London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jun 12, 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
NHS Trust Secures Funding for AI Tool to Detect Heart Failure Earlier
Government Unveils £4.5 Billion Investment Plan for Walking and Cycling Infrastructure
Nationwide Reports UK House Prices Falling as Borrowing Costs Remain Elevated
Centre for Social Justice Says Two Million Britons Are Using Illegal Loan Sharks
UK Carmakers Warn EU Local Content Rules Could Damage British Manufacturing
UK Government Imposes Emergency Ban on Seven Potent Synthetic Opioids
Royal Navy Completes Major North Atlantic Anti-Submarine Exercise Off Norway
NHS Figures Show Nearly 3,000 Patients a Day Receiving Care in Hospital Corridors
CBI Cuts UK Growth Forecast as Middle East Tensions Drive Inflation Risks Higher
Dan Jarvis Appointed UK Defence Secretary Following Major Government Reshuffle
University College London Study Links Physical Punishment to Higher Risk of Bullying
East Midlands Railway Unveils First Refurbished Train in £60 Million Modernization Programme
RNLI Issues National Water Safety Appeal Ahead of Expected Heatwave
Climate Change Raises Subsidence Risks for Millions of Homes Across Southeast England
Manchester Advances Plans for Underground Piccadilly Station With £1 Million Funding Commitment
Anti-Immigration Violence Continues in Belfast Amid Heightened Security Concerns
UK Law Locks Great British Railways Into Public Ownership
Office for National Statistics Adopts Supermarket Checkout Data for Inflation Measurement
Applied Atomics Launches With $500 Million Space Infrastructure Order Book
BYD Plans Nationwide Rollout of Ultra-Fast EV Charging Network
UK House Prices Unexpectedly Fall in May
CBI Warns UK Growth Is Becoming Increasingly Dependent on Public Spending
Makerfield By-Election Fuels Speculation Over Labour’s Future Leadership
Britain Declines to Join EU SAFE Defence Fund
UK Unveils 2040 Emissions Target Despite Strong Political Opposition
Government Orders Full Review of Palantir’s NHS Data Contract
UK Borrowing Costs Climb as Markets Price in Further Bank of England Rate Rises
Resident Doctors Confirm Five-Day NHS Strike Across England
Violent Anti-Immigrant Riots in Belfast Spark Political and Diplomatic Tensions
United Kingdom Sees Recovery in Horizon Europe Research Funding Share to 9.3 Percent
UK Inflation Holds at 2.8 Percent as Office for Budget Responsibility Flags Persistent Price Pressures
United Kingdom Launches National Anti-Fraud Framework to Combat Rising Pension Scam Losses
United Kingdom Expands Sanctions on Israeli Groups While Funding Palestinian Authority Salaries and Gaza Mine Clearance
United Kingdom Issues Three-Month Ultimatum to Major Technology Firms Over Child Online Safety Controls
United Kingdom Government Moves Toward Blanket Social Media Ban for Children Under Sixteen
Widespread Anti-Immigration Rioting Erupts Across Belfast After Knife Attack Linked to Asylum Seeker
Farmers Warn of Crop Losses Following Months of Unseasonal Rainfall
Civil Aviation Authority Launches Review of Regional Airport Operations
Met Office Issues Heat-Health Alert Across Parts of England
National Grid Introduces New Measures to Protect Winter Energy Supply
Northern England Rail Upgrades Receive Additional Government Funding
Wales Advances Green Hydrogen Strategy to Decarbonize Heavy Industry
UK Expands Recruitment Incentives to Address Shortage of STEM Teachers
High Court Opens Door to Climate Liability Claims Against Major Industrial Emitters
Police Service of Northern Ireland Investigates Major Personnel Data Breach
Defense Ministry Overhauls Procurement System to Accelerate AUKUS Submarine Program
Net Migration Remains Above Government Expectations, New Data Shows
UK and Scottish Governments Agree Framework for Expanded North Sea Wind Development
UK Treasury Launches New Tax Incentives to Boost AI and Semiconductor Investment
Bank of England Signals Continued Caution on Interest Rate Cuts
×