LUkraine Fundraising Event Puts Spotlight on Ukrainian Fashion Industry

As part of its recently launched fundraising campaign "Ukraine is calling", LUkraine asbl put on a fashion show presenting the designs of Ukrainian designer Elvira Gasanova at the non-profit's premises in Luxembourg-Kirchberg on Thursday evening.

About 50 people attended this invitation-only event with guests representing the local Luxembourgish and international communities (from Ukraine and elsewhere). The evening began with networking over finger food and drinks.

LUkraine asbl President Nicolas Zharov then introduced the main event, i.e. the GASANOVA Fashion Show, recalling that the non-profit's main mission remained the provision of humanitarian aid to Ukraine but this particular event aimed to showcase Ukraine's "fashion genius" - one aspect of the country with which people in Luxembourg may not be familiar. He also asked those present to support LUkraine asbl's global fundraising campaign, "Ukraine is calling", which is first running at the national level in the Grand Duchy; the goal is to raise €10 million to buy 112 ambulances for Ukraine's Ministry of Health and the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.

LUkraine asbl volunteer Kateryna Zaitseva, who coordinated the event together with committee member Marianna Pogosova, then presented the designer, Elvira Gasanova, who founded the fashion brand "GASANOVA" in 2014. Her iconic crystal dresses and statement suits were recently on display at Brussels Fashion Week and whilst she could not attend the Luxembourg fashion show in person, Elvira Gasanova agreed to send her designs from Brussels to the Grand Duchy for the occasion and she recorded a short video message praising LUkraine asbl's fundraising campaign and recalling the need for continued support for medics and firefighters in Ukraine.

The event was also the occasion for Kateryna Zaitseva and Marianna Pogosova to announce the launch of their new initiative: the Luxembourg Art & Fashion Foundation (LAFF). The GASANOVA Fashion Show was the first of several events planned by the LAFF platform with the aim of developing the creative industry in Luxembourg. Future fashion events (featuring Ukrainian and other local and international designers) as well as workshops for young people with an interest in fashion and/or art in Luxembourg are in the pipeline. "This is just the beginning", confirmed Kateryna and Marianna, describing LAFF as a "great platform for [...] introducing Ukrainian artists to Europe" and vice versa. They added that LUkraine asbl's offices were the "right place for a show linked with Ukraine because it is a very difficult and painful time for [Ukrainians]" and called for support for the "Ukraine is calling" campaign.

It was then time for about a dozen models (some of whom are Ukrainian refugees living in Luxembourg) to showcase the designs of Elvira Gasanova - all of which are for sale via LAFF on Instagram. The show ended with one model wearing a modernised white "Vyshyvanka" dress, which, according to Marianna, symbolised hope.