When I was a child, I dreamed of an ideal world without borders; a world where people live in harmony with nature and with each other,\u201d says Yulia Yefimtchuk, one of the most radical, political and well-known designers in recent Ukraine. After graduating from Kyiv\u2019s Institute of Decorative and Applied Art and Design in 2010, Yefimtchuk began her career as a fashion designer. Gathering inspiration from the restraint of Soviet-era lifestyle, her designs became an open reappraisal of old systems while turning them to the future.<\/p>\n
Growing up in Eighties rural Ukraine, the designer witnessed the visual reform politics of perestroika: a movement palpable through the propaganda posters on the streets and in communities. \u201cYou don\u2019t need to be a journalist or politician to explain exactly what propaganda is,\u201d she points out. \u201cFor me, propaganda is the management and manipulation of the masses through the use of all possible resources. And it\u2019s everywhere. I don\u2019t trust anyone, I don\u2019t give in to manipulation. I only trust myself. After all, if you believe the parables in the Bible, then Adam and Eve were already subjected to manipulation and the power of propaganda when they encountered the fruit of Paradise.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSearching for the truth is difficult,\u201d Yefimtchuk admits. \u201cI was born in a state that no longer exists: the USSR. My father was a graphic artist who created propaganda slogans and posters.\u201d Soon after leaving art college, Yefimtchuk developed a deep interest in the graphical aspect of posters \u2013 an interest that exposed her to the political landscape of the time. Upon further exploration, she discovered a radical approach to both thinking and designing. \u201cTo use slogans such as \u2018PEACE TO THE WORLD\u2019 in this situation of war is blatant cynicism, but such is the essence of a person. We are all cynics to some extent, just not everyone can admit it to themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"images","gallery":[{"ID":106947,"id":106947,"title":"","filename":"8_24_2.jpeg","filesize":44498,"url":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/8_24_2.jpeg","link":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/de\/article\/yulia-yefimtchuk\/8_24_2\/","alt":"","author":"1","description":"","caption":"","name":"8_24_2","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":106876,"date":"2023-03-15 14:19:57","modified":"2023-03-15 14:21:06","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":700,"height":900,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/8_24_2.jpeg","thumbnail-width":75,"thumbnail-height":96,"medium":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/8_24_2.jpeg","medium-width":700,"medium-height":900,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/8_24_2.jpeg","medium_large-width":700,"medium_large-height":900,"large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/8_24_2.jpeg","large-width":700,"large-height":900,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/8_24_2.jpeg","1536x1536-width":700,"1536x1536-height":900,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/8_24_2.jpeg","2048x2048-width":700,"2048x2048-height":900,"trp-custom-language-flag":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/8_24_2.jpeg","trp-custom-language-flag-width":9,"trp-custom-language-flag-height":12,"wpvr_mobile":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/8_24_2.jpeg","wpvr_mobile-width":700,"wpvr_mobile-height":900}},{"ID":106948,"id":106948,"title":"17_11_2","filename":"17_11_2.jpeg","filesize":43298,"url":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/17_11_2.jpeg","link":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/de\/article\/yulia-yefimtchuk\/17_11_2\/","alt":"","author":"1","description":"","caption":"","name":"17_11_2","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":106876,"date":"2023-03-15 14:19:59","modified":"2023-03-15 14:19:59","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":700,"height":900,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/17_11_2.jpeg","thumbnail-width":75,"thumbnail-height":96,"medium":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/17_11_2.jpeg","medium-width":700,"medium-height":900,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/17_11_2.jpeg","medium_large-width":700,"medium_large-height":900,"large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/17_11_2.jpeg","large-width":700,"large-height":900,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/17_11_2.jpeg","1536x1536-width":700,"1536x1536-height":900,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/17_11_2.jpeg","2048x2048-width":700,"2048x2048-height":900,"trp-custom-language-flag":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/17_11_2.jpeg","trp-custom-language-flag-width":9,"trp-custom-language-flag-height":12,"wpvr_mobile":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/17_11_2.jpeg","wpvr_mobile-width":700,"wpvr_mobile-height":900}}],"settings":{"fit_width":"4","caption":"Images Courtesy of Yulia Yefimtchuk"}},{"acf_fc_layout":"text_area","text_area":"
Like most artists, Yefimtchuk\u2019s work communicates emotions and feelings: conscious or subconscious. \u201cMy design practice utilises linguistic expressions and slogans,\u201d she explains, when asked about her process. \u201cUsing such unconscious affirmations allows me to explore how clothes can talk, how they can provoke and ask questions. As an artist, I also want to convey my concerns and worries in the hope of connecting with others. It\u2019s a kind of non-verbal communication between me and the world. This is an artistic technique that I found for myself. It was not chosen unconsciously.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOver the last few years, fashion and art have become less about expression and more about commerce, about becoming a crowd. I think about that a lot now. Perhaps this approach is the answer to the political system we have today. It\u2019s not news that the current political system is beginning to crack. So, maybe we are on the verge of something new?,\u201d she questions.<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes we come to a dead end. Everything changes and moves too quickly, no one has time to enjoy ideas and be creative. The only thing I know for certain is that in the future, everything will be worse with individualism in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"images","gallery":[{"ID":106951,"id":106951,"title":"9_23_2","filename":"9_23_2.jpeg","filesize":46162,"url":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/9_23_2.jpeg","link":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/de\/article\/yulia-yefimtchuk\/9_23_2\/","alt":"","author":"1","description":"","caption":"","name":"9_23_2","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":106876,"date":"2023-03-15 14:21:52","modified":"2023-03-15 14:21:52","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":700,"height":900,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/9_23_2.jpeg","thumbnail-width":75,"thumbnail-height":96,"medium":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/9_23_2.jpeg","medium-width":700,"medium-height":900,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/9_23_2.jpeg","medium_large-width":700,"medium_large-height":900,"large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/9_23_2.jpeg","large-width":700,"large-height":900,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/9_23_2.jpeg","1536x1536-width":700,"1536x1536-height":900,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/9_23_2.jpeg","2048x2048-width":700,"2048x2048-height":900,"trp-custom-language-flag":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/9_23_2.jpeg","trp-custom-language-flag-width":9,"trp-custom-language-flag-height":12,"wpvr_mobile":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/9_23_2.jpeg","wpvr_mobile-width":700,"wpvr_mobile-height":900}},{"ID":106952,"id":106952,"title":"15_11_1","filename":"15_11_1.jpeg","filesize":41666,"url":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/15_11_1.jpeg","link":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/de\/article\/yulia-yefimtchuk\/15_11_1\/","alt":"","author":"1","description":"","caption":"","name":"15_11_1","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":106876,"date":"2023-03-15 14:22:12","modified":"2023-03-15 14:22:12","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":700,"height":900,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/15_11_1.jpeg","thumbnail-width":75,"thumbnail-height":96,"medium":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/15_11_1.jpeg","medium-width":700,"medium-height":900,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/15_11_1.jpeg","medium_large-width":700,"medium_large-height":900,"large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/15_11_1.jpeg","large-width":700,"large-height":900,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/15_11_1.jpeg","1536x1536-width":700,"1536x1536-height":900,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/15_11_1.jpeg","2048x2048-width":700,"2048x2048-height":900,"trp-custom-language-flag":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/15_11_1.jpeg","trp-custom-language-flag-width":9,"trp-custom-language-flag-height":12,"wpvr_mobile":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/15_11_1.jpeg","wpvr_mobile-width":700,"wpvr_mobile-height":900}}],"settings":{"fit_width":"4","caption":""}},{"acf_fc_layout":"text_area","text_area":"
In our conversation, Yefimtchuk reflects on a time before this conflict. \u201cI often think about how people were not killed with rockets and weapons in Ukraine. I remember how I lived. Still, almost one year on, I cannot believe this is happening in the 21st century. Among the death and destruction, one of the most difficult things to adapt to is the lack of electricity. This is something that we\u2019re all so dependent on, without even realising. If you want to continue to work, you need maximum time management. Such conditions force you to quickly learn self organisation. In my situation, I don\u2019t have light for eight hours a day. I plan what I\u2019ll do when there is light and I plan what I\u2019ll do when there is no light. In such a structure, you find yourself devoting more time to yourself, your thoughts and communication with your loved ones.\u201d<\/p>\n
Being such a radical and forward-thinking artist, I wonder what her thoughts are on freedom. \u201cTo me, freedom and solidarity do not exist. They\u2019re abstract terms, empty words. Pure solidarity is not possible because we are all selfish by nature. In Ukraine, everyone became adults this year, especially the children and young people. They\u2019ve lost their youth and their innocence. War is a psychological trauma that you have to live with, alongside all of the perpetual fears and phobias it brings. It is hard to think about such a cruel reality.\u201d<\/p>\n
As our conversation comes to a close, Yefimtchuk says one final, crucial thing: \u201cIn spite of the hardships, I believe this war will not break the youth. It cannot and will not break their possibility to dream.\u201d<\/p>\n
Credits:<\/strong><\/p>\n Photography: Anastasiia Rychko
\n<\/span>Hair & Makeup Artist: Alisa Fun<\/a>
\n<\/span>Styling: Joana Zibat<\/a>
\n<\/span>Styling Assistants: Sophia Friedl<\/a> and Tim Escher<\/a><\/p>\n