The Ukrainian designer created an exclusive collection of embroidered fabrics for Gucci

/ Fashion /

Designer Vita Keen created a capsule collection for Gucci, which is currently only available at Vault, a concept store focused on vintage and archival items. 

The main motifs of the capsule steel Ukrainian traditional embroidery and silhouettes of the 1970s. The collection includes free-cut midi and maxi dresses, skirts, shawls, capes and embroidered shirts. 

Embroidered dress. Vita Kin x Gucci Vault. Photo: Gucci

Marta blouse and skirt. Vita Kin x Gucci Vault. Photo: Gucci

Vita Keen launched her eponymous brand in 2008. In each of the collections, she focuses on Ukrainian tradition, materials and the use of age-old techniques from around the world. 

Puglia.Vita Kin x Gucci Vault embroidered cape. Photo: Gucci

Palermo embroidered shawl. Vita Kin x Gucci Vault. Photo: Gucci

Pavla midi dress. Puglia.Vita Kin x Gucci Vault. Photo: Gucci

However, after collaborating with a luxury brand, the designer was accused of cultural appropriation. The director and graduate editor of the project "Your underground humanitarian" is Kateryna Dudka criticized Vitu Vin for the fact that the embroidery on one of the dresses completely repeats the pattern of a shirt from the village of Roztoky in the Ivano-Frankivsk region (an element of the wardrobe is now kept in a museum).

On the right is a children's shirt from the Hutsul region, which is kept in the Honchar Museum. On the left is the "Corsica" dress of the Vita Kin brand. Collage: Your underground humanitarian

We are talking about the "Corsica" model, the cost of which is 1389 pounds. Kateryna Dudka emphasized that the designer should indicate where she borrowed this ornament from, because there is "folk culture, and there are specific objects of cultural heritage in which there is authorship, and which belong to a specific local tradition."

"It is necessary to separate popularization from exploitation and commercial use. Using the motifs of folk art, it is necessary to give something back to the community so that it can develop," she said in the message.

So far, Vita Keen has not made any statements regarding this situation.

On the right is a children's shirt from the Hutsul region, which is kept in the Honchar Museum. On the left is the "Corsica" dress of the Vita Kin brand. Collage: Your underground humanitarian

It is worth noting that the Vita Kin brand is popular in the West. In particular, designer embroidered dresses can be seen on actress Demi Moore in the movie "Blind", model Diti Von Teese, singer Florence Welch (Florence and the Machine), etc.

 

 

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