How a Ukrainian Designer Helped Zelensky Dress for Trump Diplomacy
Last Friday, Ukrainian designer Viktor Anisimov presented Volodymyr Zelensky with a new black suit featuring a subtle adjustment — a back vent — giving it a more civilian appearance compared to the strictly military-style clothing the president has worn since the start of the war.
“These are our hopes for peace,” Anisimov told Reuters about the design choice. “We think that if we add something subtle to this image, something from civilian clothing to his uniform, then it will be like a lucky charm.”
By Monday, that “lucky charm” made its debut during Zelensky’s visit to Washington, setting a warmer tone for his meeting at the White House with US President Donald Trump. Moments after Zelensky arrived, Trump complimented him on the new look.
Zelensky’s choice of clothing stood in contrast to the controversy surrounding his appearance during a tense Oval Office meeting in February, where his dark military-style outfit drew criticism from Trump and became a focal point of a highly publicized scolding.
Anisimov, 61, who lives in Ukraine’s northern Chernihiv region, said he watched footage of that February encounter and felt the sting of Trump’s remarks. He believed the comments went beyond Zelensky personally and reflected on Ukrainians as a whole.
“There was a slight sense of despair because they do not understand how we breathe, how we live,” he said.
A White House reporter who had questioned Zelensky in February about not wearing a suit offered unexpected praise this time. On Monday, the same journalist told the Ukrainian leader, “You look fabulous in that suit.”
Anisimov explained that he was not focused on outside reactions this time, whether positive or negative. His priority was ensuring Zelensky projected dignity and strength.
“They praise, they scold. If we win, and we will win, then whose suit it was doesn’t matter,” he said.
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, Zelensky has consistently opted for military-inspired outfits, typically collarless shirts paired with rugged boots, as a visual show of unity with Ukraine’s soldiers on the front lines.
“In this moment, internally, we all changed, everything changed, life changed. It was a point of no-return,” Zelensky said in an interview with Ukrainian media a year after the invasion began.
Interestingly, the black suit Zelensky wore on Monday was originally designed — alongside an identical navy version — as an option for Ukrainian Independence Day celebrations on August 24.
Initially, the team debated details like the back vent, leading Anisimov to take the suit back for slight modifications on Friday. However, before he even had a chance to adjust the sleeves, he received an urgent call from Zelensky’s administration on Saturday: the president needed the suit immediately for his trip to the United States.
This isn’t the first time Anisimov has been tasked with reshaping Zelensky’s image. In the early 2000s, back when Zelensky was still a comedian, he and his “Kvartal 95” team sought a more polished look as they transitioned from small comedy contests to mainstream television.
The transformation happened gradually, beginning with simple black t-shirts, then moving to white shirts and ties, eventually evolving into full suits that became a signature of the comedy troupe’s brand.
Anisimov said he hadn’t heard from Zelensky in over five years until a mutual contact from those early styling days reached out to him in January with a proposal: design a capsule wardrobe for the president.
Drawing from Zelensky’s trademark military-inspired image, Anisimov built the collection around versatile pieces while maintaining a sense of authority and formality.
“I can’t say that we sewed (a suit) specifically for the NATO summit or for an important conversation with Trump and European leaders. The suit is just a suit,” Anisimov said, noting that Zelensky now owns about five similar jackets, each with small, individualized adjustments.
Since introducing the capsule collection, Zelensky has worn Anisimov’s designs on several significant occasions, including Pope Francis’s funeral in April and the NATO Summit in June. Both appearances helped repair strained ties with the United States following the contentious February meeting, reinforcing the importance of image and symbolism in Ukraine’s ongoing diplomatic efforts.
{Matzav.com}