UWFIA: Ukrainian Women-Led Fashion Brands Unite and Shine at Paris Fashion Week
Five prominent Ukrainian women-led fashion brands joined forces under the banner of UWFIA (Ukrainian Women Fashion Industry Alliance). Nadya Dzyak, Chereshnivska, Grie, SAYYA, and Tamar Keburia presented new SS'24 collections during Paris Fashion Week, showcasing their unity and strength. The event was supported by the USAID Competitive Economy Program in Ukraine (USAID CEP).
UWFIA designers showed their latest creations in the VETEMAZE showroom, where, in addition to presenting their collections, they also discussed the mission of the Alliance and made plans for the future. The event got the attention of both foreign and local media, revealing the current problems and the general Ukrainian socio-economic issues through the prism of fashion and culture.
"Our teams work in Ukraine. We all work and create to preserve jobs in our respective companies. It is very important given the circumstance," - says designer and brand founder NADYA DZYAK.
Every collection presented at Paris Fashion Week is a testament to the resilience, dedication, and unique creative potential of Ukrainian designers. Among their creations are upcycled denim pieces, handwoven garments, transparent pleat dresses made in Kharkiv, and items with David Hockney prints. It is a variety of textures and shapes accompanied by bags produced in a Kyiv-based family studio, with technologies passed down from generation to generation.
Nadya Dzyak states that after showing the new collection in London, she gave many soulful interviews to the foreign press, in which she shared that Ukrainian artist Polina Raiko was the inspiration for the new collection. Now her house-museum is destroyed as the result of The Kakhovka Dam destruction.
In addition, a photo collage installation was set up specifically for the event. It showed the production process of each brand. Highlighting the work of teams, creative studios, and their staff. These displays allowed foreign media to witness how Ukrainian production operates despite various challenges. Everyone is determined to stay in Ukraine no matter what.
"It is a great joy to find like-minded people. Those who give their best and work as one towards shared success. Doing everything possible and impossible for the development of the fashion industry in Ukraine," - says Alisa Grishaeva, GRIE accessories brand designer.
Moreover, there were unique accessories made for the guests of the showroom. Hand-made fabric flowers were crafted from the material used by the five brands in their collections, representing a thematic symbol of unity.
UWFIA (Ukrainian Women's Fashion Industry Alliance) is an Alliance founded by five Ukrainian designers: Nadya Dzyak, Chereshnivska, Grie, Sayya, and Tamar Keburia. Its main goal is to support women in the fashion industry, regardless of place of residence, age, or specialization. It is an Alliance with a special emphasis on women's entrepreneurship and leadership.
The brands have come together and function as a single entity. In just a few months of their collaboration, the designers have provided each other with invaluable assistance in finding new employees, suppliers, sales channels, and business contacts. This coordinated teamwork proved that the unity of like-minded people yields incredible results and amplifies each other's voices.
Alliance’s slogan: "You are not alone"! UWFIA is a symbol of unity and new opportunities. With the goal to inspire women to follow their greatest ambitions and develop Ukrainian fashion during the most challenging times.
"Thanks to the alliance and its contacts, I now have two new partner stores abroad" - says Iryna Kohana, the founder of the Chereshnivska brand. "I have the opportunity to get advice on any aspect of the business and that is invaluable."
"We have been together for 4 months, and during this time we managed to unite into a real team based on faith and mutual support," - says Tamriko Keburiya, designer of the cognominal brand.
According to Lyubov Makarenko, designer of the SAYYA brand: "Alliance has become a support system for me. I don't feel alone in my line of work. I now have partners who will lend me a helping hand, and I'm ready to help them in return"!
