Vena Brykalin was appointed Editor-in-Chief of Vogue Ukraine in June 2023—a critical time in the country’s history. After a brief hiatus during the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, Vogue Ukraine returned to print last year with a commemorative issue titled “The Road of Unbreakable,” with the magazine now being published quarterly. From his base in Paris, Brykalin acts as an important voice for Ukraine’s creative and fashion scene, while reframing fashion—and Vogue itself—as a form of resistance against oppression.
Brykalin has been involved in fashion since a teenager, working at local magazines in Odessa and, later, as a stylist and journalist for the likes of L’Officiel, L’Officiel Hommes, and Elle. In 2017, Brykalin joined Vogue Ukraine as fashion editor, eventually becoming fashion director in 2019.
Hear what helming a magazine in the midst of a war is really like.
Missed an installment of Meet The Editor? No problem: You can watch all our past Meet The Editor sessions (with guests including Anna Wintour, Edward Enninful, and Julia Hobbs) here.