Margarita Shekel
Photo curtesy of Margarita Shekel. Kyiv, Ukraine.
Spring has sprung and blooming flowers breathe new life everywhere. This makes us feel positive (and sneezy). On this note, we checked in with a Ukrainian that has returned home. Former stylist from Kyiv, Margarita Shekel, shared with us:
Where are you now? Are you safe?
After nine months of relocation, I’m finally home in Kyiv. But before that it was Berlin, Paris, and Tel Aviv. I came back home in November 2022, just in time to experience a Ukrainian winter that was literally filled with darkness. Power grids were disabled and we had no electricity, no mobile connection and no heat.. I felt isolated from the world in a surreal way, like I was stuck in an apocalyptic horror movie. Now it is springtime and there is no better place in the world than Kyiv. Chestnut trees are about to blossom, the sunsets are pink, and our city has been rocket-free for a bit. (This interview has been recorded before Russia unleashed airstrikes across Ukraine, today).
After a year, the war in Ukraine still has no end in sight. How does this uncertainty impact your daily life?
Ukrainians have historically had it tough: imperialistic pressure, Terror-Famine, Holocaust, genocide, Chernobyl and now war. We are accustomed to living in uncertainty. We concentrate on stable pillars, like helping fellow civilians and supporting soldiers. Many of my friends…. skaters, photographers, singers, directors are fighting on the front line right now. Of course it is difficult to plan your future. I fall back on Victor Frankl’s words, "The first ones who broke down were those who believed that everything would end soon. Then those who didn't believe that it would ever end. Those who focused on their affairs, without expecting that something else might happen, survived."
How are your relationships with your Russian friends and family?
My mom’s family lives in Moscow. They are poisoned with Russian propaganda. I don’t have any connections with Russians that support a terrorist regime.
Favorite fashion trend?
Before the war, I was a stylist and costume designer in the music video industry, so I was deep into a trend watching. Now I’ve changed my profession and am working at a fundraising platform called UNITED24. But I still have my passion for fashion. I feel like we need to be more sustainable and that must be the biggest trend. I like to see responsible people with a unique style. Some retailers are not delivering clothes to Ukraine because of the war so we need to combine and mix vintage clothes. Some are adding apocalyptic accessories like headlamps. Personally I love suits and uniforms combined with cyber and sporty splashes. In Kyiv one of the best clubs in Europe called K41 is still busy from 2pm till 11 pm (@12 pm the curfew starts). So the techno babies trend is still on.
UNITED24 - The initiative of the President of Ukraine
Ukraine needs_______.
Ukraine needs your support. It’s not always about financial support, but informational support as well. We do not want the war to become something normal. We don’t want to be a gray zone with active or passive military action. We need the global understanding that a terrorist wants to infuse chaos, and that we need to stop this aggressor for the future of our planet. Ukraine needs to be de-mined, as it has become the most heavily mined country in the world: it is dangerous to travel to the forest or even the seashore. All the info on how to support us you can find at the United24 site.
