Saints all-time sack leader Jordan agrees to 2-year extension
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2023-08-04 21:19
Ukrainian designer, Ivan Frolov on Beyonce and how fashion is helping in the war against Russia
Six months on from the spine-tingling moment Ivan Frolov took to the London Fashion Week runway alongside two other Ukrainian designers, clutching their home country’s flag, the mastermind behind some of the most iconic celebrity looks is preparing for his first solo show at the celebration. But it’s been a long time coming. Despite his brand, FROLOV, being founded in 2015, the mastermind designer-turned-creative director has been cooking up his plan to take over the fashion world since he was young. “I drew my first sketch when I was three or four years old, my mother told me that”, the now-29-year-old tells us. “I was always sure that I had something to tell the world, because for me, fashion is not only about the clothes, it’s one of the quickest ways to communicate with people and talk about important topics.” “For example, my first collection that brought me success was dedicated to transgender people.” One key theme with FROLOV’s collection is that there’s always a cause behind it. Whether that’s a peek inside the world of BDSM, or promoting LGBT+ rights through hand-crafted clothing and intricate designs that allow the wearer to express themselves. “When I started my brand we did our first show in Kyiv and I named it ‘Intelligent Provocation’. So for me, it’s always very important to make something provocative to catch attention, but find the balance between being sexy and smart, not vulgar”, he says. It’s a recipe that’s working well. Dua Lipa, Megan Thee Stallion, Doja Cat, Sydney Sweeney, and Rita Ora make up just some of his well-loved celebrity clients. Most recently, FROLOV has been propelled to new heights after helping put together the glitzy looks of Beyoncé’s Renaissance tour, including the glimmering pink bodysuit worn at her $20 million performance in Dubai. The designer admits: “The moment my biggest dream came true was the Beyoncé performance in Dubai, when she wore our custom look…that was so unexpected for us.” “I was super happy that her stylists want us to use our signature style and opportunities to be free in sketches and ideas. It’s always the best way when designers are free and not under any control, so we showed off all of our signature corset styles and embroidery.” However, things quickly turn emotional as Frolov reflects on how his world was turned upside down by the invasion in Ukraine - but how he hopes the publicity can become a positive thing for his native country. “That was my dream…but my real dream right now, because we only have one dream as Ukrainians, is victory. Life is a very unpredictable thing”, he says. “Of course, Beyoncé brought a lot of attention to the brand, which is very important because with such attention, we can spread information about the war and that it’s not over and we’re still fighting.” “Beyoncé wearing a Ukrainian designer gives us the opportunity to believe in victory and show people that something good is happening in Ukraine, and that they can believe in a bright future.” But despite troubling times in Ukraine, business for FROLOV continues as usual. The team of designers and manufacturers are still based entirely out of Kyiv, working away in the studio as the war rages on outside. Despite the dramatic, no-expense-spared nature of Beyoncé’s UAE appearance, her costume was one of those made as people feared for their safety in the process. During this time, the brand has also set up a side project, known as FROLOV Heart - a collection of items emblazoned with their signature heart motif, with proceeds helping those affected by the conflict. The designer adds: “We’re working under sirens, sometimes without electricity during winter.” “Right now we have a lot of things that make us cry every day, every day we have bad news from the frontline, so it lets us just smile for a short time.” “It's very difficult to explain what we are feeling, working in Ukraine and supporting our team, and I don’t even want you ever to know what we are feeling right now, and to totally understand us, it’s difficult. But it’s normal for us right now.” Drawing inspiration from the last two years, FROLOV’s first London Fashion Week presentation will be dedicated to Ukraine’s impact on the world, outside of fighting for survival. The show, taking place on Thursday (14 September), will be set in a cinema, and a multitude of experiences for the high-profile guests in attendance, who will get a chance to learn more about the country. “It’s a very beautiful concept because our show will connect with Ukrainian culture and Ukrainian music…our guests will not only see the collection but there will be lots of touching content about Ukraine”, Frolov tells us. “Ukrainian soldiers protect the whole world from the biggest terrorists of the 21st century, so of course, it will be a very nice catwalk for the new collection, but it’s also dedicated to that. We named it ‘Masada’...it’s a Ukrainian word that means young. It’s a message about Ukraine that we are a young and beautiful country.” He hints: “We invited very important people for Ukraine right now, I don’t want to tell all the secrets but we’ll have a very important person closing the show.” It’s set not only to be a huge milestone for the brand but a symbol of hope for Ukrainians present and future. “Even in this terrible situation, we continue to work, we continue to do what we do best. That's why in our brand, we combine what we’re doing with charity to support Ukraine”, he says, before concluding: “I have a very strong feeling that Ukraine has a future. Ukraine is not about today. We feel such amazing support from all over the world and I think it gives us more power to continue the fight. We believe in our victory.” Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-09-14 00:20
Spirit Aero to continue contract talks with union as strike looms
Spirit AeroSystems Inc said it will meet with the U.S. machinists union on Saturday to continue negotiations for
2023-06-24 01:56
Q&A: Jose Mujica on Uruguay’s secular history, religion, atheism and the global rise of the 'nones'
In Uruguay, a small nation of some 3.3 million people, more than half identify as “nones” – atheist, agnostic or other religiously unaffiliated – the highest portion in Latin America
2023-10-05 11:58
Illinois Supreme Court upholds law eliminating cash bail
The Illinois Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that the state's historic move to ban cash bail is constitutional, overturning a lower court decision.
2023-07-19 08:50
IRS throws a chill into collectives paying college athletes while claiming nonprofit status
The rapidly expanding landscape of nonprofit collectives paying college athletes to promote charities has been hit with a potentially seismic disruption
2023-06-30 21:15
Stocks retreat, US yields advance, dollar strengthens on hawkish Fed
By Xie Yu HONG KONG Asian stocks followed Wall Street's lead on Thursday, dipping across the board as
2023-09-21 13:23
Dalot scores winner as Man United beats Sheffield United 2-1 'on a sad day' after Charlton's death
Diogo Dalot has made sure Manchester United could pay tribute to Bobby Charlton with a win
2023-10-22 06:17
Kids could fill labor shortages, even in bars, if these lawmakers succeed
Lawmakers in several states are looking to loosen child labor laws, even as the federal government cracks down on surging violations
2023-05-26 03:56
3 Patriots who should be cut after preseason Week 1
After the Patriots' preseason opener against the Texans, here are three potential players New England could cut.The New England Patriots suffered a 20-9 loss to the Houston Texans in their first preseason game of the year.Gillette Stadium was brimming with fans waiting to see which rook...
2023-08-11 11:25
Ump show: Cardinals gifted victory with awful call against Mookie Betts
The Los Angeles Dodgers lost to the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday after an awful strike-three call on outfielder Mookie Betts.Dread it, run from it, "The Ump Show" still arrives. There have been some questionable calls from MLB umpires in recent days and weeks. Sure enough, that cont...
2023-05-21 11:21
Who is Sunny White? Montana mother-of-two arrested for fatally striking 22-year-old claiming she mistook her for deer
Sunny White has been charged with multiple offences, including vehicular homicide while under the influence and criminal child endangerment
2023-10-25 06:15
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