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Vyshyvanka ( ; ) is a colloquial name for the embroidered shirt in Ukrainian and Belarusian . Ukrainian vyshyvankas are distinguished by embroidery features specific to Ukrainian embroidery.
In Ukrainian embroidery, black, red, and white colours are basic, and yellow, blue, and green are supplementary.
In the area which now constitutes the modern nation of Ukraine, embroidery existed already in the 5th century B.C in Scythian art. Ukraine is famous throughout the world for its highly artistic embroidery. It is important for the embroiderer today to use folk art as a source without altering stitches or colours because every change devalues a piece of embroidery and distorts it.
In its US May issue Vogue wrote that the vyshyvanka has "made waves far past the Eastern European country". The Times of London declared it "this summer's 2016 most sought-after item of clothing", soon following was the New York Times who advised readers to stock up on this "top of summer" fashion. Vyshyvanka: Ukraine's national costume conquers the catwalk, Yahoo! News (23 August 2016) French actress Melanie Thierry wore a vyshyvanka at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival. Queen Máxima of the Netherlands wore a vyshyvanka dress when visiting the 2016 Summer Olympics.
The vyshyvanka is not present in the traditional Russian women's costume with the sarafan consisting of a long full skirt hanging just below the arms with Shoulder strap or an extremely abbreviated bodice that secures it over the shoulders.
In 2018, the Appeal Instance of the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine conducted a research and came to the following conclusions:
During the 2020–2021 Belarusian protests, the vyshyvanka became a symbol of the Belarusian opposition, as well as the Belarusian national identity in general. The online website Vyzhyvanka (from vyshyvanka and ) by Belarusian-Czech artist Rufina Bazlova was noted as a significant symbol of the protest movement.
Meaning
Traditional beliefs
The vyshyvanka is used as a talisman to protect the person wearing it and to tell a story. The person who created and manufactured it is also protected by evil intentions. A geometric pattern woven in the past by adding red or black threads into the light thread was later imitated by embroidery and believed to have the power to protect a person from all harm. There is a saying in Ukrainian "Народився у вишиванці" which is translated as somebody was born wearing a vyshyvanka, so that is guarded, shielded, and defended by whoever made it. The geometrical figures represented in the Vyshyvanka originate from a single letter, word or story; intentions while embroidering a Vyshyvanka are also very important because it is used to emphasize someone's luck and ability to survive in any situation.
Patriotism
Archduke Wilhelm of Austria was a Ukrainian nationalist who preferred wearing the vyshyvanka and was therefore known in Ukrainian as Vasyl Vyshyvanyi (Basil the Embroidered). The Vyshyvanoho Square was named in his honor in the city of Lviv.
Celebration
Vyshyvanka Day originated in 2006 at Chernivtsi National University by its student Lesia Voroniuk and gradually became international as the International Day of the Vyshyvanka. It is celebrated on the third Thursday of May. It is intended to unite all Ukrainians over the world, regardless of religion, language they speak or their place of residence. It is a flash mob holiday, which is not attached to any public holiday or feast day. On this day, many Ukrainians wear a vyshyvanky to demonstrate commitment to the idea of national identity and unity and to show their patriotism. State officials, including municipal, court, and the government officials and the head of the state, may take part in celebration.
Belarusian vyshyvanka
The vyshyvanka is regarded as a national symbol by members of the government and opposition alike, with Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei saying in 2017, "The patterns used to embroider these shirts have never promoted violence or evil. Quite the contrary, they promote goodness and peacefulness. They reflect the mentality of the Belarusian people, our spirit." Unlike in Ukraine, where the embroidery's features are primarily determined by region, the Belarusian vyshyvanka is embroidered according to national and personal history, and is also often used to record information. It is also commonly claimed that vyshyvanky help to ward off evil spirits.
Mathematical modeling
A number of researchers have developed methods for studying and formalizing mathematics of vyshyvanka embroidery.Засорнова Ірина Олександрівна. Розробка процесу оздоблення вишивкою жіночих костюмів з урахуванням українських народних традицій.- Дисертація канд. техн. наук: 05.18.19, Хмельниц. нац. ун-т. — Хмельницький, 2012.- 210 с. : рис., табл. Автореферат дисертації канд. техн. наук: 01.05.02 / К. М. Березька ; НАН України. Держ. НДІ інформ. інфраструктури. — Л., 2000. — 19 с. — укр.Березька К. М., Березький О. М. Програмно-апаратний комплекс створення вишивок // Матер. Всеукраїнської наук. конф. «Застосування обчислювальної техніки, математичного моделювання та математичних методів у наукових дослідженнях». — Львів, 1999. — С. 7. These methods include a formal language for describing embroidery patterns and algorithms for generating them, using reflection symmetry and theory of , rotational symmetry, that describe border patterns repeating in one direction, and that describe patterns covering the entire plane.
Gallery
Ukrainian vyshyvanka
See also
External links
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