Silk Laundry’s C2 Collection Pays Tribute To Ukraine

When Silk Laundry’s creative director Katie Kolodinski set out to create a line inspired by her Ukrainian heritage, her first step was to delve into her family’s history. While doing her research she designed the C2 range, an ode to the preservation of tradition and the value of legacy. We spoke with Katie to learn more. —Noa Nichol

Hi Katie! Congrats on the launch of your C2 collection. What inspired you to design this range?

While I was living in Melbourne during the pandemic I became obsessed with learning about my heritage. I am of Ukrainian descent. Read history books on Ukraine and Russia, signed up to ancestry.com and myheritage.com while also learning the Ukrainian language. I drew upon all this research while living in lockdown in Melbourne and felt the desire to preserve my knowledge and family heirlooms through Silk Laundry and the prints and colours used in this collection called Cim’Я.

Did you ever imagine the significance this collection would have today?

Inspired by my family’s Ukrainian heritage, this collection is largely derived from tradition and my experience with Ukrainian culture. A present-day war was the furthest thing from my mind when this process began, and Russia invading Ukraine in this manner with the whole world watching seemed literally unimaginable. With the Russian invasion of Ukraine this collection has grown with new meaning, a greater importance than I’d originally intended. It became blatantly obvious to me how important preservation of tradition is. And of the value of legacy. I hope that in some way, this collection has been able to show Ukrainians that we stand with them.

What pieces are included in the collection? Do you have a favourite?

My favourite right now is the Sky blue slouch suit as it is such a calming colour and has been known to lower heart rate and blood pressure. The MIR print is also extremely special to me as it was inspired by a Pysanky egg that has been passed down in my family, so now one of my favorite heirlooms has become a wearable piece of art with so much meaning.

What’s your wish for Ukraine?

I wish Russia never invaded Ukraine in the first place. I wish for Russian propaganda to end, I wish for mothers and fathers to be reunited with their children, and children to be reunited with their families. I wish for Russian war criminals to be brought to justice and Russia to be held accountable for the humanitarian crisis they have caused, the environmental devastation, psychological damage and the cost to rebuild Ukrainian cities and villages. I wish for Ukrainians to be able to go back to their homes and the places they knew before the unprovoked Russian invasion.

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