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| Maria Rypan & Iryna Senyk |
I, Maria Rypan, was the designer of 27 embroidered dresses based on fashion sketches by political dissident and poet Iryna Senyk. 67 of her poems were translated and published together with her sketches and miniature embroideries in a book project by St Demetrius, Toronto branch of Ukrainian Catholic Womens League of Canada (UCWLC). I also produced the Première event showcasing these fashions as well as the White Aster of Love deluxe, a bilingual coffee table book about them in September 1992.
See my blog about the "White Aster of Love" Project (1989-1992)
The Iryna Senyk White Aster project was my baby for three years before I even became a member of the UCLWC, St Demetrius branch. It’s a shame for my design work to be tucked away in a tired portfolio case. I would like to share the creativity and inspiration behind dresses.
Who was Iryna? A bit about the “White Aster of Love” project
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| A young Iryna Senyk |
Iryna Senyk, poet, former political prisoner who spent 34 years in Soviet hard- labor camps and exile, member of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) and the Ukrainian Helsinki Group (UHG), died on October 25, 2009 at the age of 83.
Indescribable suffering, hunger, degradation, failed to crush her invincible spirit. Christine Bolubash smuggled Iryna’s fifty embroidery-embellished fashion sketches out of Ukraine in 1989. Her St. Demetrius UCWLC branch agreed to publish a book of Senyk’s embroidery fashion sketches and poetry.
The poems were translated into English by Christine Borsuk so everyone could appreciate them. You will wonder, “How could someone who has gone through so much brutality can maintain such a strong spirit and foster beauty in her poems and embroidered miniatures?” She became an inspiration for the project participants.
In 1992 Iryna visited North America for the multi-media Première and Book Launch of her White Aster of Love. She returned to Toronto again, and then travelled on to Rochester, NY, to personally receive “One of 100 Heroines of the World” Award in 1998. Several ladies went along in their embroidered “Senyk Dresses” for moral support. I met Iryna again at the World Federation of Ukrainian Womens Organizations convention in Toronto.
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| Maria Rypan & Iyrna Senyk @ Heroine 98 display |
Bringing Iryna's fashion sketches to life
I consulted with each UCWLC member who was willing to have an original “Iryna Senyk” garment sewn and embroidered. Iryna gave permission to change the colours in the embroidery. The ladies selected a Senyk fashion sketch and gave a wish list for the sort of style they would like for themselves. I then adapted embroidery to the dress styles and cross-stitched test swatches to fine-tune the ideal thread colours on the chosen fabrics.
This project was interesting because a lot of cooperation emerged between the UCWLC members, many of them daughters or granddaughters of pioneers, and the new wave of immigrants to Canada. Some ladies sewed and embroidered. Others were embroidering for the first time in their lives. Still others appreciated that their outfits were embroidered by newcomers from Ukraine who earned a fair wage for the embroidery skills. Everyone had to finish their elegant outfits by the spring of 1992 so Oleh Iwanusiw could photograph the ladies, the “models”, at the Etobicoke Conservatory for the upcoming book.
My portfolio
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| Photo of Christne Bolubash & Iyrna Senyk with dress in progress |
By photocopying multiples of Iryna’s charted embroidery, I came up with this solid panel design which Christine Bolubash cross-stitched herself on the upper dress bodice. The illustrated fine embroidery decorated the top of the flounce. Christine wore this ‘original’ dress as she presented Iryna Senyk with her deluxe White Aster of Love book at the Première.
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| Lillian Yuryk |
Lillian Yuryk, our UCWLC wizard with words, chose this style on a blue crepe fabric. The bands of embroidery were angled to radiate from the neckline. We kept the sleeves plain.
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| Joyce Lesyk |
Joyce Lesyk chose this sketch for her inspiration, but selected a dramatic angled inset for her dress. Since the female body is not square, I had fun resolving the tapered corner issue one cross-stitch at a time. Note how I pencilled the motifs on the waste canvas to help in stitching a pleasing design. One I got the corner resolved, I handed over the panel to be embroidered with the rest of the full pattern.
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| Maria Rypan & Joyce Lesyk, March 2025 |
I am thrilled that Joyce still wears this dress 33 years later to many of our events at St Demetrius the Great Martyr parish!! It brings a smile every time!
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| Helen Lesiuk |
Helen Lesiuk’s dress was similar to Iryna’s sketch, but with full embroidered bands from the shoulder down. She asked to change the black to a khaki green colour for more subtlety on a buttery yellow crepe fabric. Helen’s semi-precious stone necklace adorned this classic dress beautifully.
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| Kae Stasiuk-Krochak |
Kae Stasiuk-Krochak wanted a deep purple dress in the style of Iryna’s sketch. This required sampling a new palette of colours on the cool wool crepe fabric. I had to problem-solve the 90 degree angles for a pleasing square neckline. A thinner embroidery was stitched on the sleeve edge.
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| Stella Sereda, Dr. Maria Fischer-Slysh & Ann Boyko |
Stella Sereda cross-stitched bands of embroidery on the inset of bodice of her simple classic soft ivory dress.
Ann Boyko embroidered the same design over her shoulders of soft rose crepe dress. Same charted embroider. Two totally different looks!
Dr. Maria Fischer-Slysh, a pediatrician and patron of Ukrainian studies and culture, embroidered her own pockets and collar to a chic white linen suit.
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| Sonia Hrycyshyn |
Sonia Hrycyshyn chose a tunic over a folk-inspired underskirt. By photocopying Iryna’s charted designs a few times, I came up with a solid pattern and we were fortunate to fine a newcomer to embroider this challenge for Sonia. The outfit was stunning! A criss-crossed embroidered tie finished the outfit for the Première, but it also looked great with korali or a necklace.
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| Mary Prokop & Anne Jaczyszyn |
Mary Prokop sewed and embroidered her very own dress. She did a great job cross-stitching the lapel of dress in orange DMC threads.
Anne Jaczyszyn looked tall in her embroidered dress thanks to the narrow trim along the inserted panel top to bottom. The blue cross-stitching continued along her hem and long sleeves. Iryna’s focal motifs really make this dress one of a kind!
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| Mary Jerome & Elsie Stieglan |
Both Mary and Elsie were inspired by the same fashion sketch with a square neck. They even liked the same fuchsia purple thread colours so we have a chance to see how different it looks on black and white.
Mary Jerome preferred to have a blouse. She had an embroidered square neckline and trimmed sleeves. Her waistband is thoroughly cross-stitched.
Elsie Stieglan opted for a black cool wool dress with an embroidered square neckline and trimmed sleeves.
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| Virginia Bobyk Rygus & Kay Sklepowich |
VIrginia Bobyk Rygus was inspired with the two piece sketch which was delicately embellished with embroidery. In real-life we skipped the puffy sleeves for a chic long-sleeved top tastefully embroidered.
Kay Sklepowich cleverly bought a teal suit and then embroidered Iryna’s charted design in fuchsia colours.
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| Frances Hunkewich |
Frances Hunkewich chose a square-necked fashion sketch, but I had to play with the design to get a pleasing 90o corner. I also toned down the colours, per request. You can see runway photos of Frances, Sonia and Olga.
photo: Iwanusiw n girl n ABoko dresses_0081 ret
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| Bozhena Iwanusiw & granddaughter Nadia |
Bozhena Iwanusiw chose to have diagonal bands across her dress as drawn. We changed the pattern to a stylized floral. I experimented with colours which would go with the soft rose. See the waste-canvas for an appreciation of seeming simple floral garland placement. Buttons with individual cross-stitched motifs trim the dress above the diagonal bands.
Bozhena had a miniature version sewn for her granddaughter Nadia. The photos are from the runway, “Never let go of your mother’s hand” poem was set in the Spring season of the Première.
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| Olenka Coba & son Andrijko |
Bozhena’s daughter Olenka Coba had embroidered around her peplum top inspired by Iryna’s fashion sketch. Her son Andrijko wore a shorts set with the top hem, sleeves and shorts trimmed with variations of same charted embroidery.
photo: Wowk Olga dress i Haba Dzvinka grey_0101
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| Olga Wowk |
Again, the same fashion sketch with two interpretations! Olga Wowk chose a classic cool wool T shift with a square neckline. The embroidery cascades vertically like Iryna sketched. Olga had a black jacket made and together and separately she has work this outfit many times.
Eugenia (Dzvinka) Haba embroidered the same design in charcoal threads on her grey wool dress. I was sampling how many thread yield the more effective embroidery. Dzvinka wore this dress often and is buried wearing it in October 2024. May her memory be eternal!
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| Olga Krawec & Olga Sanajko |
Both ladies liked the asymetrical neckline in Iryna’s fashion sketch. But how different the looks are!
Olga Krawec, president of our UCWLC branch and realtor, opted for a violet wool dress with embroidery in bright Kosmach-like colours. This suits her sunny personality.
Olga Sanaijko chose a two-piece outfit in a very soft salmon color. I spent a lot of time playing with colours that would do the charted pattern justice in real life. It came out very elegant and reserved.
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| Maria Rypan |
Being the designer who worked with everyone, I ran out of time and simply embroidered a hand-me-down dress from my great aunt. Thanks to the ability to slit and curve waste canvas, I managed to get the embroidery to curve all around the neck and front wrap. Note my embroidered earrings with motifs on fabric-covered button.
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| Anne Cromoshuk |
Anne Cromoshuk embroidered light silvery motifs all over her navy jacket. Anne photo holding the White Aster of Love illustrates Toronto Star’s article before the Première. Unfortunately, Anne passed away before the gala fashion so we are grateful we have this memory of her.
This project has been an incredible honour and challenge. As I am writing this 33 years after the Première of Iryna Senyk’s White Aster of Love, I believe this project is still relevant.
It deserves to published and made available on the internet for inspiration.
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