Where’s the nearest bomb shelter and how long will the electricity last aren’t routine concerns for most fashion designers — unless you live in Ukraine.
Three years after Russian troops first rolled into the country and started mass destruction, members of the Ukrainian fashion and design community are stalwart as ever about carrying on with their businesses to convey strength and resistance. Their solidarity comes at a time when Ukraine’s military forces are strained, and President Donald Trump said the war could be nearing an end, following his meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in the White House.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau were among the more than 12 world leaders who traveled to Kyiv Monday to support Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky. This year alone, $12.6 billion in damage has been caused in Ukraine by missile attacks and the conflict, according to a report by the Kyiv School of Economics Institute. The total amount of damage to the country’s infrastructure had reached nearly $170 million as of last November. All that destruction prompted some brands like the wedding gown resource Ricca Sposa to temporarily relocate production. With residential properties accounting for $60 billion of the losses, many like the designers Elvira Gasanova were impacted at home too.
She and other designers have persevered though by keeping their businesses running and providing paychecks — and at times safety — to their employees. As another sign of the community’s determination, more than 40 designers took part in Ukraine’s Fashion Week earlier this month in Kyiv. That gathering marked the second time that the event had been held since the Russian invasion.
Elvira Gasanova left Bucha a day before the Russian invasion and now has a 3-year-old child. Her company Gasanova employs 107 people and continues to do all of its production in Ukraine. Ukraine’s first lady Olena Zelenska, Gigi Hadid, Rita Ora and members of the Kardashian-Jenner clan have helped to raise awareness about the brand by wearing it for key appearances. The contrast between celebrities on the red carpet and the realities of war could not be more striking. Along with the “constant uncertainty, logistical difficulties, and profound emotional toll,” the founder said she is focused on “keeping Gasanova alive despite everything.”
Designer Elvira Gasanova’s home was damaged by the shelling, but it has since been rebuilt. Here, her husband Damiril surveys the destruction.
Photo Courtesy
Logistics and production have become a challenge ”like never before,” she said, adding that many of the company’s suppliers and Ukrainian-based production facilities had to relocate and rebuild. Branding is no longer rooted in glamour, exclusivity and empowerment, but now every message “carries a deeper meaning about resilience, the strength of Ukrainian identity, and standing tall in the face of adversity. Fashion is no longer just fashion; it’s a statement of survival and defiance,” she said.
The designer, who also has a men’s line, creates custom shirts with the Ukrainian crest for Zelensky. is advocating for Ukraine, representing the country on global platforms, and using her voice “in ways that go far beyond style,” she said. “Fashion has always been about expression, but now it carries a weight and responsibility I never anticipated.”
A true peace deal isn’t just about stopping the war, but it’s “also about justice, rebuilding, and making sure this never happens again,” Gasanova said. “The future will be tough, but it will also be ours to shape. The Ukrainian fashion industry, and the country, will emerge stronger, more united, and more influential than ever before. We’ve already shown the world our strength — now, we’ll show them our vision.”
A Gasanova look modeled by the professional tennis player Elina Svitolina in the brand’s ad campaign.
Photo by Michael Fedorak/Courtesy
And as for those supportive celebrities, Gasanova said, “By seeing our designs on powerful women worldwide, we are proving that Ukraine is unbreakable.” There are also plans to expand into the U.S. market, open a boutique, offer more customization options and work with more VIPs. The Ukrainian professional tennis player Elina Svitolina modeled in Gasanova’s recent advertising campaign.
Pohuy clothing label founder Satana Ross, who started serving in the armed forces of Ukraine with the onset of the war, now also makes adaptable clothing for wounded soldiers through his charity Physical Level. Although he is no longer fighting on the frontlines, he visits hospitals practically daily to try to lift the injured soldiers’ spirits. His business offers a 50 percent discount for “all combatants,” said Ross, adding that “every business should do something like this to help support our country.”
Satana Ross joined the Ukrainian military efforts with the onset of the war and now designs adaptable clothing for wounded soldiers through his charity Physical Level.
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Grateful to “still be alive and working,” he declined to say what’s needed to keep the business going. “It’s a sin to complain about anything, as we all have friends who have been lost in the war. We must help and support our military, as the soldiers love us, so it’s a win-win,” Ross said.
Pohuy is among the Ukrainian label sold via the site Angel for Fashion. As for the prospect of a peace treaty, Ross said he doesn’t see how the occupied lands and the people who stayed there can be left to Russia. “At the same time, I see a free and prosperous Ukraine in the future,” he said.
With 35 employees, Frolov’s founder Ivan Frolov is thankful that none of them have been harmed or killed due to the intermittent shelling near the brand’s production hub in Kyiv. The ancillary income from lecturing at the Kyiv National University of Technology and Design has enabled him to participate in London Fashion Week and New York Fashion Week, and broadening U.S. distribution is a priority.
Continual power outages “have drastically slowed down” production at times including once when the team had to attach flashlights to sewing machines to be able to “barely finish” costumes for the British musician Sam Smith’s dancers, Frolov said.
And the night before the company’s show during last fall’s Ukrainian Fashion Week, there was a huge missile attack in Kyiv that made the company reconsider its plans. But with a bomb shelter located near its venue, the company proceeded. “Thankfully, it all went well and was undisrupted. It became one of our favorite shows so far,” Frolov said.
The same cannot be said of logistics, which often makes timely production and deliveries challenging, never mind any urgent celebrity requests, according to the designer. Then there’s the emotional toll of living under constant threat, ”which isn’t talked about,” he added, “But that impacts the mental health of the team constantly,” Frolov said.
When Russian troops occupied its home city, Ricca Sposa temporarily moved its production to keep workers safe.
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Instead of halting operations in 2022, Ricca Sposa’s Yuliia Lobacheva chose to go forward. Doing so meant supporting the 100 people whom she called “the brand’s extended family.” To ensure the safety of its production team, the company relocated operations from Chernihiv to a safer part of the country, Chernivtsi. That decision also involved evacuating families, providing them with new housing, and offering job opportunities “so they could start their lives without fear for their future,” she said.
Despite the turmoil of war, the number of weddings in Ukraine increased by 7 percent to 2,762 last year compared to 2023, according to Opendatabot, a Ukrainian service for monitoring registration data of the court register.
After Russian troops finally left Chernihiv and the city became more stable, Ricca Sposa later returned to its home city. Lobacheva said, “We carried with us not only equipment and materials but also the collective hope of generations ready to heal old wounds and rebuild a safer, more dynamic community.”
That unity, strength of spirit, and support from partners helped the team endure, fulfill commitments on time, continue to release new collections, and expand the brand in international markets, Lobacheva added.
“Not just a Ukrainian brand,” she said. Ricca Sposa is “a symbol of elegance, resilience and faith in the future.”
Maria Gavryliuk, co-owner of the Ukrainian heritage brand Gunia Project, is increasingly collaborating with a wider assortment of skilled craftspeople, especially for clothing and jewelry. “Bringing Ukrainian craftsmanship to a global audience, reinforcing its relevance, and securing a strong presence in new markets,” are key, she said. With the help of the Gunia Project, the ceramics industry in Ukraine has gained new momentum. And the adversity that her team has faced has made them more “resilient, united and determined to push forward,” she said.
The co-founder and creative director of Gunia Project Natalia Kamenska moonlights as the stylist for President Zelensky’s wife Olena Zelenska, who favors Ukrainian labels. Confident that Ukraine will achieve victory, Gavryliuk said, “We will continue to contribute to Ukraine’s future through our work, our craft, and our cultural legacy.”
