Behind the scenes

Getting ready for the upcoming Ukrainian Fashion Week SS25, which will take place in Kyiv from September 1 to 4, the UFW team reached out to the participating brands with a question: How is your brand coping with the full-scale invasion? In this article, Fedir Vozianov, the founder of the v o z i a n o v brand, shares his memories and impressions with the editors.

After the start of the full-scale russian invasion of Ukraine, the v o z i a n o v studio suspended its operations. Priority was given to the personal safety of each team member and their loved ones. We began to return to work gradually from June 2022.

Our first steps were political posters, some of which turned into T-shirt prints. The second step was launching the timeless collection “National Minimalism” with a special first drop – a white “vytinanka” with a black velvet trident, where we used the ancient Ukrainian technique of velvet applique, which modern technologies helped reproduce. After the launch of this model, the studio resumed its operations at full capacity.

On December 4, 2022, at the iconic Carnegie Hall in New York, the Kyiv Children’s Choir “Shchedryk” performed the renowned namesake piece of the Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych. The team’s costumes were designed by the v o z i a n o v studio.

We are currently continuing experiments in the field of “disembodied” fashion, a concept that our studio initiated several years ago. One of its manifestations is the collaboration with artist Faina Yerenburg, showcased at Copenhagen Fashion Week in partnership with Ukrainian Fashion Week and the Ukrainian Fashion Council. We also regularly hold meetings with young designers within the framework of UFEG.

Currently, we at v o z i a n o v continue experimening with the “disembodied” fashion concept launched by our team several years ago. It is embodied in our collaboration with artist Faina Yerenburg and was also presented at Copenhagen Fashion Week in partnership with UFW.

We also keep holding meetings with young designers within the framework of UFEG (Ukrainian Fashion Education Group). To this day, almost all team members remained in the brand, and the number of employees even grew. Currently, most sales are online, and the geography of orders has expanded significantly. The main challenges facing the studio are the development of the creative, manufacturing, and commercial potential of v o z i a n o v in wartime conditions.