The international project Fashion PRORYV For Freedom held a series of fashion shows in Milan from February 24 to March 8, 2026, which were included in the official program of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Cultural Olympiad and Milan Fashion Week, according to the event organizers.
As noted in the press release, the project combined fashion, education, and human rights themes and served as a platform to introduce a new generation of Ukrainian designers to the European market. The event was organized by the associations VITAWORLD, Terre des Hommes Italia, and Fashion Globus Ukraine, with the support of the Consiglio Regione Lombardia and the regional branch of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine in the Kyiv region.
The contest’s founder, Golda Vynohradska, emphasized that Milan served as a space where Ukrainian youth demonstrated not only their professional skills but also a modern European vision. According to her, Fashion PRORYV is a platform where fashion becomes a tool for education, cultural diplomacy, and new economic opportunities for the younger generation of Ukrainians.
The shows featured collections that combined high-level design, technical innovation, and a distinct cultural identity. The organizers paid special attention to inclusive design solutions for people with disabilities. According to their data, the first commercial orders were placed during the events, opening up prospects for cooperation between Ukrainian educational institutions and Italian partners.
Live performances dedicated to solidarity, freedom, and the empowerment of women were a separate part of the events. Braids in the colors of the flags of Ukraine, Venezuela, Kurdistan, and Italy served as a symbolic element. An artistic highlight of the program was a presentation by Ukrainian artist and designer Olga Nikitenko, dedicated to the civic stance of Ukrainian Olympian Vladislav Geraskevich.
Among the event’s guests of honor were fashion and design expert and former director of Vogue Italia Gisela Borioli, Chair of the Equal Opportunities Commission of the Comune di Milano Diana De Marchi, and President of the Italian Chamber of Commerce for Ukraine Walter Tognetti. They expressed their support for the international development of Ukrainian designers and highlighted the potential of such initiatives to strengthen cultural and economic ties between Ukraine and Italy.
The organizers emphasized that, in the context of the war, cultural and educational projects are of particular importance for Ukraine, as they contribute to the formation of new international ties and open up opportunities for the younger generation.
The organizers had previously announced plans for this event in the press room of the Interfax-Ukraine agency.
DESIGNER, FASHION PRORYV, MILAN, Vynohradska
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