Betting on the expensive: why Vovk and Gepur are going premium during the war and whether there's money in it

Two prominent Ukrainian clothing brands, Vovk and Gepur, have announced the launch of premium lines of their products. This is not about creating separate luxury brands, but about more expensive collections within already well-known brands. They are betting on limited editions, more complex materials, and a two to three-fold increase in the average check compared to the basic assortment.Read the article to find out why manufacturers decided to make more expensive products and whether there will be buyers for them LIGA.net.Premium as an experiment: the Vovk caseVovk plans to launch a premium collection in the spring of 2026. The line will consist of approximately 50 models made of linen and cotton in basic colors – black, beige, and khaki. Some of the products will feature hand embellishments.Prices will be two and a half to three times higher than the main assortment: dresses – 3500-5000 UAH, jackets – 8000-10 000 UAH.According to Tetyana Vovk, the brand's co-founder, the company does not position this as a full-fledged entry into the premium segment."This is a step towards a discerning audience that values quality and is willing to invest in items with a long lifespan," she says. According to Vovk, there is a demand for such clothing in Ukraine. "The demand for a premium collection from customers has been there for a long time. According to our internal research, 30% of women would like such a line."The collection will be sold under the Vovk brand, but the company is already registering the name of the new line separately. In this way, the brand is testing whether its audience is willing to pay more without losing trust in the main positioning.Read also"Ukrainian women are in the mood to spend on themselves" – an interview with the co-founder of VovkAn investment in your image from GepurOdesa-based women's clothing manufacturer Gepur has already launched its premium line. In December 2025, the company presented its first premium collection, Sadovska, in its stores, and is preparing a second one in April 2026. The brand is investing from $100,000 in the new line."The collection will be more expensive: we are investing from $100,000 because we are ordering special fabrics and accessories for it," says Oleg Sadovsky. The products will use airy materials such as organza, lush dresses with trains, and corset structures.Premium collections usually consist of 10-15 models. The focus is on organza, corset designs, and dresses with trains. Prices range from 7,000 to 15,000 UAH per dress. Regular Gepur dresses are two to three times cheaper.The line has a separate name – "Marie Antoinette". It was developed by Kateryna Sadovska, co-founder of Gepur.Read also"Ready to 'eat up' vacant locations." How the closure of English Home and Athletics affects shopping mallsIs there any money here?According to the consulting company Pro-consulting, the "above average and premium" segment maintains relative stability even during the war. In monetary terms, it accounts for 20-35% of the clothing market, or UAH 8-14 billion in 2024-2025.The premium segment is estimated at UAH 2-2.2 billion, which is about 5% of the total market, but it is the most high-margin, notes Oleksandr Sokolov, CEO of Pro-consulting.After falling by approximately 35% in 2022, the premium segment recovered in 2023 and has essentially returned to pre-war levels, he notes.The main sales are concentrated in Kyiv, which is two and a half to three times ahead of other regions. A significant share of consumers is also in the Lviv, Odesa, Dnipropetrovsk, and Kharkiv regions. The key audience is 25-50 years old.Why premium is a riskMarket players agree on one thing: premium is not just about higher prices, but a different business model."High-quality fabrics and complex manufacturing cost more. If you make a mistake with the price, you can either lose your margin or make the product unaffordable for the customer," says Sadovsky from Gepur.It's practically impossible to scale a premium brand solely within Ukraine, so we need to look at exports and consider global competition, he believes. "In the premium segment, customers don't forgive mistakes. One lapse in quality or service can seriously damage the brand," notes the co-owner of Gepur.The demand for "above average" and premium products is not disappearing – it is becoming more selective and conscious, he believes. The main consumers live in big cities; they are business people, representatives of creative industries, and IT specialists."I think there is potential," says Stanislav Mariyko, head of the "Clothing and Footwear" department at the home wear brand "Harni Rechi". In his opinion, expensive clothes and shoes produced in Ukraine are in demand; the main thing is marketing, which should correctly explain why these items cost more. He cites the Kachorovska brand, which sells shoes at a price of 8,500 – 16,500 UAH, as an example.Other striking examples include the popular Bagllet bags for UAH 8,600 and Bazhane coats starting from UAH 25,000.So, the premium segment in Ukraine has its buyers, but for mid-range clothing manufacturers, it's a search for a new business economy. The mass market is shrinking under wartime conditions, competition with global players is growing, and the average check doesn't always cover costs.Premium remains a narrow but potentially profitable niche. The only question is who will be able to turn the experiment into a strategy – and take it beyond Ukraine.

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