Almost exactly a year ago, Russia invaded Ukraine, bringing war to a country that had already been forced to live on the precipice of conflict. Today, Ukrainian brands FROLOV, KSENIASCHNAIDER and PASKAL, invited by the British Fashion Council, will show their collections as part of London Fashion Week.
For Julie Paskal, the designer behind PASKAL - whose team and family are mostly in Ukraine, although she divides her time between Ukraine, Germany, where her mother and children are based, and France - the upcoming show is a display of resilience. 'This is a reflection of the courage of all Ukrainians. To create in spite of everything, while working in the most unstable and difficult conditions, under the sounds of air sirens,' she says. Julie's sensitive yet strong design language - which has found her fans including Kerry Washington, Rita Ora and Katy Perry - references her background in architecture. She's famous for fairytale dresses - whether they're covered in laser-cut hearts or bouquets of appliquéd bows - which she hopes makes her custom feel a sense of fantasy but also like themselves. This collection, which is called 'Out of the Cocoon', is based around the butterfly, the chrysalis from which it emerges symbolising her personal breakthrough after three years of living with the pandemic and then war. 'Creating collections is our resistance to war. Today, more than ever, we need creativity for life.'
You might recognise FROLOV, which was founded by Ivan Frolov, as the brand worn by Beyoncé. For her recent concert in Dubai, Queen Bey appeared on a podium wearing a sheer corset dress - with a silver starburst creating a sweetheart neckline and hot pink sleeves - that literally brought the house down at the Atlantis. It was a typically tantalising look from Ivan, whose brand walks the line between 'provocation, social responsibility and serenity'. FROLOV's customer is someone who loves to experiment; someone who, 'empowers their sexuality and treats their looks not just as a piece of clothing, but as a powerful statement.' The designer and his whole team took the decision to remain in Kyiv. 'We're proud to say that during the last year, we have hired 30% more employees and are constantly expanding the team, says Ivan. 'This is also why we're not moving anywhere as we give so many people an opportunity to work and stay in Ukraine.'
The Ukrainian music from the designer's childhood inspired today's collection, which is called 'Song to Song'. 'We had a tradition of listening to those certain songs as a family, and it stays in my heart like the symbol of something very intimate, deep, and emotionally evoking,' says Ivan. His work might have evolved since the outbreak of war, but the brand hasn't changed. 'It stays true to itself, to its core conception and DNA - and this is our main power.'
Ksenia Schnaider, one half of the husband-and-wife duo behind KSENIASCHNAIDER, is now based in the UK, but the brand's production and the biggest part of its team is still based in Ukraine. 'I feel a great responsibility for my team. Last year, I was doing everything possible to keep them busy with new projects and work, to keep their salaries on the pre-war level,' she explains. The brand's avant-garde approach to denim, married with sustainable practices, has become its backbone. Its latest collection might have been 'designed during the war and produced under air raid sirens in Ukraine', but it has an air of hope. 'The pieces are meant to transport the wearer to a place of happiness and joy, even if only for a moment,' she says.