Despite Russian Invasion, Ukrainian Companies Take on New Ventures

As Ukraine continues to withstand the largest full-scale military aggression in Europe since World War II, domestic fashion brands and other businesses are trying to move forward as well as they can.

Some displaced workers and designers have returned to Ukraine after temporarily relocating to other countries. Other business owners, who continue to be based abroad, are visiting more regularly to oversee production runs and check in with employees. To drum up interest in Ukrainian fashion, design and tech resources, the inaugural three-day Ukrainian Creators Fair featuring the creations of 120 Ukrainian makers was a sellout ticketed event in New York City.

As of last fall, the World Bank estimated that the cost of rebuilding Ukraine would be around $349 billion — a figure that is larger than its gross domestic product before the Russian invasion last year.

Despite the upheaval in the capital city of Kyiv, Katya Silchenko, the founder and designer of Coat by Katya Silchenko, has developed a new showroom. The airy 2,000-square-foot space hints at ethic traditions, since her latest collection was inspired by pottery. It has been in test mode and officially opens Monday. In addition to a select assortment of ceramics, the showroom features such design-minded furniture as a “Reversive“ armchair by Martin Eisler for Tacchini, a coral-colored sofa made with the Danish textile manufacturer Kvadrat, and a table made from vintage factory machinery that was salvaged from the U.K. As a sign of Ukraine’s resilience, Silchenko wanted to go forward with her plans for a new showroom and to keep her business going, despite the turmoil in the city.

Her company is also committed to its charity initiative — selling white sneakers with blue and yellow accents that are reminiscent of the primary colors in the Ukrainian national flag. Ukraine’s first lady Olena Zelenska helped to popularize the style by wearing a pair during a 2019 visit to Brussels. Over the past year the brand has donated more than $31,000 from profits from sales of the $310 footwear to charities that support Ukraine’s military and relief efforts. The Spunbound Foundation, an organization that provides support on the medical and cultural fronts, is among the beneficiaries.