At Paris Fashion Week, the Ukrainian brand LITKOVSKA presented the ZHNYVA collection, which ‘symbolizes the gathering of the brand’s achievements over 15 years’. Its central part is a charity collaboration with British artist Nick Knight, known, in particular, for his collaboration with Alexander McQueen, Yohji Yamamoto and other world designers
About the collaboration
The collaboration between LITKOVSKA and Nick Knight was initiated by Holger Homann, head of the international humanitarian organization Be an Angel e.V., which has been supporting Ukraine and providing evacuations since March 2022. The LITKOVSKA team members say that they and Knight ‘had a dialogue between two artists about war, colors and creativity’.
The collaborative capsule Flowers Know Better explores ‘the power and wisdom of nature, where flowers epitomize the boundaries between endurance and fragility’.
‘While in peacetime flowers decorate and bring comfort to us in our homes, the flowers that grow through the rubble or on the battlefield provide hope and demonstrate the power of beauty and nature’, Lilia Litkovska is quoted as saying in the press release.
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The collaborative capsule includes items united by the theme of harvest — the leitmotif of LITKOVSKA’s main collection. It features jackets, suit trousers, open-back vests, voluminous shirts and denim pieces, including skirts and jackets, as well as a T-shirt with the inscription Flowers Know Better. Nick Knight has developed floral images for the items that have been further deconstructed, embroidered and applied on fabrics, playing with the form and lines of the clothes.
‘I abhor violence and brutality of all kinds where-ever and however it happens, — Nick Knight adds. — If within this collaboration my work can bring any relief from, or shine a light on the cruel and inhuman suffering that this dreadful war is causing, then I will be delighted’.
The collection will go on sale in February 2025. All profits will be used to support Ukrainian children affected by the war. The brand will publish more information about the charity part closer to the start of sales.
About LITKOVSKA Spring/Summer 2025 collection
The LITKOVSKA main collection features deconstructed elements of men’s wardrobe adapted for women’s clothing. Multi-layered designs, which are signature for the Ukrainian brand, can be traced in the looks with trench coats combined with several denim shirts, as well as bomber jackets presented with jackets and T-shirts.
The collection also includes mesh tops and blouses with patches resembling corn tassels, asymmetric dresses and all-black outfits made of glossy faux leather.
The concept of the show, according to LITKOVSKA, is ‘dialog as an ultimate way of reaping and sowing ideas and meanings’.
‘LITKOVSKA tapped into this metaphor in March this year, beginning in Paris, where guests wrote wishes for peace and victory for Ukraine on white ribbons’, the brand adds.
The concept was inspired by the hidden network of the Underground Post of Ukraine, established after World War II. It issued non-state postage stamps with Ukrainian themes abroad.
LITKOVSKA has designed stamps with its own design especially for the messages.
In August 2024, these messages were presented in Kyiv, where people who attended the presentation wrote letters to Paris. Now they have returned to the French city, completing the circle.
Nick Knight is a British fashion photographer and founder of SHOWstudio, which specializes in shooting fashion films.
He is known for creating campaigns for Tom Ford, Calvin Klein, Saint Laurent, Chanel, Fendi and Christian Dior. He has also worked on videos for singers such as Björk, Lady Gaga and Kanye West.
In 2024, Knight became creative consultant for the Sleeping Beauties exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art dedicated to the Costume Institute’s annual ball Met Gala.
