Ornamental compositions by Vasyl Krychevsky inspired a new Etnodim capsule collection.

Vasyl Krychevsky was a self-taught artist, graphic designer, painter, and art historian. He drafted the State Emblem of the Ukrainian People’s Republic and is recognized as one of the founders of Ukrainian modernism.

The future artist was born on 12 January 1873 in Sloboda Ukraine, also known locally as Slobozhanshchyna, into a family of a rural paramedic. By the age of 15, he was already working as a drafter while making sketches of historic Ukrainian houses, which became his first “teachers.” This marked the beginning of Krychevsky’s artistic journey, which would last over fifty years

For decades, Krychevsky defined Ukraine’s visual identity, designing book covers and fonts, creating sketches for Ukrainian banknotes, and serving as the production designer for the nation’s earliest films.

His most famous architectural work is the Poltava Governorate Zemstvo Building, built in 1903. In it, Krychevsky transformed the traditional features of the Ukrainian house to the level of elite art and, without any formal academic training, laid the foundation for Ukrainian Art Nouveau.

Among Vasyl Krychevsky’s extensive body of work, our attention was drawn to his collection of ornamental compositions. Until 2023, it remained almost entirely unknown, until the artist’s descendants returned a significant portion of the works to Ukraine from abroad. The collection features nearly 200 pencil drawings on postcard-sized sheets, each with its own distinct character, ranging from delicate floral patterns to bold black-and-white compositions.

The distinctive geometry, rhythm, and dynamic asymmetry of Krychevsky’s graphics inspired Etnodim’s new capsule collection, which features four women’s and two men’s pieces. The designs honor Krychevsky’s artistic approach, with machine embroidery that reflects pencil shading, geometric details that lend an architectural feel, and flowing fabrics that create movement and lightness.

The “Krychevsky” capsule is now available for purchase on our website and in stores in Kyiv and Lviv.