Fashion For Ukraine – Introduction

Fashion has long been regarded as an industry largely intertwined with self-expression and social activism. Recent consumer studies show that a group named the Regenzies is taking this tendency in stride with new self-empowering shopping habits. According to LSN Global, their consumption pattern is fixated on three pillars:

1. Pillar 1: Ethics: this consumer group wants to relinquish their support for brands that hold unfair and dangerous policies towards their employees.
2. Pillar 2: Environment: this consumer group believes they have the power to influence brands to become more sustainable by reclaiming their consumer power, straying away from those who greenwash or simply ignore environmental needs.
3. Pillar 3: Community: this consumer group carries on with an ideology that emerged during Covid-19, launched by the government to encourage community spending to help local businesses, hence they often find themselves drawn to the cause of supporting start-ups or local brands.

Voicing a social, political, or environmental opinion has become increasingly simple. It is all a matter of due diligence upon purchase. I must admit this offers necessary relief especially if you are conscious of the intricacies of global issues. The issue at the heart of this article is the Russian war on Ukraine. We are eight months into a full-scale invasion of sovereign Ukraine, which you most likely have heard of. A war that has claimed 4,677 lives, out of which 321 are children, and a war that is causing estimated damage worth $4.3 billion weekly (Amjad & Josephs, 2021)

In moments like this, when you analyze the misfortunes of others and power imbalances in the world that lead to these situations – you are prompted to wonder what you could be doing as a citizen to help. Perhaps a war, especially one which rages on thousands of miles away from you might seem like a mammoth of a problem, not suitable for one person to solve. However, with reference to the aforementioned power of consumption, hope manages to linger.

This article series is directed at discussing the possible ways we as a community can use fashion to help Ukraine. First, expect to be acquainted with several Ukrainian brands that ship internationally so you can easily express your support for them. Soon you will also find an exciting article that helps style these Ukrainian-made timepieces into your wardrobe and personal style. Lastly make sure to catch several enticing interviews with Ukrainian designers, who share their stories on promoting sustainable fashion in Ukraine, and running a business through a full-fledged war.

Read the next article in the series “Fashion For Ukraine: Meet the Creatives” here!