Kyiv-dependent designer Jean Gritsfeldt was planning his slide 2022 assortment for Berlin Vogue 7 days when the Russian invasion of Ukraine began. Right here, he describes why he went in advance with his demonstrate just 3 months later on, with a fully diverse selection.
I made use of to stay in the middle of Kyiv, but when the war started I left my flat to continue to be at my mother’s apartment [on the outskirts of the city]. Of system, we experienced ideas about irrespective of whether we must go away Ukraine or at least transfer from the city, but I just felt that we wanted to keep we required to be here. I’m seeking to do the most I can, personally, to aid neighbors and to volunteer in the area. However, it feels like it is not plenty of. We’re all hoping and praying that matters will improve in the around future—we’re truly hoping.
I thought about cancelling my style demonstrate at Berlin Vogue Week, but I felt this electrical power inside me—I don’t know where by from but I created the conclusion to proceed to do what I do. I was talking a large amount with my team and I’m grateful to them for the reason that they gave me this confidence that we required to do it. It was important since throughout vogue thirty day period you noticed a lot of fashion brand names wholly disregarding what is heading on in Ukraine. Vogue has a energy, and by our community it should discuss about incredibly essential things.
Prior to almost everything happened, we ended up making ready a wholly diverse collection. [After the invasion began], we have been building conclusions pretty speedily. We experienced 1 working day to do the sketches, to entire the mood boards. My colleague who aided me was sitting in a bomb shelter the lights would switch on and off. Now wondering about it I never even know how we designed it materialize.
I was wondering that we desired quite essential outfits to set these [slogans] on the styles in Ukrainian and English, such as “love”, “independence”, “freedom”—things we’re now wearing as a protection. We resolved to include a design [painted in red] this is symbolic of us paying out for peace with our blood, since the title on the T-shirt was “peace”. I bought this thought that we desired a flag gown to complete, but it was so very long we resolved to have the styles carry it alternatively and have this religious minute through the finale.