During Ukrainian Fashion Week in Kyiv, a fashion show took place featuring Ukrainian veterans with amputations. The event was organized in collaboration with the U+System Military Prosthetics Center and was held against the backdrop of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
In a large brick hall, models gracefully walked in linen dresses, the sound of a metallic prosthetic breaking the silence. Among the participants was veteran Yaroslav Sharky, who lost a leg in battle and was preparing to walk the runway.
According to non-governmental organizations, among about 50,000 to 100,000 Ukrainian soldiers are those who have lost a limb in the fight against the Russian invasion. Yaroslav Sharky, a former medical worker, joked: 'I have one leg in Donbas, and the other on the Fashion Week runway,' noting that he has learned to switch between these realities.
Away from the explosions, he now deals with slight nervousness before appearing and teasing from former comrades. On the runway, he showcased the latest clothing collection created by Ukrainian designer Igor Sidletsky specifically for people with prosthetics. Together with four other veterans, he wore wide black shorts into which he inserted his metal leg.
Since Sharky is amputated below the knee, he usually has to completely remove his trousers to adjust the device, which causes him discomfort in public places. However, Sidletsky's designs feature a loose fit and ease of wearing. Sharky confidently stated that the clothing is 'comfortable while remaining stylish.'
When the designer announced, 'Be ready in 10 minutes,' Sharky adjusted his collar and put on black sunglasses, replying in an army style: 'Of course.'
In the dressing room, metallic prosthetics moved quickly among many slender legs of Nikolai Kovalov. The young man put on a loose shirt, tossed back his long black hair, and struck several playful poses, laughing. He emphasized: 'I am not an actor, I am not a star, I am not a dancer. But we try.'
The former soldier lost both legs in battles in the northeastern region of Sumy four years after enlisting in the Ukrainian army immediately following the Russian invasion. Twenty-two-year-old Kovalov felt lost for a long time, saying: 'I still don't know who I am or what I want to do.' When the opportunity arose to present inclusive fashion on the runway, he did not hesitate, stating: 'This art is something that can give us resources when war took them away from us. There we had to destroy. Here we create.'
After the final fitting, he nervously looked for his sunglasses before his first show. A murmur could be heard as the first guests took their seats. Several prosthetics could also be seen under clothes and trousers in the audience. Then laughter erupted, extravagant outfits appeared, and camera flashes—the show began.
Before the regular parade, there was a minute of silence in memory of hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers killed since the Russian invasion in 2022. To the sound of the piano, the first models began to step forward. Among cascades of carefully curled hair stood the shaved head of a broad-shouldered soldier. A wave of applause rose as he stepped onto the stage. At the end of the runway, he instinctively touched his heels—a routine movement from military parade training—then turned and walked back. Kovalov and Sharky followed him confidently. Off-white fabrics contrasted with the chrome shine of their prosthetics.
When the last model struck a pose, the hall erupted in applause. Designer Sidletsky, aged 27, ran onto the stage, beaming. Backstage, 30-year-old model Olga Dolga tried to hold back tears. She is the only civilian face at the show; she lost her leg when Russia bombed a store in her hometown of Dobropillia, which was subjected to intense attacks by Moscow's troops. 'Now more than ever, we need to highlight the issue of inclusivity because so many boys and girls have lost limbs,' she said.
The same struggle drives Sharky, who plans to launch his own clothing brand so that 'amputees no longer have to wonder where to find comfortable trousers.' He concluded: 'But the most important thing is style. Because style matters to me.'