Golda Vynogradska is a Ukrainian fashion designer, founder of Fashion Globus Ukraine, head of the National Sectoral Partnership in Ukraine’s Light Industry, vice president of the Confederation of Designers and Stylists of Ukraine, and a postgraduate researcher at the Institute of Vocational Education of the National Academy of Educational Sciences of Ukraine. Her work spans fashion design, industrial development, education, cultural diplomacy, public advocacy, and international representation, making her one of the leading voices on the future of Ukraine’s fashion and manufacturing sectors.

Scott Douglas Jacobsen interviews Golda Vynogradska about how Ukraine’s fashion and light industry adapted to wartime through factory relocations, workforce displacement, military production, supply-chain innovation, and remarkable manufacturing flexibility. Vynogradska argues that Ukrainian producers demonstrated a level of speed, quality, and competitiveness that surprised international partners despite operating under the constant threat of bombardment. She also contends that corruption, weak industrial policy, and years of economic mismanagement continue to constrain the country’s broader technological and manufacturing potential. Ultimately, she presents the resilience of Ukraine’s fashion industry as part of a larger story about national ingenuity, economic renewal, and the country’s determination to shape its own future during and after the war.

Scott Douglas Jacobsen: The war has fundamentally altered the way industries operate, including fashion. Under normal circumstances, a garment might be designed with sustainability in mind, produced in one country, sold in another, and eventually recycled or reused as part of a circular economy. Other products follow a more conventional path of mass production and disposal. How has that production cycle changed in Ukraine since the war began? Where do manufacturers source their materials, how are goods produced, and how do they reach domestic and international markets?

Golda Vynogradska: What has really changed is the location of our producers. Some producers from the eastern part relocated to other parts. They brought all their production to survive. Yes, this is a fact.

Jacobsen: Beyond relocating factories, how did the war affect the people who work in the industry? Were workers displaced along with production?

Vynogradska: Yes, workers too.

And actually, when we speak about changes, I remember the moment when everybody tried to produce something for our army, because it was really necessary. All relatives were going to the front line. It was necessary to provide for them, to make comfortable uniforms. And all producers tried to find solutions.

There was a moment when it was difficult to find zippers or accessories. But very quickly, some producers started producing them by themselves. We still have Ukrainian companies producing fabric—up to 1 million meters per year—here in Ukraine.

There was one interesting challenge: to show how flexible we are. We received an inquiry from Israel after the start of their war, from their Ministry of Defence. They needed uniforms.

First of all, Israel does not produce much in textiles; it is a more intellectual and technological country. So the question was how to produce quickly but exactly according to their parameters. It was complicated for them.

I sent the request to my contacts in India, China, and Pakistan. What is interesting is that Ukraine, in three weeks, created the same production—actually better—and presented it to them. They were in shock. Because no major country, not Pakistan, not India, not China, was able to do it so quickly, with such quality, and at such a good price as Ukraine.

We were even ready to produce 300,000 pieces of uniform within a few months. Through our association, we divided the production among those who were ready to do it. Unfortunately, due to internal issues in Israel, we did not receive the order because they did not complete the tender process.

But they were very surprised that at a time when we are under bombing, in a disaster situation, we were able to perform better than countries like Pakistan or India. This is a very good example of our technology, our speed, and our professionalism.

Jacobsen: Ukraine’s wartime innovation has extended well beyond fashion. We’ve seen similar examples in the country’s rapidly evolving drone industry, where necessity has accelerated technological development despite the pressures of fighting a war. Do you see Ukraine’s fashion and manufacturing sectors as part of that same story of innovation and adaptation?

Vynogradska: Yes, and it is also a very interesting situation. When our country needs drones or weapons, we cannot wait for other countries. We must see what we can do ourselves. Many companies started inventing on their own. Nobody helped them to do it.

But now, when we can use this and sell it, Mr. Zelensky decided that he is the monopolist, or that he gives permission or not. Why? If it is your production, your R&D, if you invested your own money to create it, then you should decide where you can sell it. It is not common here. Yes, exactly.

If I were in their place, I would organize conditions for these people, and it would be necessary to align the whole economy with military goals. Then we would become one of the most organized clusters of military production if each of us produced some part, rather than just importing from China. It means we can do it, but the government does not help us. The government helps only their companies, and we hear only corruption scandals.

This is another part of the reality. It means, again, I repeat, we are in two parallel activities. They insist on their part, and we live in our reality. We try to do something not only for our company or our family, but for our country.

And we survive in very unjust conditions. But again, it is not only about weapons. It concerns Ukraine more broadly. Because we have a strong technological base and very clever people, we can become a technology hub for many sectors of the economy—agriculture, industry, everything. But for many years, previous presidents and governments destroyed our production. There was no strategy to support people or to multiply what we had after the Soviet period.

If you know the biggest factories and plants in Dnipro, they destroyed unique equipment—cut it and sold it. How is that responsible? Engineers from Dnipro told me they received orders under Yanukovych to take equipment worth millions of dollars and destroy it. I said, “Why did you not hide it? Why not say you followed the order, but keep it?” It is too simple to follow such orders.

It is a country of huge possibilities and, at the same time, a difficult reality.

What is stronger? Our character—to survive, to become stronger, more talented, because the competition is very high now. Even in drones, there are hundreds of producers. You can imagine the level of competition. And I know many of these people because, as a volunteer, I work with people on the front line and with suppliers.

People invest their own money. They believe in their product. They improve it. This is a real opportunity for Ukraine to become one of the world’s technology leaders.

It is not only about fashion. I hope you understand my idea—it concerns many sectors of the economy. And, unfortunately, the country does not support these people.

Jacobsen: Thank you very much for the opportunity and your time, Golda.