Art Born From Resilience: The Visionary Journey of Khrystyna Kurliak

For Khrystyna Kurliak, fashion is far more than fabric and form. It is memory, resilience, transformation and above all, truth. As the founder and creative force behind the Ukrainian luxury couture brand Khris K, Kurliak has built a body of work that speaks quietly yet powerfully of beauty shaped by hardship and hope born from loss.

Founded in 2017, Khris K emerged as a testament to timeless elegance and the power of transformation. Even before the full-scale war in Ukraine, Kurliak’s designs carried an emotional depth rooted in personal history, music, mythology, and an unflinching exploration of the human spirit.

Roots in Creativity and Loss

Raised in Western Ukraine, Kurliak grew up surrounded by creativity and courage. Her mother’s refined taste and artistic sensibility nurtured her love for beauty, while her father’s strength instilled fearlessness. She was one of two children; her younger brother, Danylo, tragically passed away at the age of 17. That profound loss would later shape one of her most personal collections.

Her first artistic language was music. A trained violinist, Kurliak envisioned designs through sketches that came to her in dreams. When a hand injury ended her musical path, fashion became her new instrument another way to express emotion, grief, and transcendence.

Collections as Living Narratives

Kurliak’s debut collection, Duodecima, drew inspiration from the twelfth musical interval, translating sound into black-and-white couture. It set the tone for a design philosophy where garments function as stories rather than trends.

Subsequent collections continued this narrative depth. Luce Romana, inspired by classical mythology and the film Gladiator, explored contrasts between strength and softness, incorporating symbolic materials such as wheat, macramé, and gold detailing. The Daniela collection (2019) was a deeply intimate tribute to her late brother, transforming grief into delicate silk and restrained elegance.

In 2022, amid war, Kurliak presented Vidvazhna a collection rooted in Ukrainian mythology. It portrayed the fearless Ukrainian woman as a guardian of nature, drawing parallels with the folkloric forest spirit, the Mavka. The collection stood as an act of cultural preservation and defiance through beauty.

Rebirth in Exile

In 2023, forced by circumstances of war, Kurliak relocated her team and sewing machines to Lisbon, Portugal. There, she created Rebirth, a collection that embodies metamorphosis—art rising from ashes. More than haute couture, Rebirth became a statement on national resilience, sustainability, and survival.

The Rebirth exhibition, held in Lisbon on February 22, 2024, offered an immersive sensory journey through chaos and renewal. Each piece reflected the enduring spirit of Ukraine and the power of creation in times of destruction.

From Couture to Cinema

In 2024, Kurliak’s “Blue Bird” gown captivated audiences at the Cannes Film Festival a symbolic dress inspired by a bird spreading protective wings over Ukraine’s sky. That same year marked her entry into cinema, as she was selected as costume designer for a feature film unveiled at Cannes an experience she describes as “an unforgettable first chapter in a new creative story.”

Her designs have been worn by women who embody strength and elegance, including Elvira Paterson-Gavrilova, Maya Musk, Maria Zhang, Mya, Helena Caldeira, Nicole Kang, and others.

Sustainability as a Signature

What distinguishes Khris K is not only craftsmanship peg-top silhouettes, silk, linen, hemp, and wool but an uncompromising commitment to sustainability. Fabric scraps are reborn as signature buttons, each subtly unique. Slow fashion is not a trend here; it is a philosophy.

A Mission Beyond Fashion

Kurliak’s mission is clear: to empower women to feel free, beautiful, and unafraid to embrace their individuality. Through sustainability, authenticity, and emotional honesty, she reminds the world that true luxury is not born solely from fine materials but from the unwavering spirit of those who create, even in times of war.

In Khrystyna Kurliak’s work, fashion becomes memory. Couture becomes resistance. And beauty becomes a quiet, enduring act of courage.