Between the hyped Eurovision Song Contest coverage and hushed civil warzone reports, Ukraine is experiencing another intense moment in the media spotlight. The fall-winter 2017 edition of Mercedes Benz Kiev Fashion Days (#MBKFD) held in the nation’s capital attracted more public attention than before. Geopolitics vs. true merit is the chicken-or-egg conundrum best reserved for samogon-induced debates. In an industry firmly rooted in the proverbial here and now, fashion serves as a litmus test for viability of intercultural discourse. You either contribute your utmost best or forever hold your peace. Here are five Ukrainian designers who collectively upheld Kiev’s status as an emergent fashion capital of the new European East. Meet the style frontier vanguard, class of 2017.
Winning Designer of the Year Award at the #MBKFD opening gala the day before his scheduled presentation added interest (and pressure) to the show. Former school teacher turned to literary classics for inspiration delivering a collection that was at once tongue-in-cheek (right leg / wrong leg), high-artsy (with Malevich and Chanel references) and utterly seasonably wearable.
The balance of whimsy and practicality is a tall order; Fedir Vozianov pulled it off without a single eye-roll from the style-savvy crowd that gathered in an offsite location, literally, under the bridge across the icy Dnepr river. Breakout accessory was the folk scarf-hood that could turn into a sling purse if necessary. The designer is developing a reputation and a following for his transformer pieces i.e. cute backpacks that open into light coats without being taken off.
Steeped in Ukrainiana without becoming pastiche, the collection lived up to Vozianov’s newly minted star status. Write it down, this one will be on the test!
One of the most proactive Ukrainian designers on the international scene, Litkovskaya has been busy making a name for herself across the fashion mediascape, and with due reason. Her collection marked a decisive departure from nearly everything else seen on the #MBKFD runways this season.
Themed around religion (or rather, the very concept of belief systems and requisite commitment to their cultivation) it was an assured study in zeitgeist tensions. Faith as a day in and day out practice was upheld by the Olympic sports auditorium setting. Anyone up for a Gosha-du-jour knockoff was disappointed / elated. Succinctly deconstructed trench coats and bomber jackets, stark mix of leather and lace, medieval gambesons and chiton tunics reimagined for the luxury athleisure consumer.
This show could have been easily envisioned on a Paris or London fashion week roster. Litkovskaya has the creative wherewithal to compete at the top level. Team Kiev for the win!
Six years practically calls for veteran distinction in emergent markets where “brands” come and go on the ebb and flow of various sponsors’ fortunes. This family business is another matter. Season after season Anton and Ksenia have been carving their eclectic niche into the local style mentality hung up on embattled supremacy of mainstream luxury and utilitarian mass market.
Bloggers to the rescue! “Discovered” on Instagram, the atelier was quickly overwhelmed with orders for their distinctive upcycled jeans. So much so, a new fashion term was coined: behold, demi-denim! Fast-forward to Vogue Mexico proclaiming the brand’s eco-quirky vision “la nueva era del denim.” How often do designers get to break the mold, really?!
Unfazed by the hype, Ksenia Schnaider maintains its commitment to the limited-edition philosophy and hardcore streetstyle cred. Their #MBKFD show featured a bold no-invitations policy and everyone was welcome to pose with models and designers afterwards. Power to the (style-conscious) people!
Chakshyn is a young duo that has enthused nascent Ukrainian fashion establishment with a sense of promise. Designers Dima Chayun and Anton Yakshyn (hence, the amalgamated brand name) started out with “statement t-shirts and coats with frills.” Notwithstanding an underwhelming creative start, the partnership has since produced several noteworthy collections focusing on conceptual detailing and experimental craftsmanship.
Their latest #MBKFD effort combined cyberpunk ethos with bucolic aesthetics into a wearable reverie on the idea of AI vs. organic modes of life. If cyborgs roamed the steppes… Their denim is enhanced with a lot of metal detailing that does not impede its functionality.
Slight variations like outwear buttons used as semi-practical décor elements or back-belts successfully transplanted to the front on jackets and coats reveal the know-how thirst Chakshyn is eager to quench. Perhaps, it is precisely their disarming willingness to learn on-the-job that endears the label to its growing fan base domestically and abroad. Anton & Dima, all eyes on you!
Theo Dekan knows showmanship. He’s been a celebrity hair stylist, reality television personality, DJ slash photographer (but of course!) and a columnist for seemingly every Ukrainian glossy magazine. The man breathes spectacle; and grand spectacle was exactly the missing part of the Kiev lineup. Theo delivered. In droves.
The audacious color-blocking, the Rapunzel woolen hats, jackets as skirts, nothing quite as it seems, everything shimmers: it was a much-needed dose of style adrenalin. However, what sets Theo apart from aspiring fashion provocateurs is the obsessive craftsmanship self-evident in every garment. For all the rollicking whimsy, the entire collection was not just wearable, it was meticulously well-done. That had not been the case in every #MBKFD runway presentation this season.
Here is to hoping that Dekan, now the designer, will not get bored with the demanding gig any time soon for the market (domestic, foreign or virtual) cannot possibly get tired of such delightful offerings. Please, Sir, can we have some more?!
Text was co-authored with Alexey Timbul