Oct 2013 UKRAINIAN DIALOGUE 04 ISSUE Kyiv, meet London The festival that’s bringing the best of Ukraine to the UK Fashion forward Why young Ukrainian fashion designers are prêt-a-porter Bravo borscht A signature soup A PUBLICATION OF THE BRITISH UKRAINIAN SOCIETY 03/ LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN From the Chairman From the Chairman, Lord Risby I am pleased to present you with the fourth edition of Ukrainian Dialogue, the annual publication of the British Ukrainian Society, where you will discover more about Ukraine’s current affairs, culture and people. This month we will get a taste of Ukraine at the first ever Days of Ukraine in the UK festival, held over three days in some of London’s most high profile venues. Londoners will have the opportunity to experience Ukrainian art and fashion at the Saatchi Gallery, acquaint themselves with Ukraine’s literature at the London Library, and enjoy Ukraine’s music, food and drink at Potter’s Field Park. We are proud to see this large and vibrant event come to fruition and plan this to be the first of many exciting annual events. For more details — including the festival programme — see https://Ukraine-days.co.uk. Politically, 2013 has been an important year for Ukraine, with the country holding the Chair of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The remainder of the year has the potential to be historic for Ukraine. If the Association Agreement is signed at the Eastern Partnership Summit held in Vilnius in November, Ukraine will soon see its path merge more closely with Europe’s. Britain very much hopes for a favourable outcome. We continue to work with Ukraine through different channels and on several levels in order to increase our ties and capitalise on our bilateral relationship. The World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council, of which I am Vice-Chairman, will meet in Kyiv in November to discuss strategy in developing Ukraine’s economy, and will report the results in Davos in January. These types of initiatives are invaluable in getting the best minds together to develop a positive future for Ukraine and Ukrainians. Best wishes, 04/ CONTRIBUTORS Viktor Yushchenko Olga Betko Farzana Baduel Yuliya Polishchuk Viktor Andriyovych Olga Betko is Farzana Baduel is Yuliya POLISHCHUK is Yushchenko is a former an independent founder and managing founder and creative President of Ukraine broadcaster based director of Curzon PR, a director of MissU and (2005-2010). He is also in London. She was London-based boutique Yuliya Polishchuk fashion a former Prime Minister Associate Producer for communications brands. She graduated of Ukraine (1999-2001) the acclaimed BBC4 consultancy. Her from the London and former Chairman documentary ‘Ukraine’s clients have included College of Fashion in of the National Bank of Forgotten Children’, the Ukrainian 2011, and now teaches at Ukraine (1993-1999). investigating the plight and Azerbaijani the London College of of children in state care. governments. Contemporary Arts. Dan Edelstyn Leonid Kohzara Anna Shevchenko Ian Skinner Dan Edelstyn is a writer, Leonid Kohzara has Anna Shevchenko is Ian Skinner is an filmmaker and musician. been Minister of Foreign the author of Bequest, independent researcher His debut feature Affairs of Ukraine since The Game and two and consultant documentary How to December 2012. He is bestselling cultural specialising in the Re-Establish a Vodka a former Ambassador guides to Russia and environmental impacts Empire was released in of Ukraine to Sweden Ukraine. She speaks of transport. He has cinemas in March 2012. (2002-2004). seven languages and worked on numerous has lived and worked in projects for a range of more than 30 countries. organisations including the UN Environment Programme and the European Commission. Editor Production & printing Copyright Sophia Martelli Warners Midlands plc All material in Ukrainian Dialogue is strictly copyright and all rights reserved. The Maltings, Manor Lane, Bourne, Reproduction without permission from the publisher is strictly forbidden. Managing Editor Lincolnshire PE10 9PH Megan Hodges www.warners.co.uk Although we take great care in compiling the content of this magazine, we assume no responsibility and cannot be held liable for any loss or damage Associate Editor Published by to any material nor advertisements submitted, which are sent at the owner’s Philip Fiske de Gouveia The British Ukrainian Society risk. Advertisers bear full responsibility for the design and the context of 1st Floor, 25 Knightsbridge, advertisements. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the British Design London SW1X 7RZ Ukrainian Society. Robert McCarthy www.britishukrainiansociety.org Issue 4 published as of October 11th, 2013. Circulation: 30,000. Free of charge Advertising department for members of the British Ukrainian Society. Readers who wish to contact +44 207 838 7025 the Society about membership or with feedback should do so by emailing [email protected] 05/ CONTENTS 10 22 0640 THE FRONT PAGES ARTS & CULTURE FOCUS ON FASHION 03 10 15 18 Letter from the Ukraine meets the UK — Branding Ukraine Goodbye uniform, hello Chairman and parties for by Farzana Baduel fashion three days by Yuliya Polishchuk 04 by Darnya Shevchenko 24 Contributors From fostered to family? 46 22 by Olga Betko En Vogue 06 Ukraine treads the An interview with Masha News in brief boards Tsukanova and Yuliya by Tina Nandha Kostetskaya FOOD AND TRAVEL OPINION LITERATURE 26 31 36 Building a vodka empire Best of friends? The EU Turning the page: by Daniel Edelsyn and Ukraine Ukraine’s literary future by Viktor Yushchenko by Andrey Kurkov 40 Borscht: the vegetable 32 38 that launched a At the heart of a united Book reviews thousand soups Europe by Paul Spike by Leonid Kohzara 39 The Ukrainian Collection 43 at the BL Odessa: 40 years on Interview with Olga by Anna Shevchenko Kerziouk 06/ NEWS IN BRIEF Fashion’s rising “Very often women are hiding privately styles and designs for. their real ‘I’ and are afraid to let the world know about it. Yuliya actively supports I’m trying to create things with industry-specific programmes a real identity and elegance”, for students and trendsetters. claims Yuliya Polishchuk, a Thus, in 2012 Ms. Polishuk Ukrainian fashion designer brought to Ukraine the unique based in London, and writer of art project “Fashion Move our fashion feature on page 18. On”. The project supports and develops collaboration Her Spring/Summer 2013- between designers, filmmakers 14 collection, shown on the and contemporary artists in catwalk at Ukrainian Fashion Ukraine in the form of short Week on October 10th, was films that were presented inspired by the Great Gatsby during Ukrainian Fashion Week. Era of the 1920’s, where she These films will also form part captured the transformation of the Days of Ukraine fashion that women have gone through festival at the Saatchi Gallery, to achieve the independence which Ms Polishchuk is involved and freedom they enjoy today. 01 in organising. Meanwhile, she This is expressed in a collection teaches students as a lecturer at that conveys the sense of being in a movie — and University of the Arts, London. inviting the wearer to become a part of it. A signature feature of the evening dresses are the silhouettes Sharing her plans for the future, the young designer created by layering fabrics to create a 3D effect, while hopes to open concessions for MissU and Yuliya at the same time retaining a feminine look. POLISHCHUK brands in Milan, Stockholm, Antwerp and London. And of course as a patriot she’ll develop Born in Kiev, today Yuliya Polishchuk has two of her her labels and education programmes in both fashion own fashion brands and clients around the world she and art in her native country — Ukraine. Looking for gorgeous gift ideas? 15% OFF YOUR FIRST ORDER QUOTE AUTUMN15 Handpickedcollection.com 0844 482 9707 Fabulous things to give or keep 07/ NEWS IN BRIEF MP calls for UK to recognise Holodomor as genocide Pauline Latham MP has called on the UK to join other countries in recognising the Ukrainian Holodomor as genocide. The Holodomor, or ‘death by hunger’, refers to the man-made famine which took place in 1932- 33 during implementation of Stalin’s collectivisation policies. It continues to be a difficult topic as figures vary as to how many 02 people died, and whether it was Photo © Ukrainian Catholic Education Foundation Education Catholic © Ukrainian Photo deliberately used by the Soviet government to decimate the The Pope’s Ukrainian connection Ukrainian population. While a student of the Salesian school, Pope Francis was mentored by a Ms Latham spoke in the House Ukrainian priest, the late Fr Stepan Chmil. And another little-known fact of Commons on 31 January, is that he also speaks Ukrainian. Euronews reports Cardinal Lubomyr reminding MPs present that Husar of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church as saying he was impressed Canada, Australia, the US, Poland when he met Francis eight years ago at the conclave that elected his and Hungary were some of predecessor Pope Benedict XVI: “I had not met him before, did not know the countries to recognise the him, but I knew he was from Argentina. So, I sat beside him and wanted Holodomor as genocide. She is to introduce myself, and suddenly he said in Ukrainian, ‘Glory to our Lord calling for a debate on the matter. Jesus Christ’. I was very surprised!” Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church Sviatoslav Shevchuk (pictured celebrating mass with the Pope in Rome), explained to the RISU news service that “Pope Francis, as archbishop of Buenos Aires, was assigned as ordinary for Eastern Catholics, specifically those who at the time did not have members of their own hierarchy… In this way, Cardinal Bergoglio, always took care of our Church in Argentina; and as a young bishop, I took my first steps in episcopal ministry under his watchful eyes and help.