Ukrainian Fashion Week — Ukraine's leading fashion platform — has undergone a change at the top. After nearly three decades at the head of the organization, Iryna Danilevska has handed over the position of CEO to Lyzaveta Ushcheka, who for the past five years has led the communications division and the institute's international projects. This is reported by Wave RBC.UA, citing an official statement on Ukrainian Fashion Week's Facebook page.

Nearly Thirty Years at the Helm: The Era of Iryna Danilevska

Iryna Danilevska has headed Ukrainian Fashion Week since 1997, completing one of the longest management marathons in the history of Ukraine's fashion industry. Over her 29 years as CEO, she became one of the key figures in the sector, turning the project into the country's main fashion platform. In 2026, as the organization approaches its 30th anniversary, Danilevska decided to hand over operational management to a colleague, while continuing to work within the institute's team.

Lyzaveta Ushcheka: From Media Division to CEO

The new leader joined the Ukrainian Fashion Week team in 2021. Over five years she rose from heading the media division to leading the communications department, while also working on international communications and special projects. According to the co-founders, it was precisely this internal experience and knowledge of the organization from the inside that became the decisive factors in choosing a successor.

Comments from the Co-Founders and Plans for the 30th Anniversary

The co-founders of Ukrainian Fashion Week — Iryna Danilevska and Oleksandr Sokolovskyi — noted that the new leader "knows the organization well from the inside" and, together with the team, has been through difficult periods for Ukraine's fashion industry. They named the preparation for Ukrainian Fashion Week's 30th anniversary as the key task of the coming stage. "We are glad to entrust Lyzaveta with leading the company and to continue our mission together with a team whose professionalism, responsibility and integrity are of particular value to us. Today we are all working together on the next important stage — the 30th anniversary of Ukrainian Fashion Week," the co-founders stated.

The New CEO's Reaction: Continuity and a Long-Term Mission

Lyzaveta Ushcheka called the appointment "a great honour" and expressed her gratitude for the trust. In her comment she emphasized that during her time at Ukrainian Fashion Week the team has lived through the post-pandemic period, adapted its activities after the start of the full-scale invasion, organized international seasons and brought Ukrainian Fashion Week back to Kyiv. "It is important to me that Iryna Danilevska will continue working in the team. I am confident that I will be able to ensure the continuity of the institute's work and, together with the team, keep working on fulfilling Ukrainian Fashion Week's long-term mission — the development and promotion of Ukraine's fashion industry in Ukraine and around the world," Ushcheka added.

Contradictory Data

The provided sources show an inconsistency in the spelling of the new CEO's surname: in the first paragraph of the Wave RBC.UA article she is given as "Lyzaveta Ushchetsa", later in the same text — as "Lyzaveta Ushcheka", while in the headline of the life.nv.ua publication — as "Lyzaveta Ushcheka". None of the sources contains an official clarification of the correct spelling. The XAB.info editorial team records both versions and recommends that readers refer to the official statement from Ukrainian Fashion Week itself.