Despite ongoing concerns about a potential military escalation between Russia and Ukraine amid growing US-Russia friction the 25th anniversary edition of the event went ahead without disruption.

The official schedule of the four-day fashion week, which wrapped Feb. 6, included 35 shows, exhibitions and forums in the country’s capital, Kyiv.

Most shows were in-person events that were also shown online, with highlights including shows from Serhiy Byzov, Viktor Anisimov, Olena Vorozhbyt and Tetyana Zemskova (all of whom also participated in the very first edition of Ukrainian Fashion Week 25 years ago). The schedule mix included both veterans, as well as 84 young designers from local fashion schools taking part in a series of group shows.

“One of the most important areas of our work has always been the search and support of talented young designers,” Ukrainian Fashion Week chief executive, Iryna Danylevska, said.

Founded in 1997, Ukrainian Fashion Week is often described as the first continuous fashion event in former Soviet Union countries and one of the earliest in Eastern Europe. In total, more than 1600 shows and 400 brands have participated over 25 years.

Established designers including Lilia Litkovska, Olena Burenina, Andre Tan, Olena Przhonska, Ksenia Schneider, Oleksandr Kanevsky, Iryna Dzhus, Natalia Kamenska, Olesya Kononova, Artem Klymchuk and Ivan Frolov helped kick-start their careers with shows at Ukrainian Fashion Week.

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Ukraine’s Fashion Industry Grapples with Geopolitical Tensions

Ukrainian Fashion Week will go ahead as planned this week despite concerns about a potential military escalation between Russia and Ukraine amid growing US-Russia friction.