UKRAINE SUPPORT: Fashion designers in London are using their influence to promote the “An Hour For Ukraine” initiative ahead of Christmas.

The event will see major British landmarks such as Trafalgar Square, Canterbury Cathedral, Lambeth Palace and the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, and several other key locations in Paris, New York and Sydney switching their festive lights off for an hour at 8 p.m. local time on Wednesday, the darkest day of 2022.

Organized by the president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s fundraising platform United24, members of the Ukrainian parliament, fashion and creative platform 1 Granary, and War Against War, an alternative media organization, “An Hour For Ukraine” is part of a $10 million fundraising drive for generators for hospitals across Ukraine this winter.

Olya Kuryshchuk, founder of 1 Granary, who was born in Ukraine and is now based in London after obtaining a bachelor’s degree in fashion design from Central Saint Martins, has urged brands to use their social media platform to encourage their followers to join the initiative and turn off their lights for an hour at home from around the world to show their support for Ukraine.

Confirmed participating designers include Charlotte Knowles and Alexandre Arsenault of Knwls, Richard Quinn, Charles Jeffrey, Chopova Lowena, Kiko Kostadinov, Paolina Russo, Masha Popova, Sinéad O’Dwyer, Eftychia Karamolegkou, Lutz Huelle, Duran Lantink, Robyn Lynch,…