The Future of Vogue Ukraine: Navigating Fashion Publishing in Wartime
Summary:
There has been much discussion surrounding the role of fashion magazines like Vogue in war-torn countries, particularly in the case of Vogue Ukraine. Despite the turmoil and destruction experienced by the country, Vogue Ukraine has continued to publish and adapt to the changing circumstances. The magazine, founded in 2014, has always been more than just a glossy fashion publication. Its editors have strived to educate readers and sponsors about Ukraine’s distinct identity, separate from Russia. Even after the invasion in 2022, the team continued to work, albeit with some temporary suspensions. The magazine has published articles about first aid, surviving airstrikes, and providing psychological support during the war.
One of the challenges Vogue Ukraine faces is how to navigate its content in a country torn by conflict. While it may seem inconceivable to have a fashion magazine in such circumstances, Vogue Ukraine has become a powerful messenger and a symbol of hope for many readers. The team at Vogue Ukraine believes that even in the most barbaric circumstances, people still want a break from the harsh reality. They strive to provide content that is respectful and full of hope, reflecting what is happening in the country while also offering some reprieve.
“The Road of the Unbreakable” edition of Vogue Ukraine, released in the spring of 2023, became a commemorative issue focusing on heroes who contributed to the struggle. The cover of the edition featured an abstract work resembling the Ukrainian flag, symbolizing the destruction of normal life in the country. The issue sold out immediately and has since been reprinted and distributed internationally, with global orders peaking. Vogue Ukraine has become one of the few international brands from Ukraine that people know about and trust for news.
The article concludes by acknowledging that the future of Vogue Ukraine is uncertain. The magazine is not exempt from the risks faced by other Ukrainian businesses, including supply disruptions and mortar attacks. However, the team at Vogue Ukraine remains dedicated to creating meaningful content that resonates with their readers and pushes the boundaries of what the Vogue brand represents. It also highlights the importance of openness, humanity, and hope in the fashion industry and the positive response from consumers to these values.
Additional Piece:
Fashion in the Midst of Conflict: The Power of Escape and Resilience
In times of war and upheaval, it may seem paradoxical to turn to fashion and glossy magazines for solace. However, the case of Vogue Ukraine shows us that even in the most dire circumstances, people still seek moments of respite and beauty. Fashion has a long history of coexisting with wartime, as we saw with British Vogue during the Blitz. In those times, the magazine became a symbol of patriotism and strength, offering not just fashion advice but also a sense of hope, compassion, and community.
Similarly, Vogue Ukraine has found itself in a unique position to navigate publishing during wartime. While faced with the challenge of addressing the devastating realities of conflict, the magazine has managed to strike a delicate balance between acknowledging the country’s hardships and providing a temporary escape through fashion and beauty.
One might question the relevance of fashion in a war-torn country, but Vogue Ukraine has demonstrated its ability to adapt and respond to the needs of its readers. It has become a powerful messenger, reflecting the resilience, strength, and creativity of the Ukrainian people. By featuring profiles of military leaders alongside images of the Met Ball and street style, the magazine encapsulates the duality of life in wartime – the juxtaposition of destruction and beauty.
The success of the commemorative edition, “The Road of the Unbreakable,” illustrates the impact Vogue Ukraine has had on its readers. This edition became a historical document, capturing the stories and contributions of individuals who played a part in Ukraine’s struggle. It sold out immediately and garnered global attention, reinforcing the magazine’s role as a trusted source of information and inspiration.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the future of Vogue Ukraine, the team remains steadfast in its mission to create meaningful content. They recognize that their readers joined Vogue Ukraine not just for the lifestyle but because they wanted to be part of something meaningful and to make a difference. By pushing the boundaries of what a fashion magazine can be, Vogue Ukraine has shown that fashion can be a vehicle for resilience, hope, and understanding during times of crisis.
In conclusion, Vogue Ukraine has emerged as a testament to the power of fashion and publishing in the face of adversity. It serves as a reminder that even in the most appalling circumstances, people still yearn for moments of escape and inspiration. Vogue Ukraine has demonstrated that fashion magazines can become more than just a collection of glossy pages; they can be a source of comfort, unity, and resilience. In a world often defined by chaos and destruction, Vogue Ukraine offers a glimpse of hope and beauty, reminding us that humanity endures even in the most challenging times.
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There was a huge kerfuffle earlier this month around the news that Edward Enninful was stepping down from his role as editor-in-chief of British Vogue. Meanwhile, the communications team of Condé Nast (the publisher of Vogue) decided to postpone the announcement that Venya Brykalin had just been nominated for the same position in Vogue Ukraine. The country had just suffered a deadly airstrike, and so they thought it respectful to suspend the press release for a few days.
When I saw Brykalin last week at an event in London, he was working on a piece by a writer from Nova Kakhovka, a small town that had been flooded after the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam. He’d had to make last-minute changes because the writer’s father’s house, with all his belongings and family heirlooms, had just been renovated. submerged.
Perhaps the biggest surprise of Vogue Ukraine is that it exists. It seems inconceivable that anyone would want or need a fashion magazine to watch while the country is so torn. How could a publisher try to navigate such content? But Vogue Ukraine, founded in the shadow of the Maidan revolution in 2014, and published under license from Condé Nast by Vanguard Media, an independent Ukrainian media company, has never been simply a “glossy” magazine.
Its editors are stylish, passionate, and fiercely patriotic: Up until the invasion, the team had worked hard to educate readers, especially the magazine’s commercial sponsors, that Ukraine was distinct and separate from Russia. After the invasion, they focused on the war effort. After the invasion, which began at 4 am on February 24, 2022, the print edition was temporarily suspended, even though the web editors continued to work: the first online piece was published at 9 am that morning and the team, which is now scattered across Ukraine and elsewhere in Europe, continues to write about what is happening on a day-to-day basis. Beauty editor, Alyona Ponomarenko, focused on stories of psychological help and mental support during the war. The team has published stories about first aid, how to survive airstrikes and “the most recent floods,” says Brykalin.
Meanwhile, the magazine has resumed production. The most recent edition, “The Road of the Unbreakable”, released this spring, it was a commemorative issue focusing on a “heroes” project featuring 50 individuals and collectives who contributed to the struggle, including the first lady of Ukraine Olena ZelenskaKyrylo Budanov, head of state intelligence, athletes, artists, writers, volunteers and, of course, fashion designers.
The cover of the Spring 2023 edition of “The Road of the Unbreakable” by Vogue Ukraine
“There is no textbook on how to run a magazine, let alone a fashion magazine, during wartime,” says Brykalin, who has been at Vogue Ukraine since 2017. “There were a lot of heated discussions about how this issue should look and what kind of stories we wanted to tell. But we all agreed that the issue should reflect what was happening in a way that was respectful and also full of hope.” The cover, an abstract work by Vasylyna Vrublevska resembling the flag of Ukraine, preceded a series that it explores how “our normal life has been destroyed,” Brykalin continues. “We felt it was important to have those of the number as a memory and historical document.”
The issue of “The Road of the Unbreakable” sold out immediately; it has since been reprinted and distributed much more widely with global orders peaking. Though it has a circulation of only 44,000, the magazine has become a powerful messenger. As Brykalin says: “We are one of the very few, if not the only, international brand from Ukraine that people know about. So many readers from outside the country looked to us for news because they trusted us.
Vogue has a history of publishing during wartime. British Vogue has continued to do so during the Blitz, and his physical appearance alone became a symbol of patriotic and rigid stoicism. With advice that extended to such domestic pursuits as running one’s cloth coupons or cooking with powdered eggs, his intentions then—to foster a spirit of hope, compassion, and community among his readers—were no different from of the Ukrainian team Ora.
Observing the evolution of Vogue Ukraine was also a study on the flexibility of a brand. Check the magazine Instagram feed right now and you’ll find profiles of military leaders alongside images of the Met Ball, street style, and an article about a foundation that rescues orphaned children. It’s a curious but not uncomfortable blend of content, but it reflects that even in the most barbaric of circumstances people want a break.
The future of Vogue Ukraine is far from assured. The magazine is as vulnerable to supply disruptions and mortar attacks as any other Ukrainian business. For now the work continues. “People joined Vogue Ukraine not because of the lifestyle, but because they had the drive to create something meaningful,” says Brykalin. In doing so, they are pushing the Vogue name to its limits.
It also reminds us of a fundamental truth. We spend so much time examining the core values and DNA of fashion that we forget that consumers respond quite positively, in general, to things that offer openness, humanity, and hope.
Email Jo a jo.ellison@ft.com
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https://www.ft.com/content/d1ccd792-87f3-4077-97e9-ab769f06765c
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