Who would have thought that Volodymyr Zelensky would dictate the latest fashion trends? And yet, it seems that he is doing just that.
If you look at the "boom" in sales of the long-sleeved, three-button Damirli polo shirt that he wore to the White House on February 28, the day of his heated confrontation with Donald Trump, you'll understand that this is the case. It's a special version with the emblem of the "tryzub", a shield with a trident that has been the symbol of Ukraine since 1991.
Both the president and Vice President JD Vance made no secret of their irony over the Ukrainian president's all-black attire. "You look good today," Trump told him as he welcomed his guest, who wasted no time in defending his attire.
"I'll wear a suit after this war is over. Maybe something like yours. Maybe something better, I don't know. Maybe something cheaper," Zelensky said.
Apparently, people liked it, so much so that orders increased dramatically last weekend. And many of them come from America. An appreciation beyond expectations, even those of the designer and owner of the brand Elvira Gasanova, who did not expect a polo shirt (retail price 215 euros) to become such a big hit.
"I never imagined it," she told Women's Wear Daily. "I just tried to be a designer who makes special dresses and suits." Zelensky has been wearing casual clothes for three years, since Russia invaded Ukraine, in solidarity with its soldiers.
Gasanova added that she is proud of those who represent her. "In my mind, our president has really shown his heroic mind. It is really difficult for others to understand everything we have seen. Everyone sees the war only on TV or social networks. But we are living this war, we do not just talk about it. That is why the Ukrainian president can talk about it."
In addition to styling Zelensky, Gasanova has previously dressed Rita Ora, Gigi Hadid, Kim Kardashian and the first lady of Ukraine. After relocating her production due to the war and having her home damaged by bombing, she spoke to the magazine about the current situation in her country.
"We live in anticipation day after day. We want to understand what is happening and what will happen tomorrow. Of course, we all want the war to end. But as our president said, we need to stop with some guarantees and with the knowledge that this will not happen again. That is why we are just living our lives, helping our military with donations, supporting our president and just trying to create a better life," she said.