Assault vests instead of wedding gowns. Ukrainian seamstresses support their homeland

Milla Nova has boutiques in 50 countries across the world, including the United States, United Kingdom, and France. In recent weeks, the company has been focused on delivering international orders for wedding dresses, as well as making clothes from outside the regular portfolio.

"Along with making brides around the globe happy, we are focused on saving our country," said the company's CEO Ulyana Kyrychuk.

The company hires 600 people. Employees from Lviv have been allowed to move to Poland. By mid-March, 70 people have chosen this option, and a makeshift workshop has been set up in Warsaw. Some 450 workers have stayed in Lviv, whereas others have their own plans to flee the city and move to a village or go abroad. 98% of employees are women, and many of them are mothers. This means that the relocation of workforce has also affected children.

Kyrychuk admitted that she was proud of her team and their "incredible dedication and loyalty". She also stressed the importance of women’s role in the war and revealed that changes had been planned even before the conflict broke out. The CEO added that she was taking all decisions "with people in mind".  

"My main goal as CEO is to protect people and ensure their tomorrow," Kyrychuk said, adding that her company was ready to hire new employees from eastern Ukraine who have fled war.

Photos shared by Milla Nova with tvn24.pl portal show women sewing military nets, assault vests, and other protective items. Already some 1,500 pieces of military garment have been made.

The seamstresses have been also sewing special yellow-and-blue dresses in the colours of the Ukrainian flag. The idea is to sell them as non-refundable tokens (NFTs) to raise funds to suport Ukraine.

The women working in Poland hope that, soon enough, the raised money will be used to rebuild Ukrainian cities destroyed by the Russians.