London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Jul 28, 2026

Ukraine war: Designing oufits for Beyoncé and Smith Smith from Kyiv

Ukraine war: Designing oufits for Beyoncé and Smith Smith from Kyiv

For most designers, London Fashion Week was a chance to debut new collections.

But for Ukrainian designer Ivan Frolov, it was about so much more.

Ivan chose to wear a Ukrainian flag T-shirt for his show and saw it as an opportunity to "keep the conversation about war going".

"It's still going on and we need the attention we got at the beginning," he says.

Ivan, 29, founded his fashion brand in 2015


The 29-year-old chatted to BBC Newsbeat following his show, saying this past week has been a good one in a difficult year.

From corsets to bulletproof vests


Ivan recalls the morning war broke out. He gave his employees the opportunity to stop working.

But to his surprise, within two weeks they all text the designer saying they wanted to continue as normal.

Ivan works with a team of 35 at a studio in central Kyiv


In the early days of war, fashion was far from their minds - they donated sewing machines to make bulletproof vests and turned their skills elsewhere.

"We were sewing rocket carriers and making uniforms for guys who needed special sizes, like very tall guys for example," he says.

"Our sewing machines are suited for making corsets and evening gowns, but we did the best we could."

As you might imagine, Ivan says working from a war zone is anything but predictable.

He explains they still have daily air-raid sirens, adding "you never know what will happen next".

"When Russia started bombing power stations, we had a lot of problems with electricity and blackouts."

But Ivan and his team haven't only been helping the war effort, they also returned to designing clothes.

There was one occasion, when 'normal' business had resumed and Ivan was finishing an order of outfits for Sam Smith's music video.

"We had a very short deadline because we needed to send the outfits to Poland by train and suddenly there was a blackout."

Ivan's team were tasked with designing the outfits for Sam Smith's I'm Not Here to Make Friends video


Instead of cancelling the order, Ivan's team found a way to do it by hand.

"Our embroidery masters taped their phones to lamps and used the torch light to embroider with a thread and needle," he says.

"After that I understood there's no task that's impossible for Ukrainian people."

The war makes sending out clothes more difficult though - and it now takes garments over 17 hours to leave the country.

"Unlike before where we would fly clothes straight from Kyiv, each order now has to be taken by a team member by train to Poland, before flying elsewhere," Ivan says.


Fans in high places


Sam Smith isn't the only artist Ivan has designed for in the last year. If you're a fan of Doja Cat, Rita Ora or Dua Lipa you might have spotted his work.

Oh, and then there's Beyoncé.

In January, Ivan got the call up to design one of the outfits for the star's Dubai concert.

"It's always good when something like that happens, because nowadays we only have sad news.

"When something supportive happens it helps us believe continue everything will be better."

Ivan calls this Beyoncé dress 'The Firework'


Beyoncé's decision to wear a Ukrainian brand at such an "important performance" meant a lot to Ivan.

But, he reflects, it didn't mean as much as it would have done pre-war.

"It was always my dream to dress Beyoncé, but now those dreams have changed.

"Right now, I have only one dream and it's a victory of Ukraine."

Looking towards the future though Ivan still feels hopeful that one day his fashion show will return to Kyiv instead of London.

"I want it to be in beautiful Ukraine. independent and free as it was before."

And as for a front row of A-listers, including Beyoncé?

"Oh for sure," he laughs, "she will always get the invite."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Another AI Genius Left the United States — and Silicon Valley Is Starting to Worry
Shein Reports $99mn Loss as Trade Barriers Test Low-Cost Model
CXMT Gains 466% in China’s Biggest IPO Since 2010
Amazon Seeks Approval for 5,105-Satellite Mobile Network
Burnham Puts School-to-Work Reform at Centre of Welfare Strategy
Badenoch Offers Tory Votes to Keep Serious Offenders in Prison
Why Americans Queue for $15 Ice Cream and a $100 Caviar Pint
Burnham Rules Out Replacing Council Tax and Stamp Duty
Fresh Heatwave Threatens to Rekindle France’s Historic Wildfire Crisis
The Burnham government is seeking to establish its credibility through ambitious social care reform while maintaining fiscal discipline and public confidence in the National Health Service. Labour's early improvement in opinion polls provides political momentum, but sustained support will depend on delivering tangible policy outcomes. Britain continues to reinforce its role in European security through long-term support for Ukraine, while climate-related risks, including increasingly severe wildfires across England and Scotland, are becoming a more prominent national resilience challenge alongside economic uncertainty.
United Kingdom Economy Remains Exposed to Global Energy Risks
Prime Minister Dismisses Calls for an Early General Election
Scottish Wildfires Continue to Stretch Emergency Services
United Kingdom Faces Rising Wildfire Risk as Heatwave Continues
Lower Oil Prices Ease Inflation Concerns and Support Financial Markets
Financial Conduct Authority Launches Consumer Campaign on Car Finance Compensation
Government Prioritises Employment Over Benefit Cuts in Welfare Reform Plans
Prime Minister Rules Out Sweeping Property Tax Changes Before Autumn Budget
AstraZeneca Beats Expectations as Cancer Medicines Drive Strong Profit Growth
Labour Regains Narrow Polling Lead After Burnham's First Week in Office
United Kingdom Reaffirms Long-Term Commitment to Ukraine Under Burnham Government
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Makes Social Care Reform the First Major Test of His Government
Following OpenAI's Cyberattack: 'Most Companies Still Do Not Understand What Is Coming'
Autopsy Finds No Violence in Death of Epstein-Linked Model Scout
Indian Education Minister Resigns After Cockroach Youth Protests
California Desert Data-Centre Plan Stalls as Water and Power Disputes Mount
Northern Ireland Border Security Tightened After Military-Grade Explosive Interception
British Hospitality Sector Targets Summer Visitors Through Regional Promotions
England River Access Debate Intensifies After New Data Shows Limited Public Access
Royal Navy Strengthens Maritime Vigilance Amid Rising Security Concerns
UK Education Department Expands Mental Health Support for Young People Entering Work
UK Tourism Industry Launches Summer Campaigns to Boost Domestic Travel
North England Transport Plans Advance to Support Industrial Growth
Financial Markets Watch New Government’s Economic Strategy as Investors Assess Fiscal Risks
Royal Navy Continues Monitoring Russian Naval Activity Near UK Waters
UK Care Workers May Receive Immigration Exemptions Under Proposed Visa Changes
Health Secretary Yvette Cooper Begins Emergency Talks to Address NHS Staffing Shortages
UK Banks Launch High-Interest Savings Offers to Attract Household Deposits
North Sea Oil Drilling Projects Face Delays After Offshore Equipment Accident
Cairngorms Wildfire Highlights Growing Pressure on UK Emergency Services
UK Government Borrowing Plans Put Pressure on Ten-Year Gilt Markets
Royal Navy Aircraft Carrier HMS Prince of Wales Returns After NATO Northern Flank Mission
Metropolitan Police Opens Criminal Investigation Into Reform UK Political Donations
Scottish Government Requests Military Support as Cairngorms Wildfire Forces Emergency Response
Andy Burnham Takes Office as UK Prime Minister and Unveils New Cabinet Team
War, Youth Revolt and the Global Struggle for Control
War, Power and the Rising Price of Political Decisions
High Street Sales Suffer Sharpest Summer Decline in Five Years
Wales Approves Higher Taxes on Second Homes and Long-Term Empty Properties
Environment Agency Imposes Record £150 Million Penalty on Water Companies
×