A mind-opening journey on the Himalayas and the wish for rebirth inspired designer Lilia Litkovska for her new A/W24 collection: UNDERWATER.
About The Collection: Sartorial Touches
In an iconic LITKOVSKA manner, the brand presented a range of its classic designs – i.e. deconstructed masculine jackets and trousers – alongside elegant, fitted dresses.
The leitmotif and special detail of the collection were prints with an image of fish, which covered tops and shirts. In the folk tradition of many peoples, including Ukrainians, fish symbolises rebirth and purification, as life always begins with water. A dream in which one catches a fish portends the birth of a new child – or ideas, strengths, and abilities.
The collection also includes several looks with scarves wrapped in a circle, symbolising the non-linearity of time: the endless cycle of changes and reincarnations that not only the world but each of us individually experiences through life.
About LITKOVSKA's Underwater A/W 24: Presentation and Inspiration
LITKOVSKA's Autumn/Winter 2024 collection was presented as part of the official Paris Fashion Week program on February 28th in the L'eclaireur concept store. For the presentation, the brand prepared special invitations written in children's handwriting with a design made by the designer herself, during an ascent in the Himalayas at the start of this year. It was this trip that inspired both the collection and the presentation – with the wisdom of the mountains and the revitalising power of water. There, at an altitude of several thousand metres above sea level, in a camp for climbers on the way to Annapurna, Lilia Litkovska raised the Ukrainian flag to once again remind the world about everything that is happening in her country.
The inhabitants of the Himalayan mountains are known for their peaceful attitude, and their ability to interact ecologically with everything they touch. A similar future, full of peace, kindness, and empathy, is something the designer sees for Ukraine after its victory. Traditional symbols of Himalayan culture were also integrated into the aesthetics of the fashion show, emphasising the message. The models came out to the audience with hiking gear, holding thermoses and sleeping bags – things that help keep and share the warmth. After the show, both the models and the guests left their wishes to the universe on ribbons, which were then hung on a symbolic tree in the concept store. As a souvenir of the event, the audience received postcards created using Lilia Litkovska's Himalayan photo diaries, with her personal wishes.
Team credits
Styling: Goce Jovanovski
Casting: Manon Sassy
Hair stylist: Soh Kogasaka
Make-up: Yuuka Nishi
Production: Napoleon studio
Director: Sasha Stekolenko (Bureau creative lab)
Photographer: Nick Soland
Videographer: Volodymyr Kozubskyi
Music: Julien Sitruk
Location: L’éclaireur
