UKRAINE
Coat
“Місткість”
The coat features a deliberate blue gradient, transitioning from ethereal light tones to deep, dark hues to represent the passage of time and memory. Layered atop this is a structural element designed to evoke a sense of sanctuary; its ‘fluffy’ texture offers warmth during the ‘darkest nights’ of displacement. Despite its protective volume, the silhouette remains light and fluid, embodying a sense of hope and a promising future.
This garment is called The coat “Місткість”. It is a fluid, voluminous coat featuring a deliberate blue gradient — shifting from ethereal light tones to deep, dark hues — to evoke the passage of time and memory. A layered structural element with a soft, ‘fluffy’ texture provides symbolic warmth and protection during the “darkest nights” of displacement, while the overall silhouette remains light and hopeful.
The piece draws from the lived experience of a woman displaced during the Great War, forced to flee with no time to gather her belongings. This directly inspired the central design principle: effortless wearability — physical and psychological protection without sacrificing comfort or freedom of movement.
The coat reflects a contemporary cultural shift in which the “culture of survival” drives design. For a displaced community, the feeling of calmness becomes the most valuable asset one can carry. The garment stands as a symbol of collective resilience and shared history in the making.
The materials used are SUSTAINABLE: the waste of the material was minimized, and ensured that all remaining materials could be used as parts of other pieces. sustainable materials throughout, with waste minimised and all remaining fabric repurposed into other pieces.
While this piece transcends traditional motifs, its cultural relevance is deeply rooted in themaking, acknowledging that for a displaced community, the feeling of ‘calmness’ is the most valuable cultural asset one can carry contemporary collective experience of displacement. For those navigating the current crisis,
clothing has shifted from a matter of aesthetics to a primary need for psychological and physical sanctuary.
The garment reflects a modern cultural shift where the ‘culture of survival’ dictates design. By prioritizing protection, softness, and ease of movement, the piece mirrors the resilience of a population striving for stability. In this context, the coat becomes a symbol of shared history in the making, acknowledging that for a displaced community, the feeling of ‘calmness’ is the most valuable cultural asset one can carry.
Materials used are SUSTAINABLE and The waste of the material was minimized, and ensured that all remaining materials could be used as parts of other pieces.
The process
The piece was born from the story of an immigrant displaced during the Great War. She spoke of the profound sense of losing one’s home and how certain garments provided the strength to move forward. For her, clothing was more than fabric; it was a sanctuary. The vibrant colors of our design serve as a tribute to her memories of the sun-drenched, occupied Crimea. To capture this sense of comfort and protection, we utilized draping techniques to create an oversized, ethereal silhouette, transitioning from initial sketches into the final structural modeling and sewing.
Our Team
The whole is much more than the sum of it’s part. Meet our team!
Users Participating in the project
Valeriia Krasnianska
SUPERVISOR
Valeriia is an emerging fashion designer who began their journey with sketching garments just a few years ago, transforming a long-standing passion for fashion into a dedicated creative practice. Deeply inspired by contemporary designers such as Litkovska, their work reflects a sensitivity tostructure, volume, and conceptual storytelling.
With a strong focus on experimentation, the designer explores the relationship between form and emotion, often combining contrasting elements such as lightness and heaviness, simplicity and complexity within a single piece. Each design is approached as both a visual and tactile experience, where silhouettes, textures, and construction details play a key role in conveying meaning.
For the designer, fashion goes beyond aesthetics; it serves as a powerful medium of self-expression and introspection. The creative process becomes a way to navigate and balance the pace of everyday life, translating personal thoughts and emotions into wearable forms.
Through their work, they aim to create pieces that resonate on both an individual and emotional level, inviting the viewer to engage with the deeper narrative behind each garment.
With the support of the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
