Paris Fashion Week: How luxury fashion responded to the war in Ukraine.

https://edition.cnn.com/style/article/paris-fashion-week-highlights-fw-2022/index.html

Introduction: Today, we will present you an article from CNN, named Paris Fashion Week: How
luxury fashion responded to the war on Ukraine, published on March 13th, 2022, by Fiona Sinclair
Scott. This article talks about the fashion week in Paris during the week of the March 6, where
fashion and designer house presented their collection. However, this week was also the occasion to
show support and pay tribute to the pain of the crisis in Ukraine because of the war that Russia
started since February 24th.

Who: First of all, several actors are mentioned in this article. We are told about the fashion week
itself and in particular about the organizer Ralph Toledano, president of the Fédération de la Haute
Couture et de la Mode. On a national and international level, the city of Paris is the heart of fashion
week. The countries mentioned and involved are France (the country that organizes Fashion Week),
Russia and Ukraine because of the current war context. Finally, many designers and fashion houses
are mentioned. For example, Saint Laurent, Gucci; Alexander McQueen, Hermès, Cartier, Richemont
but also Louis Vuitton and Chanel. Stars are also mentioned in the article, such as Gigi Hadid, who
also walked the catwalk. Finally, fashion directors are mentioned such as Vena Brykalin from Vogue
Ukraine.

What, when and where: The week of March 6, 2022, the fashion week took place in Paris. On the
occasion of its return after two years of pandemic, many fashion houses and designers were invited,
as well as well-known personalities. Despite this expected return, the week of the fashion week was
the occasion to pay tribute to the victims of the war in Ukraine, which has been going on since
February 24th against Russia. There was a joyfulness to the fashion world but also a solemn
atmosphere.
On March 1 Ralph Toledano, the organizer of Paris Fashion Week, issued a statement telling guests to
"experience the shows of the coming days with solemnity, and in reflection of these dark hours”.
Support for the Ukrainians was demonstrated by flags hanging behind the guests' seats, as
well as the recitation of Ukrainian poems. Coperni dedicated its show to its workshop in Ukraine and
paraded a yellow and blue look. Some brands were more subtle in showing their support by pausing
during a show for Danish designer Cecilie Bahnsen, while Stella McCartney closed her show to John
Lennon's anti-war music "Give Peace a Chance".
In addition, the fashion world's support for Ukraine was demonstrated by the cessation of
collaboration between certain fashion houses and Russia: for example, Saint-Laurent, Gucci, Louis
Vuitton and Chanel. Furthermore, LVMH has donated 5 million euros to the International Committee
of the Red Cross to help the direct and indirect victims of the conflict, and other brands also intend to
make donations.
Moreover, personalities directly from Ukraine were present, such as Vena Bryk Alin, who
came to France just before the invasion of Ukraine without knowing if his return would be possible.
However, some brands were opposed to these tributes and acts of support for the Ukrainians, for
example the creative director of the Balenciaga design house declared: "Fashion feels like some sort
of absurdity". So, there are some people who oppose the war-fashion connection.

Why: This article was written to show that areas such as fashion and sewing get also involved in
international and political affairs. Therefore, this article was published to demonstrate that the
fashion industry is committed in support and defense of Ukraine in the conflict with Russia, but she
also shows that she does not endorse the action of Russia.
Finally, the article indicates that it is important that industry like this one participate in the support of
Ukraine and in important cases that make the news and are important to support.

My opinion: I am all for supporting Ukraine with an event like this. Paris Fashion Week is a high-
profile event and I think the fashion world should also share a message in relation to current events.