Tradition Meets Trend in Ukraine’s Embroidered Fashion
Tradition Meets Trend in Ukraine’s Embroidered Fashion
Russia’s war of aggression has caused immense suffering in Ukraine, displacing 3.7 million people, disrupting businesses, and destroying assets, infrastructure and jobs.
MSMEs, the backbone of the economy, face substantial costs for relocation, reorganisation and adaptation, while access to finance, especially in local currency, remains limited.
Since the war began, we have steadfastly supported Ukraine through partners like Bank Lviv. The bank is ensuring that vital businesses both survive Russia’s illegal invasion and enjoy long-term sustainable growth when the war ends.
Fashion brand SVARGA is one of those businesses.
Introducing SVARGA
“When people wear our embroidery, it’s more than fashion. It’s a piece of Ukraine,” says Natalia Yarish, founder, and the driving force behind SVARGA since its launch in 2012. Her brand is making waves by transforming traditional Ukrainian embroidery into a global statement.
With Russia’s invasion in February 2022, SVARGA’s designs became symbols of identity. “Our ‘Embroidered Ukraine’ collection? It’s more than clothes. It’s our history, our pride,” Natalia explains. Collaborating with Ukrainian museums ensures each piece tells a genuine story.
SVARGA has drawn a younger crowd, attracted to the brand’s authenticity and the charisma of Natalia, who is deeply involved in developing and popularising her business. With her leadership, and most of the team being women, SVARGA also highlights the gender dynamics within the industry.
Her greatest challenge during the first months of the war was keeping her team safe and maintaining a certain level of revenue. She had confidence in the growing demand for Ukrainian clothing and actively moved all production and marketing processes forward instead of stopping them.
Through the support we have received from EFSE and Bank Lviv, which saw me – not just my business plan – our expansion and innovation have been made possible. Their belief in SVARGA made all the difference.
Natalia Yarish, Founder, SVARGA
Our investment
EFSE provided €4 million equivalent in UAH to its longstanding strategic partner, Bank Lviv. This ensured local-currency lending to MSMEs could continue in a challenging environment. This support helps protect businesses like Natalia’s from currency fluctuations and allows for stable financial planning.
A portion of this funding was directed specifically to women-led enterprises like SVARGA.
Impact of our investment
In 2023, SVARGA’s production increased by 50%, and plans were underway to boost it by another 30% by the end of 2024, thanks to significant support from EFSE and Bank Lviv.
“We currently have 15 people in our team and expect to expand gradually as many new projects are in the pipeline,” Natalia enthused. Plans are also in motion to open another branded store in Kyiv and to partner up with Ukrainian clothing stores in Odesa to feature the entire SVARGA range.