If you’re a big fan of ethnic clothing, embroidery, fringe, knitted sweaters, wooden elements, beads, leather inserts you should definitely replenish wardrobe with some Vyshyvanka!
For many designers, ethnic motifs have become a сalling card. The main inspirers for the creation of ethnic style clothes were traditional outfits of Japanese, African and indigenous American peoples and Eastern European nations. In Ukraine, traditional clothes are called Vyshyvanka (embroidery), with very bright embroidery, flowers, beads, ribbons. Ukrainian girls wore wicker flowers with colorful ribbons on their heads. The ribbons were also woven into braids. It was a part of the Ukrainian culture, and since fashion tends used to repeat, this style has returned to the 21st century and emphasizes the atmosphere of village life. Until the 20th century rural life in Ukraine was very developed and in general country culture was very flourish, there were no huge factories, high buildings, high-tech, technologies, white collars, which were already introduced in the west, in the U.S., there were no lush lace dresses and hats with feathers, pearl jewelry, and silk scarves like in UK…

People made their own clothes out of the available materials which anybody could get in the countryside. The beads were made of wood, the hair was decorated with flowers and ribbons, and the clothes were cotton with multi-colored embroidery. The peak of fashion was red boots in spring and autumn, in winter people wore warm massive boots “valenky” that looked like Ugg, and in summer they wore wicker shoes called laptops. Scarves with fringe were used instead of a belt. From morning till evening the girls were engaged in housekeeping and even such household accessories as an apron were decorated with embroidery and became the basic element of traditional Ukrainian dress.

Modern Ukrainian fashionistas follow the world trends, Ukrainian models conquer the podiums of the most famous fashion houses, and Ukrainian designers create beautiful, stylish and high-quality clothes.

Lyubtsya Chernikova says: “Clothes are my work, my hobby, my air”. She specializes mainly in women’s clothing, girls wearing her dresses look sophisticated and elegant, which is not very common for the ethnic style. She has tunics, blouses, coats, jackets, dresses, and suits. If you chose “Chernikova” clothes for going to a respectable restaurant, you will not look like a rural fool or unwashed hippie, you will feel comfortable and everyone will totally love your stylish bow. Chernikov also creates men’s and children’s clothing, but in small quantities.

“Plahta”, a modern embroidery shop, creates clothes very similar to those of those times. It is more suitable for themed parties or for an event where you want to emphasize that the outfit you had chosen is traditional Ukrainian so nobody confuses the origin of your dress. The most expensive dress is 17000 hryvnia (626 $), well, it is expensive for a typical inhabitant of a Ukrainian village and it is unlikely that people had such means for just one dress, but these days, natural fabrics, handicraft and impeccable sense of taste are expensive and every element of fashionable looks from “Plahta” worth every penny.

Last year The Wall Street Journal named Vita Kin’s embroidery the most popular summer dresses of the year. They were shot by the world’s major glossy magazines, and the world’s biggest retailers fought for the right to sell them. Ethnic dresses and shirts of this young designer were highly appreciated in the West. Vita Kin feels the modern trends and is inspired by the ethnic clothing of her country and creates high-quality and stylish clothes. Her dresses cost up to 2000$.

As you can see, popular clothing and accessories from past disappear for a while and then reappear, such as straw hats, kimono dresses, ponchos and light cotton shirts with embroidery. What other incredible returns from the past can be expected? An embroidered apron as a new direction of pin-ups will be a good addition to boho-style lovers!? FOR SURE!