The war in Ukraine comes to the table at Fashion Week

Paris Fashion Week opened on Monday against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine. For the fashion world, the geo-political subject has not been met with indifference and it has already interfered in the presentation of a collection.

The event took place within a group presentation organised in the ninth arrondissement of Paris by the Fashion Farm Foundation, a nonprofit organisation that promotes young Hong Kong designers and which brought together around 200 guests, mainly fashion professionals, press and influencers. Among the brands presented: the jewellery label, Sweet Lime Juice.

To stage its new line, the brand - notably distributed on the Ssense platform - chose to dress ten models in a monochrome outfit in order to bring out the brilliance of the silver rings, earrings, body chains and bracelets. The models sat down in front of a white tablecloth, on which they were invited to write and draw around the themes ‘gathering’, ‘unity’ and ‘love’.

“I am ukrainian”

Quickly, the subject of the war in Ukraine had imposed itself and words denouncing the Russian military operation appeared: “stop the war”, “save us”, “how-to-help-ukraine-now.super.site” or even “Polska jest z wami”, which translates to “Poland is with you”. Further, at an angle, one could also read: “I am Ukrainian”, “your support counts”, “save my home”, “Kyiv is the city of freedom” or “Stand with us”. Committed phrases that gave the moment a radically political dimension.

“The models try to express their own feeling, their own emotion. It affects me. It’s become their platform and it allows them to express something they support and believe in. It’s completely spontaneous and we’re so glad they’re doing it,” Jovy Hon, co-founder of jewellery brand Sweet Lime Juice, told FashionUnited.

Yesterday afternoon, Ralph Toledano, president of La Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, expressed his support for the Ukrainian people in a press release: “The great fashion family is meeting for Paris Fashion Week when the war has brutally descended on Europe and plunges the Ukrainian people into fear and pain. Creation is based on the principle of freedom, whatever the circumstances. And the role of fashion is to contribute to individual and collective emancipation in our societies. The Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode invites you to experience the fashion shows of the days to come with the seriousness that is essential in these dark hours.”

This article originally appeared on FashionUnited.FR. Translation and edit by: Rachel Douglass.