Bevza RTW Spring 2023
Svitlana Bevza has been inspired in more ways than one (and for various seasons) by her Ukrainian heritage — and now more than ever, that internal feeling resonated in her latest spring collection. Staged at an all-white locale, just a mere 50 feet from the New York Stock Exchange in Wall Street, the show began with a moment of silence, paying respect to the victims of the ongoing war in Ukraine.
As for the clothes, Bevza continues to reinterpret her signature aesthetic with clean lines and simple yet flattering cuts infused with drapery, nautical details and unexpected design elements. The designer has been able to meld her heritage via textures, cutout details on dresses and blouses, and all supple leather looks (tops and pants) consistent with Bevza’s trademark tailoring skills.
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Her Ukrainian heritage was evident throughout the lineup, and much like her previous collections, the designer incorporated several of her cultural symbols, such as the spikelet, representative of wheat (and one of the country’s major exports). The motif is seen in the brand’s signature spikelet jewelry as well as in textures and details on dresses.
Skirts and dresses also referenced traditional cuts of the “plakhta” skirt worn by women when harvesting wheat; shapes of sleeves on jackets were inspired by traditional “sorochka” blouses, and traditional crochet elements featuring the sacred star symbol could be seen in T-shirts and dresses, rounding off with versions of a “Hustka” shawl worn by Ukrainian women, which was incorporated into elegant evening gowns.
A first for the brand was a small selection of pieces from the lineup as a see now, buy now option, with pieces such as a spikelet minidress, crop tops with hustka, and a mermaid bra in black (similar to sea shells).
With the entire collection being produced in Ukraine, it speaks to Bevza’s testament of a “less is more” approach, maintaining an element of beauty within the tragedy that her native Ukraine is experiencing.
Launch Gallery: Bevza RTW Spring 2023
