Ukrainian designer Svitlana Bevza made a bold statement at New York Fashion Week, using her collection to highlight the pain of war and pay homage to her country. Beginning the show with a moment of silence, Bevza aimed to honor Ukraine and condemn the Russian invasion that has brought devastation to her homeland.
Bevza, a regular participant at New York Fashion Week, is based in Kyiv and runs her own workshops there. However, following the invasion in late February, she was forced to flee the city with her two children to escape the constant threat of explosions and sirens. Her husband, Volodymyr Omelyan, who is a former government minister and politician, stayed behind to fight for their country.
Titled ‘Fragile Motherland,’ Bevza’s spring-summer collection held significant political meaning and was unveiled at a venue on Wall Street. To remind everyone of the ongoing war and the thousands of lives lost, she projected the Ukrainian flag onto a wall, embracing the blue and yellow colors symbolizing her homeland.
In an interview with AFP, Bevza highlighted the harsh reality of the situation, emphasizing the seriousness of the war. She said, “Some people maybe do not understand that this is going for real. And today is the 202nd day of war in Ukraine. And there’s thousands of people dead.” Bevza also shared her personal experience, discussing how she had to leave her country to ensure the safety of her children while her husband remained on the frontlines.
The collection itself featured a combination of sensual tops paired with skirts or pants, mirroring the idea of bullet-proof vests. Some garments resembled shields, revealing the shoulders and navel. A significant element of the collection was the inclusion of grains of wheat, symbolizing Ukraine as the bread basket to the world. One striking piece was a necklace depicting charred black wheat, representing the destruction caused by the Russians.
Bevza drew inspiration for the skirt designs from the loose cut worn by Ukrainian women while harvesting wheat. This imagery holds a profound significance, referencing the history of famine in the 1930s, which was attributed to Stalin. As Bevza explained, “What we protect now, we protect the fertile lands. And what we are basically fighting for is to live free, to live in peace in our land.”
Through her collection, Svitlana Bevza not only showcased her artistic talents as a designer but also shed light on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the resilience of its people. By incorporating patriotic symbols, powerful imagery, and personal experiences, she elevated fashion to a platform for social and political commentary.
To learn more about Svitlana Bevza and her work, you can visit her official website: https://bevza.com/.
For additional information on the situation in Ukraine, you can visit the official website of Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs: https://mfa.gov.ua/en.
