Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Olga Ivanidi of Manhattan

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Olga Ivanidi. Check out our conversation below.

Olga, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What is a normal day like for you right now?
A normal day for me is anything but normal. Right now my team and I are deep in preparations for Season 4 of Fashion 4 Ukraine, our Ukrainian NYFW show, which will take place in February 2026, so we’re constantly in touch brainstorming and planning. I also work as a journalist for a Ukrainian fashion magazine, which fills a big part of my day.

There’s a lot of travel in my life at the moment: we just wrapped a Fashion 4 Ukraine show as a part of Houston Fashion Week, I’m in and out of NYC often, and I’m based in New Orleans – so I’m pretty much always on the go with no fixed routine. I try to ground myself by running or walking and reading for at least 30 minutes a day to reset. And above all, I make time to take care of my homeschooled daughter and check her assignments daily.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Currently my main focus is being a Founder and Creative Director of Fashion 4 Ukraine show.

It honestly started from a very personal moment. I was modeling during NYFW in February 2024 when it hit me that, while so many cultures were represented on the runway, there wasn’t a single Ukrainian show. At that point, New York was full of Ukrainians who had come because of the war. It felt wrong not to have our voice and our fashion represented. So I decided to create that platform myself.

I pulled from everything I had – my modeling experience in Ukraine and the U.S., my background in fashion, business, and journalism – to launch this project, and I built a team of talented Ukrainian specialists to make it all happen. I serve as the Creative Director, but it’s truly a team effort.

Since September 2024, Fashion 4 Ukraine has become the first ongoing NYFW show dedicated to Ukrainian designers, models, and beauty professionals. Every season, we bring together Ukrainians and Americans who love fashion and want to celebrate it together. The vibe is always amazing. We’ve already had three seasons and showcased the work of more than three dozen designers, with models flying in from all over the U.S. just to be part of it.

What I love most about Ukrainian fashion is that the quality is next level – every stitch matters. And it’s so diverse. You can see everything from traditional influences to very modern, high-end looks. Almost every designer adds a little something from their heritage – folk elements, embroidery, symbolism. It feels very authentic. We also invite a few American and European ally designers each season to emphasize support of an international community.

Another important part of Fashion 4 Ukraine is that it’s fashion with a purpose. We always integrate charity into our shows. Through ticket sales and a sponsor-supported raffle, we’ve raised funds for several Ukrainian nonprofit organizations working with children. Supporting Ukraine on and off the runway is a big part of why we do what we do.

We’ve already had some amazing milestones – like being featured in the British magazine LAZIN with me on the cover and on CBS TV talk show with Donna Drake. For such a young project, that kind of recognition means a lot. We’ve also had a few celebrity models grace our runway, including Miss World Ukraine 2013, Anna Zaiachkivska, Miss Ukraine Universe 2012, Anastasiia Chernova, and Miss Ukraine World 2024, Anhelina Smith.

One of my biggest accomplishments has been seeing the first collection created specifically for our runway by an emerging Ukrainian designer, Oksana Sydorchak of HARNA. Like many Ukrainians, she had to start over in the U.S. after the war began. I’m truly happy that Fashion 4 Ukraine became the place where she could express her creativity and be celebrated by a large New York audience. This is exactly what I want to achieve – helping Ukrainians grow and succeed in the American fashion scene.

And now we’re expanding! We recently joined Houston Fashion Week and presented five incredible Ukrainian designers. The Consul General of Ukraine in Houston and his wife supported the event, which was really special. We’re already planning more collaborations, and even a standalone Fashion 4 Ukraine show in Texas and a few other states.

It’s been a whirlwind, but I’m proud of where it’s heading!

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
For me, the person who saw me clearly before I could fully see myself was Olena New York, the designer. She was the first one who truly believed in my idea of creating a Ukrainian NYFW show and immediately signed on to design a collection for the very first season. In our early conversations, she guided me through the New York fashion world and helped me understand how to navigate it with confidence. She made me believe in myself and push through at the early stages.

I also owe a lot to my team at Fashion 4 Ukraine: Olha Kovalchuk, Ivanna Polishchuk, and Alina Kalinichenko. They’re the ones who remind me of my value and potential every day. When you have real professionals standing behind you and trusting your vision, it genuinely gives you wings.

What fear has held you back the most in your life?
I think the fear that’s held me back the most comes from generational patterns in the culture I grew up in – a deep worry about what others will think, whether your work is “perfect,” and the pressure to please everyone. That kind of fear can freeze you in place before you even start.

Living in the U.S. helped me work through it, especially during my years in management at Marriott. I interacted daily with people from all backgrounds, with completely different expectations, and it taught me something important: not everyone will be happy with you, and that’s okay. You do your best, keep moving, and stop letting the fear of judgment decide your path.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes. The public version of me is very much the real me. I’m a down-to-earth person, and that’s exactly how I communicate – with my team, with the public, with everyone. At the end of the day, I’m just a human trying to create a little more beauty in the world. Fashion may involve trying on different styles and images, but staying truthful to who you are is the only way to stay grounded. It’s also important for me that my American-born eight-year-old daughter shares my values. During the latest show, for example, I had a a full-circle moment when she joined us as a model and introduced her kids designer, Elsa Fairy Dresses, in Ukrainian. Watching a second-generation American embrace our culture so naturally was incredible!

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What are you doing today that won’t pay off for 7–10 years?
What I’m doing now is building a lasting place for Ukrainian fashion in the American fashion scene. It takes time to form the right connections, grow our presence, and work toward being included in the official NYFW schedule. We’re trailblazing, and over the years the show will grow bigger, with more established designers joining us.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Nikolai Akinin
Eugene Altyn
Farid Zarrinabadi
Tetiana Asandi

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