Op-Ed | How a Ukrainian Vogue Model Is Surviving the Struggle

In February of this 12 months, my staff at Ienki Ienki and I have been getting ready for a gross sales marketing campaign in Milan. It was a very good time for the model. We had just lately surpassed 160 wholesale accounts. Our Pre-Fall marketing campaign was a hit. And with upcoming most important assortment gross sales, it seemed like we’d be celebrating our greatest season up to now. The staff was energised.

Then on February twenty fourth, Russia launched an enormous army assault on Ukraine. The nation was plunged into battle and enterprise got here to a sudden standstill. The market was paralysed. No person even spoke about enterprise in the course of the first month. As a substitute, we have been targeted on our staff of 120 individuals, unfold throughout Kyiv and Cherkasy, ensuring everybody was secure.

For a few of them, it was actually about bodily survival. One in every of our staff members was caught in Bucha, hiding in a summer season kitchen whereas Russian troopers occupied her household home. Our head of merchandising went to Gostomel, one other small city northwest of Kyiv that was invaded and brutally destroyed by Russians, to assist his dad and mom flee. We didn’t hear from him for 3 lengthy weeks — till they managed to flee to Kyiv.

The following two months have been about choosing up scattered items of the enterprise and attempting to tug issues again collectively. We relocated our workplaces and warehouse to the Western a part of the nation. In June, we relaunched the sampling studio in Kyiv. Our head workplace reopened in August. As we speak, working the corporate is generally a digital expertise — managing a staff unfold throughout Ukraine, but additionally Italy, Spain, Canada and the US. Due to Covid, we have been ready for that.

As the entire world watched the horrors occurring in Ukraine, we received a blended response from the broader trade. Amidst the avalanche of statements professing help, the trade turned very cautious about working with Ukrainian manufacturers. How would we produce? Would we be capable to ship on time? Would we survive in any respect? Our showroom Rainbowwave was sensible in serving to us get via the turmoil. We negotiated with each consumer and made positive our commitments can be fulfilled. The trickiest half was convincing worldwide suppliers to place our orders again into manufacturing. We’ve round 30 of them and depend on every closely. I spent numerous hours on Zoom. With some we needed to journey to factories simply to show that the enterprise was right here to remain.

Getting product made is tough, however delivering it to purchasers is even more durable. Due to delayed shipments, our direct-to-consumer gross sales, a most important supply of money circulation, are struggling. Clients more and more want to purchase from our retail companions, which is quicker and simpler for them.

“Each designer I do know in Ukraine is coping with a relentless stream of disasters ready to occur.”

This season, we missed our gross sales forecasts by 30 p.c. However we’re assembly all our obligations. And besides for 2 or three accounts that cancelled their Fall/Winter orders, we’re again within the recreation. As I’m scripting this, our staff is getting ready two pop-up initiatives scheduled to launch later this 12 months, one with a serious British division retailer, one other with a hip idea retailer in Asia.

And but the sky is not the restrict. There’s little doubt that, today, working a Ukrainian trend enterprise is a very bumpy street. Each designer I do know in Ukraine is coping with a relentless stream of disasters ready to occur. Ukrainian retailers are underneath scrutiny as effectively. With shrinking deliveries they’re opting to promote their outdated inventory to those that stay within the nation. It could sound surreal, however for many individuals, buying is among the few sources of pleasure left.

However with brutal challenges come alternatives. The final couple of months I’ve been travelling to Italy, speaking to huge guys at main manufacturing corporations. They’re all impressed by the resilience and suppleness of Ukrainian companies, in addition to our dedication to ship top quality at cheap costs. This has been my greatest discovery of this tough interval.

Within the face of a staggering worth inflation throughout Europe, maintaining manufacturing prices down is essential and worldwide corporations are eager for different suppliers. That is the place Ukraine may benefit. When the battle is over, there may be a lot potential for the nation to emerge as an ideal manufacturing hub for the luxurious trade and never simply mass market gamers like Inditex and H&M.

Ienki Ienki is one hundred pc produced in Ukraine to the very best requirements. With our hard-working individuals and the know-how to craft and produce high-quality clothes, Ukraine might at some point turn into a priceless manufacturing base for the likes of Balenciaga, Fendi and Thom Browne.

The final six months have been robust however I’m constructive that Ukraine will prevail. Our most important purpose proper now’s to win this battle. Then we’ll win over the trade.

Dmitriy Ievenko is the founding father of Ukrainian outerwear model Ienki Ienki.

The views expressed in Op-Ed items are these of the creator and don’t essentially replicate the views of The Business of Fashion.

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