The designer explains why he went ahead with his show just three weeks after the war in Ukraine broke out.
I used to live in the centre of Kyiv, but when the war began I left my flat to stay at my mother’s apartment [on the outskirts of the city]. Of course, we had thoughts about whether we should leave Ukraine or at least move from the city, but I just felt that we needed to stay; we needed to be here. I’m trying to do the most I can, personally, to help neighbours and to volunteer in the area. Still, it feels like it’s not enough.
I thought about cancelling my fashion show at Berlin Fashion Week, but I felt this power inside me – I don’t know where from but I made the decision to continue to do what I do. I was talking a lot with my team and I’m thankful to them because they gave me this confidence that we needed to do it. It was important because during fashion month you saw lots of fashion brands completely ignoring what is going on in Ukraine.
Before everything happened, we were preparing a completely different collection. [After the invasion began], we were making decisions very quickly. We had one day to do the sketches, to complete the mood boards. My colleague who helped me was sitting in a bomb shelter; the lights would switch on and off. Now thinking about it I don’t even know how we made it happen.
I wouldn’t even call it a fashion show – it was more like a manifesto; about making a statement. It was about creating this unity around what is happening right now and saying, “Please, we need your support.” Some of the models live in Berlin, but there were some from Belarus, from Crimea. The girl who closed the show was from Luhansk, which has been [under the control of pro-Russian separatists] since 2014.
After the show, people didn’t want to go – they were just crying. Maybe because they felt it wasn’t about the clothes; it was about what we were feeling. I received a lot of messages from people who don’t know me, who felt the power of the show through the screen.We couldn’t produce the collection in Ukraine, because a lot of production is now focused on soldiers’ uniforms and [equipment].
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Rihanna's maternity style including bump-baring Oscars gown and £8k puffer coatSince announcing she's expecting her first child, Rihanna has showed off her bump with a series of fashion forward outfits – and there are no maternity jeans in sight
Read more »
'Vital blood sugar breakthrough could help diabetic patients'An important new discovery has shown that a small protein provides the link between the body’s control of blood sugar and blood pressure – a vital breakthrough for diabetics, says Dr Miriam Stoppard
Read more »
Homes for Ukraine: Official ‘matching service’ launched to link hosts with refugeesPeople wishing to hosts Ukrainians invited to register with government-funded, charity-run matching system
Read more »
High court hears case of Afghan family unable to get to UK without biometricsRelaxing of requirement for Ukrainians does not extend to Afghans eligible for sanctuary in UK
Read more »
Boris' weird gesture after Tory MP says rich Qataris are 'right type' of refugeeBoris Johnson bemused viewers with a bizarre hand gesture while responding to a question about the UK taking in ‘the right type’ of refugees.
Read more »
Everything we know about Abramovich ‘poisoning’ at Ukraine peace talksRussian oligarch and two senior members of the Ukrainian team suffered symptoms of suspected chemical weapon
Read more »