Vivid colors, fine design and impeccable quality prompt fashionistas worldwide to choose clothes with the “Made in Italy” tag.
In Ukraine, where many prefer dressing up bright, Italian fashion brands feel especially strong.
The exports of clothes and footwear from Italy are higher than from any other European country, the data by State Statistics Service of Ukraine shows. In 2017, Ukraine imported Italian clothes worth more than $12 million and footwear worth $19 million, according to the same data.
Svitlana Marson, fashion director at Harper’s Bazaar Ukraine, said she most often visits the fashion week in Milan, Italy, knowing that most of the big fashion brands in Ukraine are the Italian ones.
“These clothes are attractive to us. They have bright colors, many flower prints, which are loved by Ukrainian women who usually prefer romantic style,” she said.
Oksana Pavlenko, stylist and personal shopper, who lived in Italy for a year, agrees, saying that Italian style creates a classic look of a mysterious lady, which is appealing for many Ukrainian women.
“This includes the dark sunglasses, leopard print or flowers, golden jewelry and high heels,” she said. “There are many women in their 30s to 50s, who prefer this look, kind of expensive and rich.”
Fashion for women
The lion’s share of Italian fashion brands in Ukraine belongs to the luxury segment.
Stylists advise looking for luxury garments in Passage area. This small narrow street, connected to Khreschatyk, is known for its luxury boutiques. The shopping goers can find there the two cult Italian brands Prada and Gucci.
Other locations, good for luxury shopping, are Mandarin Plaza shopping mall on Besarabska square and Tsum shopping mall on Khreschatyk Street. They have Dolce and Gabbana, likely the most well-known fashion brand in Ukraine, endorsed by Verka Serduchka drag stage persona in her pop hit.
Pavlenko said that every new print by Dolce and Gabbana immediately becomes copied by many Ukrainian ateliers. “Maybe you remember that everybody was wearing the sunflowers? Now there are roses, also offered by D&G,” she said.
Apart from mono boutique stores, stylists advice to look for Italian luxury garments in the multi-brand boutiques of Helen Marlen, Asthic, and Sanahunt. Otherwise, there is a high risk to get a counterfeit.
The Italian clothes of mid-range segment could be found in big shopping malls, including Ocean Plaza and Gulliver, or the boutiques of Argo group.
Average price for the luxury dress is about Hr 70,000, for a dress from the mid-range segment is Hr 3,500
Addresses: Prada Khreshchatyk St. 14,; Gucci 15/4 Khreschatyk/ Zanykovetska St.; Mandarin Plaza Baseina St., 6; Tsum Khreschatyk St., 38; Helen Marlen helen-marlen.com; Asthic asthik.com; Sanuhunt sanahunt.com; Ocean Plaza Antonovycha St., 176; Gulliver Sportyvna Square, 1a; Argo argo.com.ua
Fashion for men
Apart from historic sights, Sofiyivsky Square in Kyiv is a place to look for an ideal men’s suit. There are three luxury Italian boutiques with men’s clothing located there: Ermenegildo Zegna, Stefano Ricci, and Isaia Napoli. Pavlenko said the suits in those boutiques could be sewn individually and the tailors from Italy come there to take measurements.
In the mid-range segment, the men’s fashion is represented in Kyiv by Diesel brand and Benetton.
At the same time, there are a number of men’s brands in the shopping malls that portray themselves as Italian but in fact, they are produced at a garment factory in Zhytomyr city. There are also some brands registered in Italy, but produced explicitly in China, Pavlenko said.
Average price for luxury suit Hr 90,000, jeans in Benetton Hr 1,800
Addresses: Ermenegildo Zegna 20/1A, Volodymyrska St; Stefano Ricci Volodymyrska Street 22; Isaia Napoli Volodymyrska St, 22; Diesel Khreschatyk str., 46.
Footwear, accessories
With its centuries-old traditions in leather tanning, Italy has no competitors in the world in the production of leather shoes and bags. Marson said that even some luxury French brands produce their handbags in Italy.
“When a person hears that a pair of shoes is made in Italy, then he often takes a decision in favor of it,” she added.
However, apart from luxury boutiques, it’s hard for a customer to find the real Italian shoes. Many Ukrainian stores sell Italian footwear, which is in fact produced in Ukraine. Pavlenko advises looking for Loriblu or Gianvito Rossi brands of footwear at the big shopping malls or in Helen Marlen stores.
Marson advises looking for qualitative Italian bags in Coccinelle and Furla boutiques, also located in shopping malls. Pavlenko says while it’s hard to find Italian jewelry in Kyiv, Benetton offers the Italian bijouterie of good quality and moderate price.
Average price for a pair of women’s shoes Hr 20,000: for women’s handbag Hr 9,000.
Loriblu mono boutique Berkovetska St, 6d; Gianvito Rossi could be found at Helen Marlen boutiques.
Coccinelle could be found in Ocean Plaza, Antonovycha St, 176; Furla could be found in Ocean Plaza and Gulliver.
