PODYH, a brand at the intersection of architecture and fashion, continues to explore Ukrainian architectural heritage. The A/W23 “BRAMA” collection is inspired by the architectural traditions of Kyivan Rus.
The architecture of Kyivan Rus is a synthesis of monumental forms and elegant decor; impregnable defensive fortifications and intricate artistic carvings. Ancient Kyivans used wood to express their perception of building beauty, sense of proportions, and harmony of architectural forms with the surrounding nature.
“Ancient Kyiv is an impregnable fortress surrounded by earthen ramparts and wooden palisade walls. The entrance to the fortified city is possible only through the gate – BRAMA. So for me, BRAMA became the starting point for learning about Kyivan Rus. The BRAMA collection is an attempt to find a connection with the ancient Kyivans, to understand their life and way of life at that time. Since it is the soul of the people embodied in wood,” – comments on the name and meanings of the collection, brand designer Daria Plaksyuk.
Allusions to defensive constructions occupy a special place in the BRAMA collection: a wooden palisade is recreated in palazzo trousers through vertical pleats; defensive towers-fences are recreated in a dress and top through a massive overhanging collar with imitation of shingles. The Dranka cape is a reinterpretation of a defensive outpost covered with impenetrable scales of wooden planks.
The designer also reinterprets the various architectural decorations that our ancestors used to decorate buildings. Thus, the decorative element of the pediment – tympanum – is reflected in the scalloped bottom of the straight vest and skirt costume, and the delicate ornament of lace carvings is reflected in the embroidery on the Merezhyvo dress.
The colour scheme of the collection emphasizes the austerity of architecture and does not distract from the monumentality of the images. The products are not oversaturated with fabric textures, and the main emphasis is placed on conveying the textures of architecture through individually developed techniques that echo the approaches of past masters.
A special accessory was the bestseller of the KHUTIR collection – Vitryak bag in new versions – in black, with a sheepskin insert, in a larger-sized. They perfectly complemented the looks and emphasized the connection between the origins of Ukrainian folk architecture and Kyivan Rus.
