebrities is also not an easy path.

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Valeria Manzyuk , founder of PROFashion

«For a stylist to put clothes of an as yet unknown brand on a world star, a lot of work needs to be done: recommend yourself, hold a show on NYFW, it is necessary to work with the media and to write about the brand. And if a celebrity wears an item of a young designer, then Vogue and other large mass media will definitely write about him»

 
 
 
 
 
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About trends

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According to industry insiders, zeroes are back in fashion , at the peak of popularity, clothes with all kinds of cuts and a balance between  frankly feminine and masculine.

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Daria Donets, founder of the DARJA DONEZZ brand

“At the peak of popularity, jewelry in the form of feathers, rhinestones and stones and a low waist from 2000-h. In addition, the trend continues to gain momentum gender neutral clothes”

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Designer Elvyra Hasanova,  founder of the GASANOVA brand

“I like the trend towards minimalism, as well as then, That’s right now ugly fashion feminine silhouettes are coming, and the oversize is combined with an accented waist”

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In addition, with the beginning of the pandemic, consumer requests have changed. During the first wave, many people started working at home so the demand for home clothes increased, and closed shopping centers and boutiques contributed to the popularity of online shopping.
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Maria Pion , fashion expert, blogger

 

“Today it is difficult to predict trends, the word “anti-trend” gradually ceases to have meaning. Self-expression through image becomes the most important attribute of a modern person. The trend for personalization of style is the main in fashion. Things are once again becoming an investment in the wardrobe of a modern fashionista. This year, product quality comes first: natural fabric, laconic silhouettes, monochrome fabrics and complex details”

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Conscious consumption

Conscious fashion is an alternative future for every Ukrainian Fashion Week actively demonstrates it, already 5and hour within the framework UFWpasses BE SUSTAINABLE! Fashion Summit, a platform for a conversation about a conscious attitude to production and consumption.

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“The phenomenon of Ukrainian fashion in Vol, that we are a young industry. We are more flexible and mobile, than the “old world”. Therefore, changes are taking place quite actively. The most important thing is to teach young designers to perceive sustainable fashion not as an obstacle, and how the path to inspiration is newopportunitypit. For me personally, awareness is a brand marker. If you don’t support oneat or somewhat aimed at sustainable development, you just can’t stayhlike a brand”, Irina Danilevskaya comments.

The KSENIA SCHNAIDER brand sews jeans from recycled fabric .

 
 
 
 
 
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LITKOVSKAYA and BEVZA launched separate lines from recycled materials , a  transformer models  DZHUS is an example of how to optimize production and consumption.

 
 
 
 
 
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About further plans for the development of Ukrainian Fashion Week

The fashion industry , like many other areas , was affected by the pandemic. Ukrainian Fashion Week moved to phygital-format the opportunity to watch shows online.

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On the occasion of the 25th anniversary a new visual identity was created last year, developed by London creative agency Foxall Studio.

Irina Danylevskaya stressedthat, besides sustainability and digitization, diversity and inclusiveness remain priority directions.

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Text: Varya Krat 

Photo: UFW press service, personal archive of heroes


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