How has the role of embroidery changed?
Our ancestors had different embroidered shirts for every occasion. This is not surprising, because today we wear T-shirts and blouses, sweatshirts and T-shirts, and earlier all these wardrobe items were embroidered. Everyday models with a minimum of embroidery and decor, elegant ones with a lot of embroidery. Moreover, ornaments were considered amulets and symbolized many phenomena in people's lives, so there were special embroidered shirts for many events.
In the 20th century, Ukrainian culture as a whole experienced a terrible decline. Naturally, this affected vyshyvankas. They were then remembered only on holidays and as stage costumes.
Today, embroidery has become almost everyday again. Yes, we no longer wear exclusively embroidered clothes, but we can safely pick up a few embroidered pieces – both stylized and traditional – for every day and event.
A classic model - for Independence Day, a luxurious dress with intricate decorations and rich embroidery - for a wedding or other special occasion. A plain dress with unobtrusive decor in the style of vyshyvanka - for every day in the office, a bright shirt with richly embroidered sleeves - for a boho-style look with jeans and sneakers. By the way, in the last bow, the traditional neckline with tassel ties can be relaxed and the vyshyvanka can be lowered, exposing one shoulder.
When did embroidery become what we know it as today?
No one knows exactly when embroidery was created. Both its emergence and development were gradual.
The art of Slavic embroidery dates back to the pre-Christian period. This is evidenced by archaeological finds, including from the Trypillian and Scythian cultures. It is known that the art of embroidery experienced its true flowering during the times of Rus, creating and consolidating symbols and ornaments that are popular to this day. The Kiev princes supported the traditions of embroidered clothing in every way. Thus, in the 11th century, Anna, the sister of Vladimir Monomakh, founded a school for girls - future embroidery masters at the monastery.
The recognizable styles, general appearance and symbolic meaning of the Ukrainian national costume in general, and embroidery in particular, acquired during the Hetmanate. The Cossacks believed that the signs embroidered on the cloth had a powerful force, inextricably linking them to their native land, inspiring victory, protecting them from death in battle and healing wounds.
The influence of neighbors in the 17th-18th centuries brought new fabrics, cut elements, and all sorts of oriental plants to Ukrainian embroidery. By the way, clothing in the central regions better preserved its authenticity and traditional symbolism.
In the 19th century, with the development of industry, wealthy townspeople began to wear European outfits, combining them with embroidery made of silk and other expensive fabrics, while in the village they continued to follow traditions.
You probably know that the first famous fashionista to combine traditional embroidery with ordinary European clothing was Ivan Franko, who wore it under a classic jacket.
Then, with the beginning of the Red Terror, embroidered shirts in the 1930s were subject to destruction as a symbol of Ukrainian identity.
There was a small surge in the popularity of folk costumes in the 1960s, which is attributed to Khrushchev's love of vyshyvanka. But after the end of his rule, vyshyvanka once again became exclusively patriotic and dissident.
After the difficult fate of Ukrainian culture during the Soviet era, embroidery was completed by the beginning of the era of independence. In the crisis of the 1990s, those few preserved old chests with authentic family heirlooms embroidered by our grandmothers in the century before last and at the beginning of the last century turned into currency, were sold at auctions, and settled in private collections around the world.
From the chest to the podium
A couple of decades ago, embroidery was an attribute only of the celebration of Independence Day or a concert performance with Ukrainian folk songs. When the word embroidery came to everyone's mind, a white shirt embroidered with red and black threads, or, in extreme cases, a traditional national costume with a women's plakhta or men's harem pants. The study of ornaments and fabrics in general was the business of only museum workers or rare connoisseurs.
The first wave of popularity came after the Orange Revolution. In the wake of patriotism and national unity, many people wore embroidery as everyday clothing.
In 2005, after visiting Ukraine, French designer Jean-Paul Gaultier presented his "Ukrainian collection," in which even the dress models had the names of Ukrainian regions: "Bukovina," "Crimea," etc.
Since 2006, thanks to the initiative of Lesya Voroniuk, a student at Chernivtsi University, the annual World Embroidery Day has been celebrated on the third Thursday of May.
In 2008, Dior art director John Galliano presented a collection that was also based on Ukrainian ethnic motifs.
Ukrainian ethnicity is also noticeable in the fall-winter 2008-2009 collection, created by Gucci art director Frida Giannini. The models were dominated by geometric elements typical of the national embroidery of Podillia and the Hutsul region.
Another important stage in strengthening the position of embroidered clothes can be called Euro 2012. It was then that the world again paid close attention to Ukraine in general, and our national clothing in particular.
During the championship, singer Madonna bought herself a Ukrainian embroidered vyshyvanka. Many other Western stars also appreciated the beauty of our national clothing - photos of Mila Kunis, Dita von Teese, Sandra Bullock, and Gwyneth Paltrow in embroidered vyshyvankas and dresses with Ukrainian ornaments flashed in the press and on social networks.
Since then, Ukrainians have increasingly worn national clothes on holidays - both state and religious: Independence Day, Constitution Day, Flag Day, Easter, and Christmas.
Embroidery 2.0
The final restart was the events of 2014, when, in a desire to unite around a common goal, people began to search again for a recognizable and understandable symbol of identity. And it was then that Ukrainian embroidery gained its full second life.
Ukrainian has finally become fashionable and recognizable all over the world for a long time. At the fall-winter 2013-2014 shows, two fashion designers at once - Prabal Gurung in New York and Gareth Pugh in Paris - demonstrated collections dedicated to "Ukrainian Amazons."
In 2015, the fashion house Valentino presented a collection with embroidered ornaments. The collection also featured traditional Ukrainian zhupany and vests made of sheep wool.
And the Queen of the Netherlands, in the stands of the 2016 Olympics, flaunted an embroidered dress from Ukrainian designer Vita Keen.
In 2017, Vogue magazine first used the phrase “embroidered shirt” instead of the phrase “embroidered shirt,” but the transliterated Ukrainian word “the vyshyvanka.” Thus, the word “embroidered shirt” entered the English lexicon.
After that, Ukrainian embroidery fully became an international street fashion brand. It easily fits into the street-style look and creates a stylish and original image.
Embroidery is still undergoing an incredible transformation. Modernized models, inscribed in the boho style beloved by many, look best. Combining modern materials and comfortable cut, designers develop original dresses, embroidery, T-shirts, skirts, accessories and even outerwear. Preserving authentic cut details and ornaments, manufacturers create absolutely modern and sought-after things of incredible beauty.
A traditional family set? Please. An embroidered vyshyvanka to go with jeans? Here it is, turquoise or yellow. A budget option? Take a knitted embroidered T-shirt. An extravagant holiday dress? An asymmetrical model with embroidery and chiffon inserts. A wedding dress? Here it is, with white-on-white embroidery, a classic vyshyvanka top, and a completely secular skirt with a train.
Today it is hard to imagine that once only classic options were available – white fabric and red-black or blue ornament.
Any colors and materials, modern styles with elements of traditional embroidery - models are constantly being improved, designers follow trends and boldly experiment. Many use old patterns from family heirlooms, rare sewing techniques, rare embroidery motifs from the most picturesque corners of Ukraine.
Previously, hemp or linen fabric was used to sew vyshyvanka. However, today, the variety of fabrics allows you to choose any vyshyvanka. There are shirts made of hemp, natural linen, cotton fabrics, silk fabrics, and a combination of natural and synthetic materials. Natural fabrics are the most expensive, they have antifungal, anti-allergic, and antiseptic properties. Synthetic fabrics are cheap and not so demanding in care, and the golden mean is mixed fabrics that perfectly combine the hygiene and environmental friendliness of natural fabrics and the practicality of synthetic materials.
Embroidery has been reinterpreted, you can choose it for any image and taste. We have far surpassed our ancestors in terms of decoration, diversity and mix of history and modernity. It is this breath of fresh air, in our opinion, that has allowed embroidery not to sink into oblivion, but to still attract new fans and surprise old ones. Thanks to today's accessibility and diversity, you won't have to make much effort, like our ancestors. Just look into the store!
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