From Kyiv to Bond Street: The Many Faces of Femininity, Told Through Ukrainian Design
L: J’ememe | R: Khrystyna
Femininity is multifaceted — and on Thursday night, it was impossible to see it any other way. Inside LuisaViaRoma's Bond Street flagship, two Ukrainian designers presented visions of womanhood that couldn't have looked more different: J'ememe with airy, sculptural pleats that looked like architecture in motion and felt like armor. Khrystyna with culture-rooted embroidery and deep, grounded textiles that read like fragments of history. Together, their work formed a portrait of Ukrainian femininity defined by heritage, confidence, and resilience.
The room at LuisaViaRoma glowed a soft blush, but the energy inside was anything but delicate. People milled around, socializing while models drifted through the action. Amongst glasses of champagne and light bites, it was easy to get lost in the clothes, half the room drawn to J'ememe's floating shapes, the other to Khrystyna's earthbound details.
Julie Yarmoliuk
J'ememe means "I love myself" in French, and according to Julie Yarmoliuk, founder, creator, and designer, self-love is part of the brand's DNA. "I love women. They inspire me. The women around me – mothers, artists, lawyers – they're all so powerful. They take the world in their hands. I design for that kind of woman."
Julie's work is very architectural. She blends precision with movement that makes it easy to wear but also makes a statement. Clean lines and simple silhouettes contrast with her signature whimsical, structured ruffles along the hem, the kind that move like Marilyn Monroe's skirt in the subway breeze: lifted, airy, unforgettable.
J'ememe Couture Collection
"When people wear our designs and feel beautiful and confident, that is my purpose," she explains. "My designs may look light, but inside, there is so much strength. It's a balance, softness on the outside, power within."
Across the room, the mood shifted. Khrystyna Rachytska's self-titled brand is the complete opposite. Her work feels like quiet power – full of intricate embroidery, texture, and depth. Her designs are created from natural materials and traditional techniques that reflect Ukraine's history.
L: Khrystyna Rachytska
"I collect old embroidery from our past, recreate it by hand, and let it live again in modern collections shown around the world," she explained. By weaving pieces of Ukrainian heritage into her designs, she carries forward stories that might otherwise disappear. "Ukraine has endured so many attempts to erase our culture. I feel it is my duty to recover what was nearly lost and tell our story. Our history survives through these patterns."
Khrystyna Couture
For Khrystyna, femininity is grounded in uniqueness. "Women, in their DNA, always want to be beautiful and differentiate themselves. And it's not just physical beauty or fashion, but also the culture of heritage and family."
Standing between their collections, I realized that femininity isn't about silhouette or aesthetic; it comes from within. It is about feeling rooted in who you are, where you come from, and stepping into that confidence.
The evening also offered New Yorkers a chance to engage with Ukraine through fashion and creativity rather than the current headlines. Anya Vasylenko of Rock Projects – the global sales and creative consulting agency that curated and produced the initiative – emphasized how important it is to bring international designers to new markets through storytelling, retail, and wholesale partnerships. “Their work becomes a form of diplomacy – a bridge between Ukraine and the U.S. – reminding us that design can transform; through beauty, we find connection; through craftsmanship, we find truth.” And standing in the room at LuisaViaRoma, the contrast between the designers made that idea feel undeniable: one architectural, one ancestral, yet both rooted in heritage, identity, and inner strength.
Photo Credit: Iryna Liapina (@iryana_liapina)
