In February 2022, when the Russian invasion of Ukraine began, Kateryna Lanhe was visiting her mother's birthday in Vinnitsa, her hometown. “It was very hard on a psychological level because one is not prepared for this type of blow. I went into shock, ”she says. Based in Barcelona, married to a Catalan and the mother of a girl, Kati has always been connected to her country. She returned to Barcelona, and this year, a few weeks ago, she returned to Ukraine because her grandmother was 95 years old. Her family and her workshops are still there.
"The economy has to keep working, and at the entrance to the workshop there is a sign that says: 'Each one fights on his own.' They do it by making summer t-shirts for military women. I am also fighting from where I can, because through fashion we can raise awareness and convey a message about what is happening”, she explains, convinced that it is the best contribution she can make. And she also contributes with the elaboration of solidarity t-shirts to raise funds for Voices of Children, a Ukrainian organization that helps children and women victims of war.
The designs of Kateryna Lange, promoter of her own brand, KM by Lange, have in common that they are pieces that have been designed and made at a slower pace, very handmade, with a great female role and a lot of Ukrainian essence. And it is not by chance, because it is the summary of the philosophy of this Ukrainian creator based in Barcelona. “Fashion moves fast but we don't. We prefer to enjoy life and create pieces in a subtle way and delve into the level of finish and product. We don't want one brand that reigns everywhere,” says Kateryna Lange.
Kati, as her friends call her, welcomes me with a long total black dress in her showroom located in the Guinardó neighborhood of Barcelona, a small space faithful to the common thread of her brand and meticulous care to the millimeter. In this minimalist setting, like her personal style and that of her brand, hang about twenty dresses, shirts and tailoring pieces: a whole universe of monochrome garments where black, white and beige are protagonists. In a showcase of hers, the capsule collection of silver jewelry that she has recently incorporated into her firm is exhibited and which are handcrafted in her homeland, in collaboration with Elía, founder of Elinor Jewelry. But there is also space for a small bicycle that she uses as a means of transportation to move around the city and that is part of her lifestyle, she confesses.
The timeless garments from KM by Lange represent an ode to the woman free from stereotypes, confident in herself and who invests in a piece that could very well be passed from one generation to another. This is how the photographer Bèla Adler has captured it, who has collaborated with Kateryna to show her unique and handmade designs in this fashion editorial that is now published by Magazine. For example, a corset made entirely by hand with crochet by women over 60 who work in small workshops in Ukraine.
Or a 100% silk dress that has been made from 90 centimeters of this fabric made in Vietnam with old wooden machines by a group of indigenous women over the age of 80, a collaboration with the Textile Seekers company that rescues culture and tradition. Vietnamese. The special details in the cotton shirts are also obvious, with ceramic buttons created by hand in workshops in Horta in Barcelona.
“We work with five small workshops that are in my hometown, Vinnytsia, made up of mostly women in their 60s because it is also part of our philosophy to help women. And each workshop has its specialization, those that are dedicated only to embroidery, crochet, pleats, the typical handmade honeycomb embroidery or the one that is dedicated to the whole subject of upcycling and that are then the essence of my creations”, says the designer.
Kati had a crush on fashion since her childhood. Although she really was not her first choice, because she studied law and worked in that field when she arrived in Spain, 18 years ago. Married to a Catalan and mother of a girl, she Kati has always been connected to her country. And little by little she was studying photography, art, marketing and fashion, and was gaining experience in multinationals in the sector such as Inditex or Desigual.
Until five years ago she decided to create KM by Lange, partly influenced by her mother, albeit unconsciously: "When I was little there was no store to buy dresses and my mother made her outfits, it was an explosion of creativity, pieces of art that seemed to me a maximum luxury, being able to create something for your own body”
Like her mother, Kateryna Lange now designs her own clothes to dress the real women she sees on the streets every day. She uses materials such as organic cotton, linen, wool, hemp, and even raffia. But beyond buying unique pieces, she believes that consumers should keep in mind that when we buy we are also supporting a philosophy. "In the end we don't need to have so many clothes, we need pieces that last a long time," she clarifies.
