This month in New York City at the COTERIE Trade Show, six Ukrainian designers presented their fall collections. Chereshnivska, Kulakovsky, POCHÉ, Samokish, TMosca and Valery Kovalska are the Ukrainian brands of women’s and unisex apparel plus accessories they made a big impression on the fashion industry’s audience. This was the first multi-brand housed Ukrainian booth at the tradeshow, where the biggest fashion’s talents come together with thousands of buyers, influencers, retailers, and media relations from around the globe.
These Ukrainian collections were made of fearlessness, courage, and creativity which was embraced by hundreds in the fashion industry audience. All Ukrainian designers are incorrigible optimists and have a firm position: not to stop no matter what comes their way.
“Buyers were so interested in all the brands and there was success from every collection in our booth. Buyers didn’t come to support Ukraine at first, they loved the styles and stopped by because the talent caught their eyes and then once they found out we were showcasing Ukrainian Designers they wanted to support even more”, comments the Global Fashion Expert Jen Sidary.
“Ukrainian designers have captured the attention of fashion elites and clients around the globe, while representing Ukraine and showcasing their inspired collections within the most influential fashion shows. USAID CEP will continue supporting talented Ukrainian designers within trade missions, helping them reach their limitless potential, adding to the appeal of the country’s fashion industry”, Olesya Zaluska, USAID CEP Chief of Party says.
Founder of Angel for Fashion Jen Sidary coordinated the implementation of this initiative with a grant from USAID Competitive Economy Program to Lviv Fashion Week. The main goal was to increase global visibility of the Ukrainian fashion brands and unite people worldwide in their independent businesses.
UKRAINIAN FASHION BRANDS
AT THE COTERIE SHOW
They continue to work and develop their brands even while the war continues in their country. Every collection is really a small work of art in which everyone finds and interprets a certain meaning in their own way.
KULAKOVSKY
KULAKOVSKY is a brand of handcrafted leather goods. Striving to create timeless and trendy wardrobe items, KULAKOVSKY brand reinterprets classic silhouettes and combines the synergy of the brand’s main values: responsible sourcing of materials, premium production standards and high-class customer service.
This season Kulakovsky juxtaposed opposites – modesty and provocative, femininity and masculinity, and presents a selection of classic outerwear that at the same time attracts attention.
“We need to be bold and liberated today, because later may never come” comments Artur Kulakovsky.
KULAKOVSKY’s desire to experiment with classics is reflected in the techniques used during the production process – a patchwork leather jacket or lacing work that can be adjusted for a comfortable fit.
POCHÉ
POCHÉ JEWELLERY pieces are designed to provoke thought and attract attention. Each mindfully enhances the style, personality, and vibe of their wearers through playful combinations of colour and shape.
“The design of our jewellery is the fruit of collaboration with a young designer from London. It helps to visualise our ideas and find the right technological solutions for them, which are then implemented by craftsmen at our production site in Singapore” Nadya Syomik and Tati Brailova, the founders from POCHÉ say.
This season’s Playground collection was created to immerse in the childhood memories when all objects around us were colourful and full of variations to play with. The collection was born out of the mutual desire to create jewellery that is as playful as ready-to-wear and that maintains the same level of craftsmanship and exquisite attention to detail. Playground represents incredible work with bright colours and mixing different materials together to create something unique and special.
POCHÉ are special pieces of jewellery that every woman deserves.
SAMOKISH
Samokish Jewelry is hand-made, all the pieces are precious and rather delicate, so gentle handling is required to keep your favourite jewellery piece in good condition.
This season Samokish presented the new collection “Dreams”, which is about sun and warmth which in Ukraine is so lacking now. With faith in a bright future, we broadcast our love for beauty through bright colours and gold elements that permeate the entire collection. We continue our favourite theme with asymmetry and transformers earrings. We reproduce the favourite flowers of brooches in a new, bright colour scheme. With a dream of a warm sea and sun, we recreate the elements in gilding, all handmade in Ukraine.
“Imagine that there is jewellery in which heart and soul are invested. It’s not just jewellery. This is the embodiment of true femininity, elegance, freedom, inner strength and beauty”, says Kateryna Basovska owner of Samokish.
T.MOSCA
The Ukrainian brand T.Mosca was born to be unique. Its peculiarity and identity lies in high quality knitwear, created with love. The colour range of the collection is charismatic black, spectacular turquoise and terracotta, as well as laconic white and beige.
This season, T.Mosca revealed the idea of the collection reflects the light movement of the adventurous lady. She is flying through life, lifted by the wind and her own lightness. There are iconic dresses and suits but upgraded with the feathers.
“We specialise in using the highest quality materials such as cotton, wool, and mohair, we offer an artistic touch on knitwear and everyday-routine pieces”, Katerina Kvit the co-founder of T.Mosca says.
VALERY KOVALSKA
Valery Kovalska brand with distinctive features and unique design prints, pleats, a commitment to playing with tuxedo architecture, sophisticated techniques, and handicraft.
This season, Valery Kovalska presented a ready-to-wear collection celebrating craftsmanship and “neo-couture”. Extravagant yet feminine, it is seen as contrasting ideas of exquisite couture designs, modern wearability, and bold dare-to-shine attitude. The 
distinctive feature of the collection is unique design prints, pleats, a commitment to playing with tuxedo architecture, sophisticated techniques, and handicraft.
The Ukrainian fashion industry, like the whole country, is currently going through a difficult time, but brands are making every effort to continue and grow their creativity. Beautiful, bright, fashionable future awaits all Ukrainian designers.
CHERESHNIVSKA
The famous Ukrainian brand Chereshnivska uses the basics of conceptual art to develop its models. The founder of the brand, Eva Chereshnivska, has an artistic approach, creating sketches based on the philosophy of minimalism.
This season, Chereshnivska presented the best of basics and upcycle collections.
“Developing new markets is like starting a business from scratch. When you lose 90% of sales, it is very difficult to find resources for further development. This is about finances and about the moral component. Despite the constant blackouts and cold weather, we are preparing a collection. We will show our best models, as well as new ones”, Iryna Kokhana, owner of Chereshnivska says.
The show of Ukrainian designers became possible due to the support of USAID Competitive Economy Program.
USAID is the American development agency that works worldwide to drive development results and supported the Ukrainian fashion industry through the grant for the Ukrainian company Lviv Fashion Week to showcase the designers at the exclusive trade show COTERIE. With vital support from USAID’s work in Ukraine, which demonstrates American generosity and promotes a path to recipient self-reliance and resilience.
