Authors

Discussion

 The paper explores how Ukrainian fashion became a platform for expressing and promoting national identity and cultural heritage during the Cold War, focusing on the period from 1945 to 1991. It examines the contributions of Ukrainian designers within Soviet Ukraine and the Ukrainian diaspora in the United States and Canada, highlighting their efforts to make Ukrainian culture visible on the global stage despite the political and ideological constraints. 

 As one of the Soviet Union’s key fashion hubs, the Ukrainian SSR played an influential role in shaping Soviet aesthetics. Ukrainian designers served as cultural ambassadors, participating in numerous international exhibitions, such as the Expo-1967 in Montreal, where Ukrainian fashion was recognized for its distinct aesthetic, setting it apart from broader Soviet trends. Moreover, it facilitated contacts between Soviet Ukraine and the sizable Ukrainian diaspora in North America. These connections raised suspicions in Moscow, as the diaspora used fashion as an important tool in advocating for a free and independent Ukraine. Fashion shows in Montreal, Los Angeles, and other international events provided Ukraine with an opportunity to bridge the East-West divide. This possibility was also exploited by Soviet officials, but at the same time often discouraged. 

 In addition to Ukrainian Soviet designers, the diaspora played a crucial role in making Ukrainian fashion visible on the international stage, creating a distinct expression of Ukrainian culture outside the Soviet context, especially in the U.S. and Canada - Soviet Union’s primary ideological opponents. Although the diaspora and Ukrainian Soviet designers developed Ukrainian fashion in parallel, they also competed but, at times, reinforced each other’s efforts to promote it globally. These moments of entanglement provide valuable insights into the complexities of Ukraine’s cultural visibility during the Cold War. Ukrainian fashion, in this context, became not only a symbol of cultural pride but also a tool for political resistance.

 By analyzing the role of fashion as both a cultural and political tool, this research engages with broader discussions on Soviet nationality policies, art and design under authoritarian rule, Cold War soft diplomacy, and globalization of post-World War II design. It reveals how fashion became the key platform for cultural preservation, resistance to Soviet influence, and the assertion of Ukrainian identity on the global stage, offering new insights into the complexities of diaspora engagement and the global cultural landscape during a time of geopolitical tensions.