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In the early hours of February 24, 2022, Ukrainian Daria Plaksyuk (Kiev, 1995) woke up startled by the first bombings of her hometown. With his world turned upside down, he decided to make resilience his flag and not give up his efforts to move forward with his creative project.

Graduated in Architecture and passionate about fashion, it was in 2020 when she decided to embark on the launch of her firm, Podyh, a curious intersection between these two creative universes. Admiring the most representative buildings of Kiev, the designer drew media attention at the last Paris fashion week (in which it was one of her few departures from Ukraine, where she intends to continue living and working).

Olena Zelenska, the first lady of her country, has already worn several of her designs. Tradition is also another of its core values. "The only way to move forward into the future is to never forget our past," he says. This is demonstrated with his latest collection, Khutir, inspired by the rural constructions of Ukraine, where adobe walls, thatched roofs and wooden doors are behind original pieces.

An image from Daria Plaksyuk's latest collection.

In what ways are fashion and architecture so similar? Both are a reflection of social and cultural values. In addition, they use a language that is based on lines, shapes, textures and colors, with which they resort to aesthetic effects that have a functionality. And they powerfully influence those who contemplate them.How would you define your brand? It is a perfect combination between my passion for fashion and my experience as an architect. The collections embody the spirit of several of my favorite architectural styles, in which a balance between simplicity and sophistication is maintained. Podyh creates projects that are not oversaturated with unnecessary details. Brama, Kiev's ancient medieval wooden fortress, is the inspiration for his latest collection. Are your designs a way to make the woman who wears them feel protected? For me it was important to reconsider the functionality, aesthetics and techniques of architects through my clothes. The Brama collection helps to convey the mood of that architecture and make whoever wears it feel as if they were inside a fortified city. His country is his greatest source of inspiration. What makes it so symbolic? On the one hand, its architecture and artistic heritage reflect its complex history and help me connect with my ancestors. In addition, I feel a deep pride in representing the heritage of my country and sharing it with the world through fashion. Ukraine is a country where traditional values coexist with modern innovations, where people are proud of their heritage and look optimistically to the future despite the war.

Another campaign image from his latest collection.

Why is tradition so important in your work? All innovation is inspired by previous experience. Through my brand I want to become a bridge between architecture and fashion. By combining architectural traditions with sartorial techniques, I want to preserve the experience of generations of masters of architecture and create innovative elements in fashion. Never give up on your principles.And the most valuable lesson you've learned? Don't follow the majority, go your own way.How is the war going? The first few months were the hardest; We had to completely stop the brand. We were frightened by the constant air alarms and missile attacks. Later, there were days without light or heating. But little by little we get used to it and find the strength to keep creating. Brama is already the second collection launched during the war, and we are actively developing the next one, because we have no plans to stop.

  • Ukraine
  • Paris

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