|
 No doubt
that every nation has its individual and unique fashion. Perception of the
beautiful differs from nation to nation. They differ in everything, mentality,
historical traditions, and finally beauty standards differ. And the Ukrainian
fashion goes along with the scheme that in its turn was passed by French
fashion but in a less complicated way for more than hundred years ago.
As it is
supposed by the designers themselves the typical Ukrainian feature is still the
fact that Haute Couture is not practiced there. Though, this situation is quite
typical for all post-soviet countries. All their collections represent ready-to-wear
lines, that is pret-a-porter, and the art of vogue is missing.
It is of no
doubt that the Ukrainian fashion has fairly promising future and there are a
great number of preconditions for that.
1. Professional
base. During the Soviet reign the light industry was one of the leading
industries in the Ukraine. And even now the professional level of specialists
at several clothing factory is so high that they work for abroad orders tailoring
up huge batches of the goods. Designing
outlays, drafts, textiles come from abroad and the Ukrainians input their
qualification handicraft.
2. Young
talented designers. Quite a number of various shows and contests are held in
the Ukraine. Among them the most popular are the Ukrainian Fashion Week
Pret-a-porter «Vogue Seasons», International Fashion Festival «Kiev Stage», International
Contest of One Dress «Crystal Silhouette» and many others. New names appear
regularly, yet the famous in the country designers work with popular customers,
like Aina Gase, Aleksey Zalevskiy, Anna Babenko, Sergey Byzov. Some Ukrainian
fashion designers are more popular in Europe than in their home country, yet
the designers seek for more adequate and creditworthy customer. But many others
find ways to promote their collections at home. One of the outstanding examples
is several fashion lines and accessories, and also a domestic though small chain
store system of Victoria GRES Fashion House (with Victoria Gres, the designer).
Another oriflamme example is Lilia Poustovit. Being a gifted designer who
associated her name with the trade name of the investor, she created the
designer brand NB Poustovit which is the most successful brand of wear in the
Ukraine at the moment. The same principle is enjoyed by Nota Bene& Karavay.
A close partnership with another supplier of fabric allowed successful
developing for the other brand, named Golets by Dolcedonna (with Elena Golets,
the designer), as well as for its more popular «sister», the trade mark Dolcedonna.
3. New
ideas, non-employed base of history. Magnificent and tragic history of the
Ukraine, versatile culture and forever clear and inexhaustible fresh ideas. Historical
traditions are in vogue, and this has been proven at the world stages.
However,
there are serious difficulties there, at times insuperable antagonisms...
1. Short of
money assets. With the purpose to release a rigorous collection, the designer
should invest a fortune of money, that is to purchase consumables, like fabric,
furniture, to pay for workers, services, electricity and many other unanticipated
staff. The turnover of the Ukrainian designers is so far so little that it is
impossible to mention dozens of thousand, and God forbid, hundredth of thousands of monetary
units of capital contribution. The investors are mainly occupied in politics
and redivision of property and therefore so little people are concerned in fashion
industry.
2. Smuggling.
The outerwear that is traded in the shops like «French Wear», «Italian Wear»
and so forth, often imported to our country through small «passages» on the
frontier. It is much cheaper since it is likely to arrive from the sales, yet
the owners of boutiques «economize» on duties and taxes. In such conditions the
Ukrainian professionals may not put their competitive prices and consequently
they lose in the struggle for customers.
3. Unavailability
of the consumer. Post-soviet mentality has the willing to wear expensive and
popular brands in common. The consumer is not really concerned whether the
goods are made in the third countries, under the license or at the immediate
production, the most important thing for the consumer is the brand, easily recognized
and well-known. And the alternative is a correct and adequate PR actions and
revision of marketing policy.
4. Closure
of worldwide industry. Surely, nobody wants to feed potential competitors. The
Ukrainian designers have already been invited to work as «anonymous head and
hands» for popular Italian and French fashion designers. Probably it is worth favorably
considering this offer to get to know the dream of the worldwide fashion?
Natalia
Rudenko
|
