During Milan Fashion Week, the mood changed following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, while shows went ahead as planned. As the fashion weeks continued in Milan and then in Paris, brands started taking stands; donating to Ukraine, talking about the war in their shows, calling everyone to support, rallying for peace...
Ukraine’s fashion community: Fighting the information war
As the invasion of Ukraine continues, the country’s designers and agencies are doing what they can to connect with relatives and colleagues trapped in besieged cities and lobby for harsher sanctions on Russia.
Nanushka stops selling to Russia, rallies to support Ukraine
The Hungarian brand is devoting its human and financial resources to supporting Ukrainian refugees and creatives.
"Nanushka’s Founder and Creative Director, Sandra Sandor, was born while Hungary was still under a Socialist political system. Sandor, therefore, has a close understanding of, and emotional connection to, today’s invasion. In this instance, we are donating revenue from our e-commerce to fund the launch of several projects that will draw further attention to the war in Ukraine and offer continual support. We’ve partnered with the Hungarian Charity Service of the Order of Malta to provide accomodation, food, clothing and transport to and in Budapest for those seeking shelter as they leave Ukraine. We will also continue to support requests from the charity for items of need." they mentioned.
Read Nanushka's statement of support for the citizens of Ukraine here.
Gucci, Balenciaga, and Burberry join emerging brands rallying for peace
Emerging brands have been leading the way voicing support and fundraising for Ukraine following the Russian invasion. After several days of silence, the first major brands are now showing support.
Chanel, LVMH, Kering add to brands closing Russia stores
The world's largest luxury players including Chanel, LVMH, Kering, Hermès, and Richemont have one by one announced a pause in Russian commercial trading overnight.
The domino effect of store closures means the most high-end jewelry and luxury products from Louis Vuitton to Gucci will not be available on the ground in Russia as the war in Ukraine escalates. Some brands were cautious not to critique Russian President Vladimir Putin or label it a war in their public statements, with many employing staff locally.
Hermès closes stores in Russia due to “situation in Europe”
The brand said it was “deeply concerned”, adding the temporary store closures and pause in commercial activities in Russia is done with “regret”, according to a statement on LinkedIn, confirmed by Vogue Business. Hermès said it will “continue to stand by our local teams”.
Hermès’s post garnered some negative comments for responding to a “situation in Europe”. Hermès could not immediately be reached for comment.
Nike pauses trade with Russia, donates $1 million to relief efforts
The sportswear giant is the latest brand to cease sales and partnerships in Russia in light of the war on Ukraine.
Balenciaga takes a position: Demna talks standing up for Ukraine
The Kering-owned brand got the Paris fashion crowd talking with a personal take on war. Luke Leitch was there.
“Fashion somehow doesn’t matter now, to me.” So said Demna after a Balenciaga show that was the first in mainstream fashion explicitly to address and reference Russia’s invasion of Ukraine - a terrible present reality that the luxury industry has been scrambling to adapt to.
Demna was 12 when he and his brother Guram fled the Georgian civil war - in which Russian-supported separatists were a protagonist - in 1993. With his family, he sought refuge in bomb shelters and escaped the country overland.
Self-described in Sunday’s notes as a “forever refugee” he is now settled in Switzerland and lived for a while in Odesa, Ukraine. Of Sunday’s mise-en-scene he said “I was seeing myself walking the path of 30 years ago when I was in the shelter like some 10-year-old Ukrainian boys and girls are now, with their parents, not knowing when the ceiling will fall on your head. And standing here today and doing that show, that path, to me if I could visually express that it was like those half-naked people walking through that wind.”
“It’s only innocent people that die in the war: I’ve experienced that. And I actually blocked it in myself for 30 years until I started to read the news last week, “ he added. “And it brought all this pain back which I didn't actually do anything for - like anyone who goes through that, you know. The message is love always, I think in everything we should be doing. And fashion has to kind of assume that in some way, at least in terms of taking a position.”
Taking an outspoken position on the war in Ukraine makes him an outlier amongst the luxury megabrands. In Paris this week, many designers have called for peace, raised funds, and joined protests, though none arguably as personally and with the same profile as Demna. Owner Kering, alongside Chanel, Hermès, Prada, and LVMH has announced the pause of operations in Russia, though often without directly criticizing Russia, or even calling it a war.
See the letter that he shared before the show below:
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