Skip to main content
На сайті проводяться технічні роботи. Вибачте за незручності.

Production-line fashion

Ukrainian brands represent the 2008-09 fall/winter season
12 March, 00:00

With every passing year, the word “industry” is becoming increasingly applicable to Ukrainian fashion. Fashionistas are beginning to be aware that glittering little stones and shocking decorations are only the tip of the iceberg. And, despite all the romanticism, fashion is also a product of factories, workshops, and sewing machines. So it was only natural that the organizing committee of Ukrainian Fashion Week, which just ended, chose the motto “From Shows to an Industry.”

The Trade Mark Parade has been held since March 2006. This year there were nine shows of commercial brand name collections over three days. Unlike pret-a-porter collections, which were also shown during Ukrainian Fashion Week, this clothing can be easily mass-produced (which either absolutely excludes manual work and other complex decorative elements or means that they are not unique). This type of clothing is far more democratic, and cheaper. Still, its relatively low cost does not mean that it is made of cheap fabrics.

The quality and esthetic value of the Trade Mark Parade collections are gradually increasing. Today’s commercial fashion cannot be compared to what could be seen on catwalks even before organizers placed shows of commercial collections into one event (in the past they were shown only on one day during Fashion Week). This is connected to a couple of factors: first, the various brands have modernized their creative potential, and second, famous designers are bringing their second lines to the market of mass-produced clothing. Of course, this is not as interesting as pret-a-porter, but entirely different goals are at work here.

“What goal? It’s to earn money, pardon the expression,” designer Iryna Karavai admits, “so that business works as it should and supports image-building projects. The point is that deluxe clothes do not generate huge profits. So it is only natural that there are two lines.”

This season Iryna Karavai showed her second NBKaravay line on the catwalk. The designer has participated in Ukrainian Fashion Week for five years in a row and will show her 10th pret-a-porter collection on March 14. Her second line is more democratic, comfortable, and multipurpose. This simplification makes it far easier to manufacture garments, but not to design them.

“In reality, this is very difficult for a designer. There are a lot of subtle points to take into account,” Karavai said. “For instance, the design should be a multipurpose one so that the garment can be easily combined with something else. There should be a minimal amount of investment in the piece of clothing, which must still look effective. How can we achieve this? Commercial clothing is totally different. It should be more fashionable, even in terms of trends. At the same time, we are trying to make clothes that will be worn for more than one season. So there are many factors.”

In her commercial debut Karavai used the so-called complex colors — indigo, ink, ice, strawberry, black, graphite, and anthracite, with a sprinkling saffron, lemon, and ginger. The clothing is made of natural, comfortable fabrics, like cashmere, cotton, waterproof fabrics, and knits. She calls the second NBKaravay line “a mature step.”

“We’ve been heading toward this for five years. Before, we used to prepare what can be called pret-a- porter deluxe collections, which involve decorations and handiwork. All this time we were studying our markets and Western ones. In reality, a mass-produced collection is a difficult and risky enterprise in an unstable market.”

It is very important for the development of this industry that the entire collection will be made in Ukraine. The designer says she has already made deals with well- equipped national factories.

Mikhail Voronin’s show, Sensations from a Menswear Master, was promoted as a special high-profile event. The show also launched a perfume made by the Voronin Company, Ukraine’s first designer scent manufactured by the French company Expressions Parfumees. Out of more than 100 original fragrance creations, one was chosen that best corresponds to the Voronin brand’s male image. The clothing collection, in line with this designer’s traditions and based on bright and fresh colors, like white, yellow, green, peach, pale pink, and lilac, as well as on summer-weight natural fabrics and classic cuts, was displayed to the accompaniment of dances and acrobatic numbers.

Almost all the trademarks represented at the Trade Mark Parade are narrowly specialized. Ant uses furs, Juno makes evening dresses, KahianiT traditionally designs wedding fashions, and the Maria Collection specializes in knitwear. The Naria Collection brand name, a longtime participant in commercial design shows, showed a collection harking back to the 1950s and 1960s. Natural yarn and textiles were featured in the complicated cuts of dresses with high waists and wide sleeves.

The Juno trademark, which presented the Eclipse Collection designed by Iryna Cherniak, performed the honorary role of opening the three-day show. The organizers stunned the spectators with special effects, lighting, music, and “for dessert” — Lika Roman, Miss Ukraine 2007. The collection featured predominantly black, white, and silver colors. Dresses made of exclusive fabrics, ranging from long ballroom gowns to ultra-short ones, had deep cuts, high slits, and glitter. As befits evening gowns, they were worn with patent-leather shoes and long velour gloves. In a departure from tradition, KahianiT also showed wedding gowns as well as cocktail and evening dresses. There was a lot of lace, satin, taffeta, and organza. Decorations consisted of imitation pearls and appliques. Unconventionally-cut wedding gowns also featured a complex range of peach and olive colors.

Delimiter 468x90 ad place

Новини партнерів:

slide 7 to 10 of 8

Subscribe to the latest news:

Газета "День"
read