From October 21 to 28, 2025, Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design hosted the IV International Competition of Young Designers (clothing, footwear, accessories) “DIGITAL FASHION”. For the fourth time, the University became the venue for this international contest of creative fashion ideas, which brought together design students from around the world. The Competition was held online, enabling participants from Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Albania, Portugal, and other countries to join and present their works.
The Competition was initiated by Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design with the support of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and organized by the Department of Fashion Technology of the Faculty of Arts and Fashion. The Organizing Committee of the Competition included leading fashion industry experts, the University partners from specialized national and international educational institutions and enterprises from Romania, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Albania, Portugal, Germany, the United Kingdom, the USA, and others, as well as faculty members of the Department of Fashion Technology led by Professor Olha Haranina, Head of the Department, with the support of Professor Nataliia Ostapenko, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Fashion, and the University administration.
The event was moderated by Lilia Chertenko, PhD in Technical Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Fashion Technology, and interpreted by Marko Lebedev, Senior Lecturer of the Department of Economics, PhD.
The event was solemnly opened by the President of the Competition, Oleksandra Olshanska, Acting Rector of KNUTD, Doctor of Economics, Professor, and Honored Educator of Ukraine. Oleksandra Volodymyrivna emphasized, “Despite the challenges of war, we do not stop, because creativity is our strength and our front line. The “Digital Fashion” Competition, held as part of the celebration of the University’s 95th anniversary, has become a symbol of resilience, faith in the future, and inspiration for young designers”.
The opening ceremony of the Competition was attended by members of the Organizing Committee Natalia Ostapenko and Olha Haranina, as well as Tetiana Struminska, Head of the Department of Fashion and Style, PhD in Technical Sciences, Associate Professor, and academic staff of the Department of Fashion Technology: Natalia Pervaia, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor; Antonina Babych, PhD in Technical Sciences, Associate Professor; Oksana Vodzinska, PhD in Technical Sciences, Associate Professor; Tymofii Lypskyi, PhD in Technical Sciences, Doctoral Candidate; and Dariia Kaptiurova, postgraduate student.
The honorary jury included representatives of the international academic community, business sector, and renowned Ukrainian figures of the global fashion industry: Fabio Regozza, General Director of the joint venture “RIF-1”, brand “INBLU” (Italy); Marcel Mersan, Professor, Footwear Designer, Certified Footwear Manufacturer, and Chief Moderator of the International Footwear Makers Forum (USA); Evridiki Papachristou, Professor at the Department of Creative Design and Clothing, International Hellenic University (Greece); Tatiana Spahiu, Professor at the Polytechnic University of Tirana (Albania); Luis Sepúlveda, 3D Designer, Technical Footwear Production Manager at Forus S.A. (Chile); Lela Kiknavelidze, Professor at Akaki Tsereteli State University, Member of the Artists’ Union (Georgia); Mila Bahrii, Footwear Designer and Technical Engineer with experience at “Michael Kors,” “Anne Klein,” “Stuart Weitzman,” and “Vera Wang,” as well as a consultant for startup fashion brands (USA); Zlatina Kazlacheva, Professor at Trakia University (Bulgaria); Bill Bird, Bespoke Shoemaker, Lecturer in Footwear Design at De Montfort University, Founder and CEO of “Bill Bird Shoes” (United Kingdom); Hartmut Seidich, Designer, Master Craftsman, Owner of a Custom and Orthopedic Footwear Production Studio, and Lecturer in Footwear Design and Modeling at the Düsseldorf Academy of Crafts (Germany); Henrique Almeida, Associate Professor at the Polytechnic University of Leiria (Portugal); Raquel Antunes, Designer, Associate Professor at Lusíada University and the University of Design in Aveiro (Portugal); Aura Mihai, Professor, Dean of the Faculty of Textiles, Leather and Industrial Management at the Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iași (Romania); Raphaël Lenseigne, Designer, Founder, and Creative Director of the fashion brand “Adult-Antwerp” (Belgium); Nadia Bukhonka, Associate Professor at the “Mihajlo Pupin” Technical University of Novi Sad (Serbia); Donald Kilpatrick, Artist, Illustrator, Lecturer, and Head of the Illustration Department at the College for Creative Studies (USA); Kostyantyn Kofta, Ukrainian Designer, CEO and Founder of “Kofta Studio” (Ukraine); Ivan Frolov, Ukrainian Fashion Designer, Founder and Owner of the brand “FROLOV” (Ukraine); Golda Vynohradska, Designer, Vice President of the Confederation of Designers and Stylists of Ukraine, and Head of the National Industry Partnership in the Light Industry “Fashion Globus Ukraine” (Ukraine); and Mykhailo Kucherenko, Founder of the brand “Surikat UA” and Director of a company producing bags, backpacks, and textile products (Ukraine).
At the opening of the Сompetition, participants were warmly welcomed by Raquel Antunes, PhD in Design, Professor of Design at Lusíada University in Porto and the Polytechnic Institute of Leiria (Portugal), and Golda Vynohradska, Designer, Vice President of the Confederation of Designers and Stylists of Ukraine, and Head of the National Industry Partnership in the Light Industry “Fashion Globus Ukraine” (Ukraine).
This year’s Сompetition theme – “MetaForm: Beyond Form” – was dedicated to the creation of adaptive clothing, footwear, and accessories that combine innovation, comfort, sustainability, and inclusivity. “MetaForm is not just about form. It’s about the person, about comfort that evolves together with them”.
The participants completed a comprehensive assignment: they created collection sketches either in graphic software or by hand, produced 3D visualizations of their models, presented composition boards, and described their project concepts in English. The works were evaluated based on criteria of originality, artistic expression, ergonomics, and quality of digital execution.
“Each work this year is an example of how a modern designer thinks – ecologically, socially responsibly, and technologically. We can also see that the Сompetition has become a permanent platform for the development of young designers, for strengthening creative collaboration between universities, and for fostering innovative thinking in the field of fashion. We are proud of the talent of the Сompetition’s participants”, emphasized Liudmyla Hanushchak-Yefimenko, Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation, Doctor of Economics, Professor.
On the final day of the Сompetition, based on the results of the rating evaluation, the winners were announced in three categories: Clothing, Footwear, and Accessories.
During the final event, slides featuring the winners’ works were presented, and jury members Lela Kiknavelidze, Professor at Akaki Tsereteli State University and Member of the Artists’ Union (Georgia), and Evridiki Papachristou, Professor at the Department of Creative Design and Clothing of the International Hellenic University (Greece), shared their impressions and best wishes.
The jury members emphasized that the Сompetition has become a permanent platform for the development of young designers, the strengthening of creative collaboration between universities, and the formation of innovative thinking in the field of fashion.
Based on the results of the independent rating evaluation of the creative works, the jury members announced the winners of the IV International Competition of Young Designers (clothing, footwear, accessories) “Digital Fashion”:
“CLOTHING” CATEGORY:
1st place – Eirini Dakanali, Technical University of Crete, Greece
1st place – Alina Mikitej, Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design, Ukraine
2nd place – Sofia Yakhno, Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design, Ukraine
2nd place – Anastasiia Movchaniuk, Khmelnytskyi National University, Ukraine
3rd place – Daria Andriyenko, Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design, Ukraine
3rd place – Maria Dimitriadou, International Hellenic University, Greece
3rd place – Kristine Kozeev, Akaki Tsereteli State University, Georgia
“FOOTWEAR” CATEGORY:
1st place – Natalia Kuzina, Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design, Ukraine
2nd place – Lika Lomidze, Akaki Tsereteli State University, Georgia
3rd place – Rymma Shymanska, Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design, Ukraine
“ACCESSORIES” CATEGORY:
1st place – Mykyta Kuzin, Ukrainian State Flight Academy, Separate Subdivision “Odesa Technical Vocational College of Odesa National Technological University”, Ukraine
The Organizing Committee of the Competition extends its sincere gratitude to all participants, jury members, and partners for their invaluable support. Together, we have demonstrated that even in the most challenging times, fashion continues to be a space of strength, creativity, and mutual understanding.
05.11.2025
