Solutions from Ukraine: W8LESS and VETERANKA launch charity collection inspired by female veterans
W8LESS, in collaboration with VETERANKA, has launched this charity collection inspired by the resilience and dedication of female veterans.
Rubryka provides an in-depth look at the details.
What is the problem?
Not all wounds inflicted by war are visible. The challenging experiences faced at the front lines often lead to isolation, with veterans frequently feeling alienated when reintegrating into civilian life. Female veterans, like their male counterparts, struggle with shedding their "emotional armor" upon returning home. This transition can be fraught with difficulties and lead to consequences such as depression, social isolation, anxiety, and a desire to change careers. A study reveals that approximately 63% of surveyed military personnel encounter physical and mental health issues, compounded by a lack of understanding from society.
"Servicewomen have to fight for their rights both in the army and the rear. After returning, the psyche still functions according to the rules of war for some time, you do not feel like a part of civilian society. However, women also have many everyday problems that, for most men, are solved by mothers or wives. And then there is condemnation from society: "you are a mother, who abandoned your child", "who called you there, you still have to give birth to children". Not everyone has the strength to quickly go through this stage of returning from war. We have developed a support system where a mentor accompanies a veteran who is in difficult life circumstances, through the services they need (medical, psychological, educational) to the ultimate goal – finding the desired job," the head of the VETERANKA movement Kateryna Pryimak, comments.
What is the solution?
The VETERANKA movement, in collaboration with the W8LESS brand, aims to highlight the significant challenge of transitioning back to civilian life faced by defenders. For some, this stage is still forthcoming, while others, having sustained serious injuries, are already adapting to the new realities of their bodies and needs.
To commemorate International Women's Day, they launched a charitable spring clothing collection. According to the project's initiators, this collection, dedicated to military personnel and veterans, serves a purpose beyond fashion. Its primary mission is to support defenders as they transition and adapt to life away from the front lines.
10% of the collection's sales will go to rehabilitation of veterans and support on the path to civilian life.
How does it work?
"Even the strongest need support"
Behind the scenes of the filming of the W8LESS clothing collection. In the photo: veteran Halyna Almazova. Photo courtesy of the VETERANKA Movement
The W8LESS charity collection is accompanied by a video that shares the stories of female veterans who have served in the Defense Forces of Ukraine at various times during the war. The video delves into their emotions and personal experiences as they transition back to civilian life.
The heroines of the project were:
- Halyna Almazova, call sign "Viterets" – a veteran, vice president of the First Voluntary Mobile Hospital named after M. Pyrohiv, who has been a volunteer at the front since 2014;
- Olha Niemtseva, call sign "Ditrykh" – a veteran, mobilized to Ukraine's armed forces since the summer of 2022 and was a detachment commander in the support platoon of a tank battalion;
- Oleksandra Sakharuk – a servicewoman of the ACHILLES unmanned systems regiment, recently joined the army.
Servicewoman Oleksandra Sakharuk. Photo: VETERANKA Movement
The project's core message is that every return to civilian life is unique; even the strongest individuals require support.
"To be honest, I had reservations about participating in the project. I'm quite a private person; after joining the army, I nearly stopped using social media and limited my circle of friends to a few close individuals. However, I couldn't turn down the request from the veteran community, as it represents a support network for me. I have no regrets. The day of filming served as a form of therapy. Stepping outside my comfort zone allowed me to realize that such experiences need not be traumatic; instead, they can foster trust and offer an exciting adventure with a team of like-minded individuals," one of the project participants, Olha Niemtseva, says.
Veteran Olha Niemtseva. Photo: VETERANKA Movement
In her opinion, beautiful clothes can be part of adaptation to civilian life if the soul of a veteran strives for transformation.
"In the spring of 2023, there was a moment when we were taken to the training ground and lived in field conditions, staying in tents. It was still cold, with water freezing in the bucket overnight, so I had to break the ice to wash in the morning. I slept fully dressed in a sleeping bag. One morning, I had to attend battalion support tasks in the city, where it felt like spring, and all the women were elegantly dressed. Meanwhile, I had an unwashed head, wore three layers of clothing unchanged for a week, and had boots caked in a kilogram of mud. It was a weekend in the rear—but not for me. At that moment, I wanted nothing more than to sit in a café, dressed beautifully, smelling of perfume instead of diesel and smoke. In the army, there's a constant yearning for perfume, red lipstick, and silk dresses. The belief that this day will come sustains you to some extent. I will wear beautiful clothes and red lipstick for myself and every sister who dreamed of it but can no longer experience it," the veteran shares.
Veteran Olha Niemtseva. Photo: VETERANKA Movement
This opinion is supported by Iryna Hrey, a veteran, manager of the VETERANKA movement's partnership department:
"For me, clothing—particularly the basic W8LESS collection—has been the perfect transitional stage from military uniform to civilian attire. I continue to be an avid fan of this brand. Anna, the owner, impresses me greatly, both as a designer and as an individual. She possesses an active stance and remarkable charisma and is deeply connected to the stories of servicewomen returning home and the experiences of every veteran transitioning back to civilian life."
"Returning the best self"
"We are convinced that clothing heals moral trauma and adapts women returning from war. Colors, fabric textures, styles are a non-verbal dialogue with society, which we are currently trying to build as tactfully as possible," Anna Shash, owner and designer of W8LESS, says.
The charity collection comprises 16 clothing items: T-shirts, dresses, tunics, pants, and a cardigan.
One can purchase the collection and support veterans on the brand's website.
For reference:
The VETERANKA movement is the largest community, numbering about 1,700 servicewomen, veterans and proactive civilian volunteers who have provided competent assistance to the army and stimulated societal changes since 2018. The main areas of the organization's work are ensuring the needs of defenders and their units at the front, advocating for the rights of servicewomen, and providing rehabilitation and support for veterans on the path to returning to civilian life. Over the 3 years of full-scale invasion, the organization has helped 107 brigades and units of Ukraine's armed forces and the National Guard (this is 7 thousand closed collective and individual requests of women defenders and their units at the front and 111 million in aid to the army).
The W8LESS brand creates modern and diverse clothing that inspires women to be their best selves. The brand's mission is to inspire women to express their individuality and emphasize their personality using the W8LESS style. Its goal is to create high-quality and diverse clothing in which women feel confident in everyday life and its special moments.
As Rubryka wrote, modern Ukrainian women have long defied traditional norms and outdated stereotypes. They serve in the ranks of Ukraine's armed forces, educate children, organize fundraisers for the military, and support both the front lines and the home front. They sacrifice and strive for the country's future but still encounter societal prejudice. For more insights, read our article "From battlefields to civil life: How VETERANKA movement supports Ukrainian women soldiers and veterans."
