Dr. Olha Korniienko: Cold War Cultural Diplomacy: Ukrainian Fashion on the Global Stage, 1945–1991

Dr. Olha Korniienko (ZZF Potsdam): Cold War Cultural Diplomacy: Ukrainian Fashion on the Global Stage, 1945–1991

This talk examines how Ukrainian fashion functioned as a platform for cultural diplomacy and the articulation of national identity during the Cold War, focusing on the period from 1945 to 1991. It explores the contributions of designers working in Soviet Ukraine alongside those of the Ukrainian diaspora in North America, highlighting their efforts to promote Ukrainian cultural heritage and elevate its global visibility despite ideological and political constraints.

As one of the Soviet Union’s key fashion centers, the Ukrainian SSR played a significant role in shaping Soviet aesthetics while maintaining a distinct national character. Ukrainian designers participated in major international exhibitions, including Expo 1967 in Montreal, where their work stood apart from broader Soviet fashion trends. These events facilitated contact between Soviet Ukraine and the Ukrainian diaspora, which increasingly used fashion, particularly clothing and public shows, as a means of advocating for an independent Ukraine, prompting concern from Soviet authorities. Fashion shows in Montreal, Los Angeles, and other cities thus became sites of both cultural exchange and subtle political resistance.

By examining these intersecting initiatives, this talk contributes to broader discussions on Cold War cultural diplomacy, Soviet nationality policies, and global design history. It demonstrates how fashion served as both a tool of cultural preservation and a means of political resistance on the international stage during a period of geopolitical tension.

Oberseminar im Sommersemester 2025.