The Made-in-Ukraine Movement Is a Fashion Revolution Inline
Photo: Courtesy of @daily_sleeper1/9Sleeper
Instagram: @daily_sleeper
A pajama label started by two former magazine editors, Asya Varetsa and Kate Zubarieva, Sleeper has transformed the idea of exhausted bedtime duds into upbeat, chic separates that you could wear to the office or even to a black-tie event. There are a bevy of silk and cotton pajama shirts in gingham prints and fire-engine red, plenty of slinky slip dresses, and pretty robes that could even be worn as a light jacket or a frock. International retailers have their eyes on the label, too, with Moda Operandi recently scooping them up. In other words? Sleeper is not a brand to snooze on anytime soon.
Photo: Courtesy of @vyshyvanka_by_vitakin2/9Vyshyvanka by Vita Kin
Instagram: @vyshyvanka_by_vitakin
It’s impossible to write about Ukrainian fashion without including the vyshyvanka, the flouncy, hand-embroidered frock that hails from the region and was ubiquitous last fashion month and put its designer, Vita Kin, on the map. Street style stars like Anna Dello Russo and Leandra Medine clamored to wear Kin’s dresses, which is good news for the designer, who has plenty of other bohemian versions of Ukrainian traditional pieces, like colorful zhupan jackets and casual blouses, hidden up her blousy, embroidered sleeve.
Photo: Courtesy of @zhilyova_lingerie3/9Zhilyova Lingerie
Instagram: @zhilyova_lingerie
Lingerie fanatics: A trip to Kiev might be in order. Underpinnings label Zhilyova riffs on classic lingerie styles with just a soupçon of kink or fashion-forward lace trimmings. Looking to spice it up this February 14? A Zhilyova lace crop top easily does double duty as a racy top.
Photo: Courtesy of @ali_saulidi4/9Ali Saulidi
Instagram: @ali_saulidi
Skip the stiletto and opt for some postmodern inches, courtesy of footwear designer Ali Saulidi. Beloved throughout Ukraine for his designs, Saulidi gives sneakers and boots a dose of cool thanks to square-cut platforms. They’re enough to make a sneakerhead scratch their chin and reach for their wallet.
Photo: Courtesy of @kachorovska_atelier5/9Kachorovska Atelier
Instagram: @konstantinkofta
If you’re in the market for a classic and pared-back shoe, try a handmade footwear design from Kachorovska Atelier. The label offers everything from sleek tricolor brogues to double monk strap shoes and patent leather loafers. A favorite? The espadrilles—embroidered with some motherland pride.
