On the morning of February 24, right in the middle of Milan Fashion Week, Vladimir Putin sent military forces into Ukraine, resulting in thousands of injuries and deaths. Protests erupted outside runway shows as calls quickly came for the wider fashion community to acknowledge and address the global conflict instead of living in their Fashion Week bubble. Since then, as the shows have moved to Paris, several brands have come out in support of the Ukrainian victims. Here, a roundup of brands and designers lending their support of Ukraine as the crisis continues.
Luxury conglomerate Kering, which owns brands such as Saint Laurent and Bottega Veneta, have announced a "significant donation" to the United Nations Refugees Agency.
Balenciaga wiped their IG grid clean and posted an image of the Ukrainian flag, saying it would continue to provide information about the situation in Ukraine on all its social channels. It also made a donation to The World Food Programme.
Chime for Change, Gucci’s charitable gender equality campaign, is donating $500,000 to the United Nations Refugees Agency to provide emergency support to refugees fleeing violence in Ukraine.
Giorgio Armani held his Fall 2022 fashion show in Milan with no music or soundtrack, just silence. "I really wanted to show that my heart is with the people in Ukraine," he said. "I had to find a way to communicate that we are not celebrating here, because what is happening out there really concerns me."
Nanushka held its Fall 2022 presentation in Paris this week with a note about the Ukraine-Russia conflict in its press pages. "We have chosen to use our platforms to draw further attention to the crisis and to provide support," it read. "Nanushka is partnering with the Hungarian Charity Service of the Order of Malta to provide accommodation, food, clothing and transport to and in Budapest for those seeking shelter as they leave Ukraine."
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