The Bridge. An international initiative helping designers reach the world stage
An initiative by ELLE Lithuania and ELLE Baltic brings the international fashion community together around five Ukrainian designers, with a focus on mentorship, professional connections and access to new markets.
A sewing machine, a mannequin and an unfinished garment. During intense attacks, Anna Kuzmenko took all of these into a shelter, where she continued working on her LeCri collection. Her story is one of five brought together by The Bridge, an international initiative introduced in September 2026 during Vilnius Fashion Week.
Joining Anna are Dania Stinova, Nadiia Dobrovolska, Khrystiana Hrechanovska and Sofiia Popil. Each has her own creative language and experience of working during wartime. Dania uses 3D modelling to make her production process more flexible. Through her collections, Nadiia explores personal loss and family memory. Sofiia draws on Hutsul culture.
The Bridge aims to help these voices find a wider audience through mentorship, internships, residencies and access to new markets.
“From the very beginning, we did not want to create yet another event where people talk at length and then return to their lives the next morning. The essence of ‘The Bridge’ is very simple: on one side there is a person who needs an opportunity; on the other, there are people, institutions and businesses that can provide it. Our job is to bring them together,” says Tadas Bruzgulis, founder of The Bridge and organiser of Vilnius Fashion Week.
The designers have specific goals. Sofiia wants to better understand how to develop a fashion brand and present her work abroad. Khrystiana, founder of MARY&CO, is looking for a mentor who can offer a fresh perspective on her practice and help her define her next steps.
The project is implemented by ELLE Lithuania and ELLE Baltic in collaboration with Vilnius City Municipality. ELLE Ukraine, ELLE Poland, representatives of diplomatic missions and members of the international fashion community have joined the initiative. Work will continue throughout the year, after which the organisers will assess the first results.
The initiative remains open to individuals, organisations and businesses willing to contribute financially or share their expertise. One way to support it is through the The Bridge online auction. Proceeds will support professional opportunities, mentorship, residencies and international exposure for the participating designers.
