“Model Must Focus on About Vital Issues”: Ukrainian Dressmaker Jean Gritsfeldt On His Highly effective Show

Kyiv-basically based mostly dressmaker Jean Gritsfeldt used to be getting willing his descend 2022 collection for Berlin Model Week when the Russian invasion of Ukraine began. Right here, he explains why he went forward with his display intellectual three weeks later, with an awfully numerous collection. 

I ancient to dwell in the heart of Kyiv, nonetheless when the battle began I left my flat to forestall at my mother’s condominium [on the outskirts of the city]. Clearly, we had suggestions about whether or no longer we must leave Ukraine or no longer no longer up to cross from the metropolis, nonetheless I intellectual felt that we obligatory to forestall; we obligatory to be here. I’m attempting to keep basically the most I’m in a position to, in my view, to abet neighbors and to volunteer in the predicament. Aloof, it feels like it’s no longer ample. We’re all hoping and praying that things will switch in the shut to future—we’re certainly hoping.

I thought about cancelling my vogue display at Berlin Model Week, nonetheless I felt this energy inner me—I don’t know the place from nonetheless I made the resolution to proceed to keep what I keep. I was speaking a lot with my crew and I’m thankful to them on memoir of they gave me this confidence that we obligatory to keep it. It used to be crucial on memoir of at some stage in vogue month you saw quite a lot of vogue manufacturers completely ignoring what goes on in Ukraine. Model has a energy, and by our crew it’ll discuss very crucial things.

Earlier than the whole lot took site, we had been getting willing an awfully numerous collection. [After the invasion began], we had been making choices in a short time. We had in some unspecified time in the future to keep the sketches, to full the mood boards. My colleague who helped me used to be sitting in a bomb refuge; the lights would swap on and off. Now taking into consideration it I don’t even know the plot we made it happen.

I was thinking that we obligatory very total garments to set up these [slogans] on the devices in Ukrainian and English, corresponding to “like”, “independence”, “freedom”—things we’re now carrying as a protection. We decided to encompass a model [painted in red]; that is symbolic of us paying for peace with our blood, on memoir of the title on the T-shirt used to be “peace”. I purchased this notion that we obligatory a flag gown to keep, on the assorted hand it used to be see you later we decided to possess the devices lift it as an more than just a few and possess this non secular second by the finale.