The actress Solomiya Kyrylova stars in the fashion film “Zhuravli” (Cranes) by the sustainable brand STARCHAK for the SS 2024 art collection

The star of the film “Pamfir,” actress Solomiya Kyrylova, took part in the “Zhuravli” campaign for the Ukrainian sustainable clothing brand STARCHAK. The aesthetic of the fashion video, directed by Andriy Sagan, resembles a dream and references Sergii Parajanov’s film “The Color of Pomegranates.” The campaign’s central theme is flight, echoing the main theme of the art collection: cranes.

“In both Western and Eastern cultures, these beautiful birds carry many symbolic meanings: loyalty, love for the homeland, eternal life. Personally, this bird reminds me of my friend Dmytro Pashchuk, who died defending our country. Dmytro was a creative person, and among his records, we found a drawing of a crane – that’s how the idea of dedicating the collection to cranes and Dmytro emerged. It’s a bright dedication without sorrow and tears — a warm memory of a person who is no longer with us. Although I still don’t believe it, it seems that he just went out for a moment and will come back any minute. Dmytro loved people and various cultural initiatives. He brought like-minded people together,” says Maria Starchak.

Traditionally, the designer divides her collection into two capsules: artistic, with manifesto pieces, and everyday pieces for sale. This time, in the art part, Starchak reflects on the lives of thousands of Ukrainians who have experienced loss today. These reflections are embodied in an upcycled skirt from dozens of different pieces.

“Our lives are torn into pieces, but we try to gather them again in a new place and move forward, no matter how painful. These things are about our fragility and our invincibility. They won’t be for sale, but they are important to me as expressions,” says Maria.

Another unique piece from the art part of the collection is a heavily beaded dress. This outfit was created specifically for the singer and bandura player Mariana Krut.

“Beadwork is associated with Ukrainian ethnicity for me: since ancient times, our ancestors embroidered festive clothing and made various decorations with it. So, when I worked on costumes for Krut’s music video ‘Pryala,’ we created a dress with beaded flowers specifically for Mariana. The result was impressive, and I fell in love with this technique. So, after the shooting, I decided to create a whole collection with beaded elements. All embroidery is handmade,” says Maria Starchak.

Items from the everyday part of the “Cranes” collection by STARCHAK are also embellished with beads: embroidery adorns jackets and boleros. They haven’t forgotten about the beaded fringe – a recognizable symbol of the brand, appreciated by Ukrainian and international stars, including Jamala, Yulia Sanina, and Frank Peter Wilde.