All have a hidden meaning: 7 of Olena Zelenska's most original brooches. Photos

Since the beginning of the full-scale war, the first lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, has been adding "eloquent" brooches to her costumes. As a rule, these are vintage jewelry or purchased from domestic manufacturers. All of them are not just a part of the looks but small messages to the world.

For example, the wife of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has a brooch made from a fragment of an enemy Russian missile that the occupiers aimed at Kharkiv. There is also a piece of jewelry in the form of a rooster jug (this particular item survived the shelling of a building in the village of Borodianka). Read more about the significance of these and other brooches by Olena Zelenska in the OBOZ.UA article.

1. Vintage YSL brooch

On March 8, 2023, the First Lady of Ukraine arrived in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates) for the Forbes 30/50 forum. There, she took part in a panel discussion on women's leadership and received the Torch of Freedom Award. For the ceremony, Olena Zelenska chose an elegant black and white suit, which she complemented with a golden vintage brooch in the form of a wheat sheaf by Yves Saint Laurent. It symbolizes the fertility of the Ukrainian land and life-affirming power.

2. Map of Ukraine

This is a gold brooch from the Ukrainian brand GASANOVA, created in the form of a map of Ukraine with all its temporarily occupied territories. The First Lady loves to wear this jewelry as she appeared with it at a meeting with the Business Without Barriers community, the Third Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen, the United for Justice international conference, and more.

The brooch has a "telling" detail: a sparkling rhinestone in the place of Donetsk. Designer Elvira Hasanova shared a photo of her creation on Instagram and wrote, "A simple symbol, the most important in the life of every Ukrainian. Ukraine with a stone in its heart, in my hometown Donetsk! Donetsk is Ukraine".

3. Wormwood, Yevshan Zillia

The brooch by the Ukrainian brand Ruslan Baginskiy is one of the favorites of Volodymyr Zelenskyy's wife. After all, Olena chose it for the reception on the occasion of the coronation of Charles III, for a visit to the Elysee Presidential Palace and other large-scale events. What does the jewelry "speak" about? Designer Ruslan Baginsky interprets it as follows, "In Ukrainian fiction, the word 'Yevshan' has become synonymous with attraction and love for the native land, for one's roots. According to the interpretation of an old legend, the fragrant smell of wormwood brings people back to the path that will definitely lead them home."

4. Forget-me-not

In June 2022, the first lady wore a muted blue suit and a silver jewelry piece with seven delicate flowers for an interview with RBC-Ukraine. The accessory, titled Forget-me-not was made by Kharkiv jeweler Stanislav Drokin from a piece of an enemy Russian missile that the occupiers had fired at Kharkiv. "It preserves the memory of the events of every day of Russia's war against Ukraine: the memory of the courage of the defenders, the cultural, historical, scientific heritage destroyed by the Russians, and the lives taken," the author captioned the post with a photo of his work of art. He added that the brooch is "a symbol of the rebirth of life in the wreckage of tragedy."

5. Rooster

In August 2023, Olena Zelenska, together with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, arrived in Denmark and met with Crown Princess Mary. For this visit, the First Lady chose a silver and gilded Rooster brooch from the world-famous Ukrainian brand GUNIA Project.

The jewelry is made in the form of a Rooster jug. And it's not just for fun! It is a reminder of a story that happened at the beginning of a full-scale war. In April 2022, a photo of a high-rise building destroyed by Russians in the village of Borodiianka (Kyiv region) went viral. All that remained was a wall and a kitchen shelf, on which a rooster-shaped jug continued to stand unmoved. This made it a symbol of the indomitable nature of the Ukrainian people. Now the First Lady's jewelry also conveys a powerful message.

6. KVITKA

On February 1, 2024, Olena Zelenska spoke at the conference "Russia's War on Children" in Latvia. For the important event, she chose a strict suit in deep black colors and a brooch from the Ukrainian jewelry brand Guzema Fine Jewelry. The name of the jewelry is KVITKA and it was created based on the work of the famous Ukrainian artist heorhii Narbut. "We symbolically refer to the historical heritage of Ukraine, to our connection with the land, and find new meanings in old things. We breathe in the experience of generations, add something new, our own. We become a continuation of our roots, which give us the strength and opportunity to be who we are," says Valeriia Huzema, founder of Guzema Fine Jewelry.

7. Dove

At the end of 2023, the First Lady attended a meeting of the Interagency Coordination Council for the Implementation of the All-Ukrainian Mental Health Program. At that time, she complemented her pale brown suit with the Dove brooch by Gunia Project, which the designers created inspired by the decorations of a loaf of bread.

The bird-shaped jewelry has several key meanings. For Ukrainians, it means honoring ancient traditions (i.e., the shape of the product resembles a dove on a traditional wedding loaf). And for the whole world, it is a global call to end the war in Ukraine.

Only verified information is available on OBOZ.UA Telegram and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!