The presentation of the collection is structured as a theatrical show, blending fragments of performance and runway. The audience not only watches the outfits on the catwalk but also immerses themselves in the symbolic space of wedding rituals, where every detail—from soundtrack to the decorations—reveals new facets of ancient traditions.

The clothing in the ‘Viltse’ collection embodies complicated and elaborated design, where each detail, from embroidery to tailoring, holds special significance. The carefully selected materials and techniques are deeply rooted in Ukrainian culture and delicately tailored to fit modern lifestyle. The collection is named after the viltse — a wedding tree that was an essential part of the ceremonies in Ukraine.

This collection serves as a cultural manifesto, emphasizing the importance of preserving and reinterpreting national heritage in the face of globalization. It evokes the question of how traditional values can be integrated into the present and made relevant for new generations.

‘Viltse’ is a limited-edition collection created exclusively for Ukrainian Fashion Week. All pieces are one-of-a-kind and will not be reproduced, available as exclusive collectible items.

Creating during the war

The Ukrainian Fashion Week team reached out to the participating brands with a question: How is your brand coping with the full-scale invasion? In this article, the founding duo of the GUNIA Project — Maria Gavryliuk and Natasha Kamenska, discuss adapting their creative practices to a new reality.

"On February 24, 2022, we were preparing the spring collection and planning several strategic partnerships. But russia's brutal attack forced most of the processes to stop. We had to focus on the team's safety and adapt to the new routine. The team changed focus, and we switched to a remote work mode.

We are still working on overcoming many challenges, disrupted logistics, power outages, and other difficulties. But despite all the hardships of full-scale war, GUNIA continues to grow and develop. Team unity, flexibility in work approaches, and an ongoing pursuit of opportunities made us survive. In recent years, we have become much stronger. We have expanded our product assortment, increased our ceramic production, and expanded the team.

We understand that the full-scale invasion and war of russia against Ukraine only reinforces the significance of the GUNIA Project mission — to speak about Ukrainian culture, its uniqueness, and depth, demonstrating Ukrainian high-quality, trendy, and modern products.

The social component of business is an integral part of a brand's DNA. We are proud that during these two and a half years, in addition to our main activities, we implemented or were involved in many charitable and social initiatives. In particular, we produced the historical ethnographic art album "Ukraine and Ukrainians" by Ivan Honchar in partnership with the Ivan Honchar Museum.

In 2024, we created a charity ornament dedicated to the return of Scythian gold to Ukraine in partnership with the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy. Before that, in 2022, we created a collection inspired by the rooster from Borodyanka, a symbol of Ukrainian invincibility. Since the full-scale invasion, we have donated more than 3 million hryvnias and participated in more than 50 charity auctions and projects with GUNIA Project products."

About GUNIA Project

Gunia Project is a brand of exceptional things produced on the basis of traditional ethnic cultures. Each collection is a unique combination of design thinking, deep ethnographic research and artistic approach towards craftsmanship. The brand employs folk crafts and gives heed to the slightest details of traditional culture to create designer artisanal pieces perfectly fit for the needs of everyday life.

www.guniaproject.com

Collection photos by Andriy Sokolov; behind-the-scenes and designers' portrait by GUNIA Project