A Masterclass on Sartorial Diplomacy from the Ukrainian First Lady
Why Olena Zelenska’s fashion during her visit to Washington this week meant so much.
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This week, Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska traveled to Washington to ask for more support from the U.S. It is rare for a political spouse to do this sort of thing, which Zelenska acknowledged, saying first ladies are typically “exclusively engaged in peaceful affairs.”
“But how can I talk about [peaceful affairs] when an unprovoked invasive terrorist war is being waged against my country?” she said, according to the Washington Post. “Russia is destroying our people.”
As always, what a public figure does or says is so much more important than what he or she wears. But Zelenska’s wardrobe played an excellent supporting role in her visit —and her series of thoughtful looks garnered more press coverage for her visit as a result. Below is a recap of her fashion, but first some background on Zelenska.
ICYMI — The Power of Blue and Yellow: Fashion in Support of Ukraine
Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska, second from left, with the Bidens and Ukranian Ambassador to the United States Oksana Markarova at the White House on Tuesday. (Photo via i-Images/Polaris)
Who is the first lady of Ukraine?
Olena Zelenska became the first lady of Ukraine in 2019 when her husband, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, was elected president. Now 44 years old, Zelenska studied architecture in college, according to the Associated Press. She went on to become a comedy writer and remains a screenwriter for Kvartal 95 Studio, the production company founded by Zelenskky in 2003. The couple, who met in university, are parents to an 18-year-old daughter, Oleksandra and a 9-year-old son, Kyrylo.
“I am a non-public person,” Zelenska told Vogue Ukraine in 2019. “I prefer staying backstage. My husband is always on the forefront, while I feel more comfortable in the shade. I am not the life of the party, I do not like to tell jokes. It's not in my character. But I found reasons for myself in favor of publicity.”
What do we know about her work as first lady?
Zelenska has made children’s health and cultural diplomacy, as well as promoting the Ukrainian language, focal points of her work as first lady. She has played a visible role supporting her husband’s tenure, including accompanying him for a meeting with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in October 2022. But her public persona has a relatable side, too, according to the Independent:
“She also makes a point of speaking to the everyday Ukrainian people, with down-to-earth comments on motherhood (‘now a bathroom is my only retreat’) and Instagram posts showing a warm, human side -a quality that has come into its own since the unfolding of the Ukraine crisis.”
Zelenska went into wartime seclusion when the conflict began but emerged in May when First Lady Jill Biden made an unannounced visit to Ukraine, according to the Associated Press. The wire service said it was Biden who invited her to Washington.
Throughout the conflict with Russia, which started in late February, Zelenska has been particularly outspoken about the plight of Ukraine’s children. “We can’t talk about a healthy lifestyle for children – the number one goal is to save [them] at all,” she told CNN in April. “Half of our children were forced to go abroad; thousands were physically and psychologically injured.”
This week, in her remarks to Congress asking for, among other things, more U.S. weapons, Zelenska shared the heartbreaking stories of some of the children who had been injured or killed in Russian missile attacks. From NBC News:
“She described one of the young victims, Lisa, as a ‘cheerful, playful little rascal.’ As she spoke, a video played behind her, showing Lisa walking to school with her mother pushing her own stroller. The photo to follow was Lisa's stroller knocked over by a Russian missile attack that killed the 4-year-old. ‘Those are Russia’s “Hunger Games” — hunting for peaceful people in peaceful cities of Ukraine. They will never broadcast this on their news. That's why I’m showing it to you here,’ Zelenska said.”
The first lady was featured on the cover of Vogue Ukraine in 2019. (Image via Conde Nast)
How has Zelenska used fashion as a first lady?
Zelenska has been a vocal advocate for Ukrainian designers, a role she fully embraces. “I am pleased when they ask me in New York or Paris who is the designer of my outfit. And they do ask me,” she told Vogue Ukraine in 2019. “And it wouldn’t be as exciting to name a major western brand, which they already know there, but how nice it is to promote Ukrainian designers to the world.”
The Vogue piece also details the prep undertaken for Zelenska’s 2019 visit to Japan and her work with Ukrainian designer Ivan Frolov—it very much sounds like a royal tour. “Our team got well prepared: we studied the Japanese ceremonial protocol,” Frolov told the magazine. “The cardinal rule was that the color should be appropriate for the season, so we settled on a pastel yellow outfit for the day ceremony and pastel blue for the dinner.”
The Ukrainian fashion industry needs a boost now more than ever. According to WWD: “As is the case with all sectors of society in Ukraine, the ongoing war is hitting industries hard. In 2019, the fashion industry accounted for 16,000 jobs in apparel and footwear, and 16,000 more in fabric manufacturing. That same year, combined, they generated $1.18 billion in revenue.” Vogue has a list of six Ukrainian fashion designers to support.
What did Zelenska wear on her trip to the U.S.?
The first lady chose several different ensembles for her trip to America, each one with its own distinct message.
Arrival in the U.S.: Zelenska first appeared in an olive dress by Ukrainian label Litkovska. The color immediately called to mind the uniform her husband has adopted since the start of the conflict, trading his business suits for an army green-colored t-shirt. His attire has become a powerful symbol of him in the trenches with the Ukrainian people.
Although a nod to that fight, there was a softness to Zelenska's look, thanks to the sweep of her chignon and a scarf with long tails around her neck. Designer Lilia Litkovaska called the scarf “elegant” and told Vogue represents “freedom and confidence in our victory.”
The first lady accessorized with jewelry from Guzema, a Ukrainian fine jewelry brand that is donating its profits to the wartime efforts. Her brooch and earrings were from the brand’s collection with Gunia Project called, “Nezalezhna,” which translates to “independent.” Brand founder Valeria Guzema told Town & Country that the first lady is “a really modest woman; she says that these jewels allow her to be herself, feel special, and not draw too much attention to her accessories.”
Accepting the Dissident Human Rights Award: For her first engagement Tuesday, to accept an award on behalf of the people of Ukraine at the Victims of Communism Museum, she wore a white blouse and black skirt. I have not seen brand information for this look, or much discussion of it. The silhouette, especially the sleeves of her top, felt like it could be a nod to traditional Ukrainian fashion.
Meeting with President Biden and Vice President Harris: Later, to meet with the U.S. president and vice president, Zelenska chose a pale yellow dress also by Litkovska and a light blue pair of pumps. The combination was clearly a nod to her country’s blue-and-yellow flag, but rendered in pastels had a much softer feeling than the saturated tones we have come to associate with sartorial solidarity. The yellow ensemble was so pale it could have been mistaken for cream, giving it an almost white-suit vibe.
But although the colors were lighter, the silhouette was not. The two-piece ensemble had a serious, military uniform-like feel, with a double-breasted jacket and a straight, shin-length skirt. It was another reminder she is in the fight.
The U.S. hosts clearly got the memo to dress thoughtfully, too. President Biden wore a blue suit, shirt, and tie, and gave Zelenska a bouquet that included sunflowers, the national flower of Ukraine. Vice President Harris swapped her usual dark suit for a standout light blue one.
First Lady Jill Biden chose bright yellow pumps and a navy Oscar de la Renta dress covered in daisies. The dress was a repeat from back in May, when the first lady met with Ukrainian refugees in Romania. As Vanessa Friedman noted in her New York Times column, this is not the first time the first lady has used her clothing to support Ukraine. Last May, Biden talked about the sunflowers she had sewn onto her dress for the State of the Union:
“It was small—but it shined against the deep cobalt-blue of my sleeve. And that night, sitting next to the Ukrainian ambassador, I knew I was sending a message without saying a word: that Ukraine was in our hearts—and that we stood with them.”
Address to Congress: For the biggest moment of her visit, her speech on Wednesday in front of Congress to ask lawmakers for more support, Zelenska chose a black and white pantsuit by Ukrainian brand AMG. The custom piece featured a blazer-esque tunic-length top with a white sash down the front, showcasing traditional Ukrainian embroidery.
The stark aesthetic felt true to Zelenska’s public-facing fashion since the start of the conflict, which has leaned heavily on business-like neutrals. The ensemble also drew attention to Zelenska’s face as she spoke on the dark stage, with the large screen behind her displaying either the vibrant Ukrainian flag or distressing images from the conflict. The white stripe of fabric served as a spotlight, drawing the viewer to not just what Zelenska was saying but how she was feeling.
“It was a pointed reminder beneath her words — ‘while Russia kills, America saves’ — that, depending on what happens next, out of the darkness can come the light,” Vanessa Friedman wrote in the New York Times. “A map of hope, worn on the body for all to see.”
The black-and-white ensemble Zelenska chose to wear for her remarks to Congress was a stark contrast to the Ukrainian flag. (Photo via Getty Images)
But mostly: I cannot imagine the challenges Zelenska and her team faced to pull together these nuanced looks in the middle of the conflict. Could she have shown up wearing the same simple suit or shift throughout her visit? Absolutely. And I hope nobody would have questioned it.
But did the added layer of meaningful clothing bring more attention to what Zelenska was trying to accomplish? I think it very much did, and I applaud her for it—proof that fashion, at its most powerful, can amplify one’s work.
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