Soviet Ukrainian Fashion During the Cold War

Olha Korniienko, Head of the Ukrainian Fashion History Digital Archive

In-Person Event (this event will not be live-streamed)

Abstract

Olha Korniienko's current project is devoted to a thorough exploration of the history of Soviet Ukrainian fashion in the context of ideology and everyday life during the Cold War. She argues that the Ukrainian SSR was one of the main centers of fashion development in the Soviet Union. Her research traces the construction of Ukrainian identity and culture through the lens of fashion. It highlights the history of international cooperation in fashion across the Iron Curtain, while also exploring tensions arising within the Soviet Union, especially between the fashion houses of the Soviet Republic of Ukraine and the Soviet central authorities. 

Her project contributes to the literature on identity and subjectivity in the Soviet Union during late socialism as well as produces a first account of the mechanisms that powered the Ukrainian fashion industry, its production and consumption. Understanding Ukraine under late socialism is essential for an understanding of the entire USSR since Ukraine was both a core republic of the Soviet Union as well as a constant challenger to Russian hegemony.

She uses a wide range of sources, including archival documents, interviews, and periodicals. The materials contain documents from the Ministry of Light Industry, fashion houses, garment and shoe factories, tailor shops, department stores, and other institutions directly involved in the development and production of fashion goods. 

About the Speaker

Olha Korniienko recently graduated with her Ph.D. in History at the Institute of History of Ukraine of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. She is also a co-founder and head of the Digital Archive of the History of Ukrainian Fashion. She specializes in the history of Soviet Ukrainian fashion with a particular focus on ideology and everyday practices, function of the fashion industry, as well as connections and cooperation with socialist and capitalist countries in the field of light industry.  She combines approaches and methodology from various disciplines, including sociology, anthropology, and digital humanities. Her research results are presented in 19 scientific publications and over 20 international conferences. She also has experience organizing fashion exhibitions. Before coming to Harvard she was a visiting scholar at the Leibniz Centre for Contemporary History in Potsdam, Germany and was supported by the Volkswagen foundation scholarship. Currently, she is working on her book Ukrainian Soviet Fashion During the Cold War.

───◊───

Persons with disabilities who wish to request accommodations or who have questions about access, please contact Megan Duncan Smith, HURI Programs Coordinator, at duncansmith@fas.harvard.edu in advance of the session (at least two weeks prior, if possible).

Watch videos of past HURI events on our YouTube Channel and subscribe to our email list to receive announcements about events and other activities.