As the third anniversary of the Russo-Ukrainian war draws near, the impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which began on February 24, 2022, continues to reverberate. Amidst the ongoing conflict, US President Donald Trump just announced that he has discussed potential ceasefire negotiations with Vladimir Putin during a phone call. At the same time, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth suggested that Ukraine may need to relinquish territory and abandon its NATO aspirations to reach a peace agreement. This announcement raised alarm in Kyiv and among European allies, with many wondering whether the Trump administration would be willing to concede to Putin's demands (without involving Ukraine in the talks) to expedite a deal.
In the wake of Russia's invasion in February 2022, several fashion houses initially voiced their support for Ukraine. Balenciaga's Demna Gvasalia, for example, presented a runway show that mirrored the grit and resilience of those caught in conflict, set against a symbolic snowstorm. Over time, though, such tributes have largely faded from the runways, with one notable exception: the collections of Ukrainian designer Svitlana Bevza.
The war doesn't emerge in Bevza's collection, but there are tributes to her country. For the S/S 2025 season, Bevza's presentation at the Ukrainian Institute of America served as a poignant reminder of her homeland's resilience.
Drawing inspiration from a line in the Ukrainian national anthem - "Our enemies will die, as the dew does in the sunshine" - Bevza incorporated crystal droplets into her designs. These droplets were featured on several pieces, including tent dresses. Another emblem of Ukraine's enduring spirit was the ear of wheat, a symbol of its fertile land.
The wheat ear represents the country's agricultural heritage, especially its vast and fertile wheat fields, which have earned Ukraine the nickname "the breadbasket of Europe."
During times of hardship, such as in the Holodomor, the man-made famine of 1932-33 that affected the major grain-producing areas of the country, killing from 7 to 10 million people, the wheat ear also became a symbol of the struggle for survival and the painful loss of life.
Originally used as jewelry, Bevza turned it into hardware for bags, used it as the main detail on belts and tie-bars or as the decorative motif for a bustier, turning it in this way into a symbol of national pride, strength, and the ongoing fight for independence.
For her A/W 2025 collection, presented during the recent New York Fashion Week, Bevza's expanded on these themes, with the wheat ear appearing on pendants.
Ukraine as "the breadbasket of Europe" was evoked in the braided textures of corset tops, cummerbunds and dresses with long fringes. The braids were references to the traditional braided loaves, while the plaided texture of a shearling coat called to mind grain, and apron dresses also referenced Ukrainian heritage.
With her collections Bevza is also making strides in sustainability, with 80% of her materials now sourced from deadstock fabrics, and vintage mink coats repurposed into knitted fur jackets. Yet, despite growing recognition in the U.S. and U.K., Bevza continues to face logistical challenges in shipping from Kyiv. Dividing her time between her children in London, her husband serving in the Ukrainian army, and her business in Kyiv, her mission remains clear: to pay a cultural tribute to her homeland and translate its spirit, strength, and resilience into the language of fashion.
On another note of resistance, Porcelain War by Anya Stasenko and Slava Leontyev is currently nominated in the Best Documentary category at the Oscars. Stasenko and Leontyev are not directors, but ceramics artists from the frontline Ukrainian city of Kharkiv.
They remained in Ukraine when Russian troops invaded their country and Leontyev, who had received his military training in 2014 after Russia invaded Crimea, served as a weapons instructor in the Ukrainian special forces. Eventually, he picked up a camera and shot Porcelain War. In the documentary, Leontyev compares porcelain to Ukraine: "Easy to break, impossible to destroy." For the two artists the Academy Awards nomination represents every Ukrainian, who, as Leontyev states in the film are "ordinary people in an extraordinary situation", adding "In Ukraine, it's a war of professional assailants against defenders who are amateurs."
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