Kyiv Fashion Days: Five Years Anniversary
Kyiv is steadily growing as a fashion capital and the 10th season of Mercedes-Benz Kyiv Fashion Days is a testament to that. Despite being the 10th, this event turned up quite a few firsts.
The growth of the show clearly indicates that Ukrainian fashion has a bright future. The progress Ukrainian designers have made over the last five years is truly amazing. It’s incredible to watch the fashion industry of one country produce so many talents that are expanding to international markets.
Recounting the entire event will be impossible as this anniversary was full of achievements that deserve recognition. But we are happy to share some of the highlights: Ukrainian designers gaining international recognition.
The LVMH Prize, coveted by designers the world over, went to three Ukrainian talents in the last two years. In 2014 it was Paskal and Anna October. In 2015 the world fashion community granted the well-deserved recognition to a stunningly daring but nonetheless beautiful collection from Anton Belinsky. His new creation was inspired by the Bauhaus and graffiti. The beautiful show Belinsky put on in Kiev is a definite proof of how much the acknowledgement from the icons of fashion pushed him forward. Recognition is essential for every artist, and fashion designers crave support from both admiring customers and their colleagues who already managed to climb to the top.
Café Charlotte: fashion over breakfast.
Anna October proved that she hasn’t lost the edge from the LVMH Prize and put on a show that charmed the guests. Since gaining the Prize, she’s been showcasing her collections in Paris. She took the romance of the fashion capital back to Kiev and invited the guests of the event to a lovely Café Charlotte where she spoke of every piece of her collection. To sweeten the experience, the presentation was followed by a delicious breakfast of croissants, caviar, and foie gras.
Moving to the international markets.
Only five years ago no Ukrainian designer could even hope to see his or her collections in international outlets. Today, Anna K, the best-sold designer from this Eastern European country, presents her new collection in more than 40 stores. Our store is one of the outlets where you can take your pick of the latest Ukrainian collections.
Anna K’s show was a fantasy fairy tale. Baby-faced models grazed the runway like true fairies, flittering among paper trees. The outfits complemented fantasy atmosphere adding a touch of magic to the show.
Support for newest talents.
No fashion show of this magnitude can go without a prize of some sort. The Mercedes-Benz Fashion Days only introduced its special prize last season, but it has already made some significant changes. The award comes with a substantial check that can really make a difference for a beginning designer. This year’s prize winner is Ksenia Shnaider. There is no arguing the fact that her military and worker style inspired collection was the most deserving of all the contenders. We are looking forward to seeing her growth in the following seasons, which will definitely be assisted by prize money.
Advancing fashion education.
This season of Kiev Fashion Days was the first to actually take fashion industry education to the next level. Before this, we saw only lectures, which was good but definitely not enough. This year, however, the event included a forum where the guests and participants got a chance to hear the speeches of Valerie Steele of the Fashion Institute of Technology and Vanessa Friedman of The New Your Times. There were not the only one to share their views on fashion and the industry development. Hilary Alexander, an esteemed journalist, and an editor from Forbes Woman Ukraine were also in attendance. All the people who participated in the forum undoubtedly pushed Ukrainian fashion industry to a new level by providing education, which is necessary but so often overlooked in this field of business.
The discovery of new talents.
The definite highlight of the event was the introduction of newly discovered designers from the Fashion Scout Kiev program. The new names in the industry are Maria Hicher, Flow, Lana Ballary, #theo, and Dariia Lagenberg. Their collections were one of the most discussed topics of the event. It would be exciting to see how they grow and develop their talents in future years. Perhaps soon, they will get to the point where their outfits will be added to our stock.
