LFW AW25 - UKRAINE IN UK - Strutting The Line: Where Tradition Meets Modernity On The Catwalk
This year’s UA In UK London Fashion Week show proved that elegance and boldness are two qualities in fashion that can coexist without one element outshining the other. UA In Uk is a community of displaced ukrainians connecting those interested in the fashion industry to each other. Their recent event was held on February 21st - marking over three years since the start of the war in Ukraine - the show offered a seminal moment for emerging designers, whose work stood as a testament to the resilience and richness of Ukrainian culture. I felt this was especially resonant in the collections of designers Sofia Kovalska and Anna Yurchenko, whose work left a lasting impression on its viewers.
Sofia Kovalska showcased a fusion between heritage and modernity, producing a collection that pays homage to Ukraine’s culture though manipulating it to match her style aesthetic. Both her palette and embroidery choices reminded me of Ukrainian traditional textiles and dresses. Housed at the National Museum of Scotland the Woman’s Dress of Dark Blue Cotton, dated around 1880 had similar colourings to the trouser embellishments pictured below. There are familiar blue and yellow iconised in their flag, though admittedly is rather dominated by bold, large red patterns running through the sleeves, bodice and hem. It is suggested that this historical dress carries a contradictory history, it acts as a tapestry of patterns that allude to the country’s repression and survival.
A similar colour and symbolic motif was something I found in Kovalska’s work on the runway, which seemed by its aesthetics deeply protest-driven, though culturally-oriented. The designer debuted a casual look on the runway that was instantly striking – a plain denim trouser with bold details, paired with a thick-knit alpaca wool sweater. The trouser bore some fascinating similarities to that of this historical artefact, with the trouser legs containing the same colours; red, yellow and blue against the plain blue background. Yet, when you get a closer look at the detailing, the proportions of blue and yellow ruffles to red are greater. This could imply a reclamation or redefinition of the Ukrainian national identity, and a sort of break away from the oppression they’ve faced - whilst still acknowledging its formative role to their heritage.
There’s also these strewn loose threads that drape over the appliqué, adding a bit of ‘messiness’ or rawness to the rather clean and seamless silhouette of the leg and contrasting with the thick alpaca wool. I believe there’s something notably political going on here; there seemed to be design remnants of historical Ukrainian fashion repurposed to embrace something new. It feels as though Kovalska gestures towards this extensive tradition and honours it, but makes it more accessible through the denim garment. With its more casual and working-class associations, the denim jeans paired with these details display a modernity, reviving Ukrainian culture for contemporary global audiences.
The more clean and refined leg vs the chaotic appliqué and raw threads create a tension between traditional and modern that I think runs as a theme through her work. Both garments incorporate thick strips or rims as a key structural element, though they do so in distinct ways. The traditional embroidered dress on the right uses horizontal bands of intricate geometric embroidery to create a sense of richness and depth, reinforcing the garment’s formality and cultural significance. In contrast, Kovalska’s piece on the left reinterprets this technique with layered, fringed strips of fabric, adding texture and movement while maintaining a connection to traditional textile layering. Despite their differences in material and purpose, both designs use these thick bands as a means of embellishment, structure, and visual rhythm.
You get this modern ensemble piercing through with historical allusions that create a politically evocative statement through clever nuances. The contrast of textures in each of Kovalska’s outfits are undoubtedly also due to the brand’s interest in utilising sustainable materials; layering fabrics of different thicknesses, ruching them over a staple silhouette or a basic outline to make for a striking visual. In a time where fast fashion trends dominate the mainstream, it was important for the runway to emphasise sustainability. An outfit I was particularly drawn to was the above purple miniskirt, paired with a sheer white blouse. It was whimsical, constructed out of heavy yet lightly coloured lilac fabric with floral motifs that reminisced Ukrainian heritage.
Despite its national flower being the sunflower, the country is actually brought to life by the spring blooming of lilacs. A lilac is the most common plant grown in house gardens, public green spaces, roadsides, and landscaping in Ukraine. The shape of the skirt though decidedly ambiguous seemed to really reflect this natural connection to the plant, the very biology of Ukraine. Elsewhere flower motifs can be seen, such a motif is seen in the embezzled sunset trousers that Sofia Kovalska sports herself on her Instagram. The trouser depicts a mountain landscape with gems coating the slopes like sun rays caressing the land, and was paired with a yellow woollen sweater flecked with golden threads.
The second presentation of the show was by the brand Shevchenko. I was least moved by this collection, despite its elegance and timeless appeal. To me, it felt the least visually interesting as it seemed to be more about coordination and visual harmony, utilising very basic and streamlined silhouettes and bell sleeves that alluded to loungewear or vacation outfits. In the invitation, Shevchenko is described as a knitwear brand with the vision of empowering every woman to “express her uniqueness”, but it felt that this collection was rather one-note and promoted more cohesion than individuality. Models sported beach waves in their hair, chunky gold accessories, and gladiator-style strappy sandal heels reminiscent of holiday beach ware. It greatly contrasted the first show of outfits, which were incredibly vibrant.
There were Y2K allusions in the styling choices – whilst this could have been pure coincidence, it may have in fact been in intentional, insightful design choice. Internet culture has seen the resurgence of Y2K trademarks like sparkles, metallic fabrics, hoodies, big statement sunglasses and flares. This collection evoked a more toned-down version of this era, elevating it with a chic glamour emulated by the golden sequins throughout the knitwear and the ruffles that characterised the collection. The presentation closed with a beige slip dress with white wisteria and jasmine floral embroidery hanging at different points of the dress. I think it used a very simple base and elevated the outline by utilising such details. Other outfits in this collection included the beloved co-ord set, some mermaid-y dresses and some smart-casual fusions. Below are some of my personal favourites. the clothes, with their semi-chic, semi-casual edge are versatile for various situations, but were limited their approach to design. The items are pretty but conventional.
Lastly, a collection that really stood out for how fierce yet elegant it was was what DEMN had to show for us. Yurchenko’s collection was evidently very original in terms of both execution and potential inspiration. The DEMN collection had a dark, smokey palette with pops of colour, utilising the complementary nature of streetwear and elegant pieces. It was a very compelling collection that played with traditionally ‘masculine’ or ‘feminine’ silhouettes. Every model exuded a sense of confidence that was amplified by bold black eye makeup and winged liner, walking in grunge black boots or stiletto heels. The overall atmosphere that was created was quite rebellious, and particularly interesting in light of the current political landscape regarding Ukraine.
An outfit I was drawn to was the pairing of this oversized pinstripe blazer in dark grey, layered over a scanty white slip dress and a flared grey dress trouser – playing with the traditional ‘suit’ in a radicalised manner - pieces of the fabric had a torn and reassembled finish that implied reconstruction and redefinition, almost as if the designer was repossessing an existing form of expression. It reminded me of Julia Roberts’ iconic 90s Armani suit that she wore on the red carpet, forever memorialising her as a standard-breaking style icon; an idea that’s key to the ‘heroine’ that DEMN revolves around. I loved the stark visual gradient of this outfit and how the shapes combined to make for both a rigid and fluid outfit composition. It’s both an effortless, yet assertive look.
Another thing I noticed about this collection, much like Sofia Kovalska’s, was how it bore similarities to Ukrainian folklore. There was a running motif throughout where models carried props - black thistles, or blackthorns from what could be observed. Instead of biology, I looked towards the possible symbolism that might tie it to the collection - considering it was a very deliberate use of the flower rather than an implication. Though initially it seemed complementary to the rebellious characters walking down the runway, its reappearance multiple times speaks to it's significance.
There’s evidence to suggest that Slavic culture - especially that of Ancient Scythia, which is today’s modern Ukraine, had a close relationship with Celtic traditions historically due to Celtic settlement. In Slavic tradition, thistles are said to ward off evil, with pagan cultures believing in its protective qualities. It also represents resilience, strength and devotion. Blackthorn on the other hand is said to grow at a place where a young person has died – and in a household context, it is said to start household quarrels or arguments. This darker aspect of nature also often alludes to the testament of personal growth through hardship.
Since I could not quite distinguish between the two, this twofold interpretation helped me observe the collection through a political lens - is Yurchenko trying to spark a debate, alike to the quarrels sparked between families, as she brings a piece of Ukrainian innovation to a global floor? A place of debate, where the hosting agency Volkova Agency openly advocates for Ukrainian publicity post-war?
The power of these collections paired with symbolism throughout serves as a testament to the strong and persevering nature of the individual. Perhaps at a macro-level, is a metaphor for Ukrainian national identity itself as something enduring.
All Images Taken by Khadeejah Masud
Written by Khadeejah Masud
Edited by Daisy Packwood, Fashion Editor
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