On September 27, 2025, as part of Milan Fashion Week, the Sheraton Milan San Siro hosted a large-scale international cultural project on inclusive and sustainable fashion, Fashion For Freedom MFW25. With the support and on behalf of Acting Rector Oleksandra Olshanska, Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design participated in the event, represented by members of the Faculty of Arts and Fashion Tetiana Struminska (Head of the Department of Fashion and Style) and Alla Rubanka (Associate Professor, practice-oriented lecturer). The project was organized by  VitaWorld, VITAUKR and Fashion Globus Ukraine.

An important part of the Fashion For Freedom MFW25 program was the Education Summit.

The event moderators, Nataliia Sassina, Holda Vynohradska, and Valentina Bilan, emphasized in their speeches that the main idea behind Fashion For Freedom MFW25 is to unite fashion, art, and education. Fashion spreads trends, art conveys deeper meanings, and education makes these processes systematic and sustainable.

During the forum, representatives of educational institutions in the fashion industry from Ukraine and Italy held an in-person meeting with online participation from universities and partners in Greece (Evridiki Papachristu), Croatia (Marko Varyvoda), Egypt (Prof. Dr. Elsayed Ahmed Elnashar, Kafr El Sheikh University), Luxembourg (Evgeniya Paliy), and Norway (Natali Norvik).

In the presentations and reports delivered by members of the Ukrainian delegation, the thesis “Education provides the foundation for forming a new generation, while technology and development serve as tools for the sustainable implementation of solutions” was widely discussed and presented by leaders, experts, and scientists representing 11 educational institutions in Ukraine.

In her report, Tetiana Struminska presented Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design as a leading higher education institution in Ukraine that trains specialists for the fashion industry. She noted that cooperation with international educational institutions enables the exchange of experience in developing original projects and gaining skills in working with innovative technologies. The University’s departments are actively involved in international educational initiatives such as Erasmus+ and Creative Europe.

In their qualification works and original collections, students regularly emphasize conscious consumption and the environmental friendliness of products, with many collections created using the upcycling method. In creative projects, some students experiment with innovative techniques such as bioplastic. Modern students increasingly use digital tools and technologies – for example, 3D visualization programs – to produce unique and forward-thinking designs.

KNUTD has launched the DIGITAL FASHION international competition to further promote this trend, with a jury composed of more than fifteen leading fashion industry experts. At the end of her presentation, the speaker emphasized that the University strives to educate modern, responsible young professionals who understand the principles of sustainable, eco-conscious fashion and possess a deep sense of authenticity and national identity.

The presentations delivered by representatives of Italian public organizations – the European Parliament Office (Maurizio Molinari), the Italian-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce (Walter Togni), and Consulta Femminile di Milano (Avv. Giada Andrio) – were constructive and insightful, sharing valuable experiences on how culture can enhance mutual understanding between Ukraine and the international community.

Researchers, artists, and public figures discussed international cooperation for building effective collaboration using fashion as a tool for developing democracy and freedom in the following panels: fashion as a voice of freedom; environmentally sustainable and recycled fashion; international cooperation in fashion education; fashion for peace and inclusion.

The topic of fashion as a means of communicating cultural codes and trends – and of art and cultural diplomacy as a language that conveys deep narratives between countries – was explored in speeches by representatives of leading Italian universities, including the University of Salerno, Liceo Artistico di Brera, Ferrari Fashion School, IIS Argentia Majorana, Istituto Italiano di Fotografia, and Fondazione Ikaros – Buccinasco Fashion School.

All forum participants emphasized their commitment to continuing cooperation and contributing their expertise, knowledge, and skills for the benefit of the partnership as a whole.

As a reflection of the ideas presented by KNUTD, the University showcased a unique, creative, and inspiring collection entitled “Hanenko. Reimagined”, created by students of the Faculty of Arts and Fashion, Department of Fashion and Style Anastasiia Stelmakh and Victoriia Mykhailiuk under the educational program “Modeling, Design, and Artistic Decoration of Light Industry Products”.

The “Hanenko. Reimagined” collection was inspired by a tiled stove from the museum’s collection and decorated with ornaments reminiscent of Kosiv ceramics. This Ukrainian craft has deep roots and added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2019. For Ukrainians, Kosiv ceramics are not just decoration. They are a language. A symbol. Designers have reimagined them through the language of fashion.

In their original works, the students combine deep cultural roots with contemporary fashion. The creative duo of Viktoria and Anastasia is distinguished by their modern approach to heritage, reinterpreting it through handwork and attention to detail. Their style is a fusion of traditional craftsmanship and innovative ideas, emphasizing the uniqueness and value of handwork, and their key message is a dialogue between the past and the present to create new, meaningful things.

Fifteen collections from Ukrainian educational institutions and designers (Lutsk National Technical University, Khmelnytsky National University, Kherson National Technical University, Separated structural subdivision “Odesa Technical Professional College of Odesa National University of Technology”, All-Ukrainian project “Fashion battle”, Natalіia Kuzina, Brands: Touch Me by Olena Kovalenko (Netherlands), GIRCHUCYA Zaporizhia, GORSSET, KEKA BRAND (London), Olena Badurka (Kharkiv), VIVI (Poltava), Iryna Sydorenko (Ternopil)) at Milan Fashion Week as part of the FashionforFreedom project proved that Milan is the capital of fashion, and Ukrainians are very knowledgeable about it!

We sincerely thank the organizers and the entire team of the Fashion For Freedom MFW25 project for the unique opportunity to take part in the international discussion on the urgent issues of educating and nurturing new generations, fostering a conscious attitude toward fashion, addressing the challenges of the fashion industry, and exploring the profound interconnection between art, fashion, and cultural diplomacy.

Ukraine is strong, diverse, and invincible!

21.10.2025