As part of the official Ukrainian Fashion Week program, on February 16, the winner of The Culture of Design award, initiated by Ukrainian Fashion Week in partnership with fashion retailer INTERTOP Ukraine, was announced at NewGen Lab in Mystetskyi Arsenal.

The grand prize of 150,000 UAH and a contract to develop and launch a collection to be sold in INTERTOP stores was awarded to designer Liliia Oliinyk.

“I can’t believe I won the award and will now bring my idea to life with INTERTOP. I hope this creative synergy will be successful both for me and for such a large retailer. My collection is inspired by Ukrainian nature and will be highly functional. Thank you for this incredible opportunity!” – shared Liliia Oliinyk, winner of The Culture of Design.

The prize money will support the designer’s brand growth, including investments in professional software, expanded production, marketing, and education. Over the next six months, Liliia will refine and adapt her collection for large-scale production and retail, working under the mentorship of Vladimir Podolian, creative director of the PDLN brand.

Meet the Jury

The winner was selected by an expert jury, including:
Serhii Badritdinov, CEO of INTERTOP Ukraine
Iryna Danylevska, Co-Founder & CEO of Ukrainian Fashion Week
Lilia Poustovit, Designer & Creative Director of the POUSTOVIT brand

“Our goal is to support, develop, and promote Ukrainian designers. The Culture of Design project, initiated by INTERTOP, provides young talents with a unique chance to showcase their creativity, monetize their skills, and gain experience working with a large-scale retailer. INTERTOP opens new horizons for young brands, helping them integrate into the modern market with confidence.” – Iryna Danylevska, Co-Founder & CEO of Ukrainian Fashion Week.

Empowering Young Designers

The Culture of Design initiative has become a launchpad for aspiring designers, giving them a real opportunity to break into the fashion industry.

“This has been an exciting and important experience for INTERTOP Ukraine. Even the name of the project, The Culture of Design, aligns perfectly with our vision—bringing together values and creations made by people in Ukraine. I was truly impressed by the quality of all the participants’ work. The young talent in Ukraine is incredible. Thank you to everyone who contributed to this initiative and participated in the competition.” – Serhii Badritdinov, CEO of INTERTOP Ukraine.

Throughout the competition, 59 designers submitted applications. From these, the jury selected a shortlist of 12 finalists. The collaborative collection by Liliia Oliinyk and INTERTOP is set to launch in fall 2025.

A Star-Studded Celebration

The winner announcement event was attended by Ukrainian celebrities, fashion influencers, and leading media figures, including: Dasha Astafieva, Dasha Kvitkova, Mila Yeremieieva, Sonia Zabuga, Svitlana Kravchenko, Yuliia Nikolaychuk, Vadym Oliinyk, Olena Vyshniakova, Olha Ternova, Iryna Tatarenko, Yuliia Yermolaieva, Oksana Hutsait, Olya Konova, Yana Streltsova, Alla Baranovska, Kateryna Popova, Aliona Omargalieva, Iryna Adonina, Kseniia Palfi, Volodymyr & Kateryna Ostapchuk, Yuliia Smidovych, Iryna Danylevska, Serhii Badritdinov, Volodymyr Podolian, Liliia Oliinyk, Anton Bokyi, Anna Klymenko, Anna Kravchenko, Alina Ustilovska, Anna Horodilova, Lera Rusanenko, Lida Novoseletska, Oleksii Komarovskyi, Yelyzaveta Mazur, Anastasiia Buzdanova, and many more.