From a seamstress at a mine to a successful designer—Yuliia Lototska’s story proves that with persistence and hard work, dreams do come true!
Yuliia Lototska, a winner of the Business Ideas and Startups Competition held as part of the "Makership, innovations and entrepreneurship in the Chervonohrad coal microregion" Project, shared her story, which will inspire everyone who dreams of realizing their creative potential. Despite numerous challenges, including the war and the closure of the sewing workshop, Yuliia didn’t give up and is now close to opening her own atelier. Today, she creates exclusive clothing and shares her knowledge with others, passionately building a new life in her country.
How a talent that emerged in a small mining town blossomed into great artistry, how unique designs are born from Yuliia Lototska’s talented hands, and how the war became a catalyst for creating her own creative space — this is the story of the competition winner.
My name is Yuliia Lototska, and I was born in 1979 into a mining family in the small town of Sosnivka in the Chervonohrad district. After school, I pursued a professional education at Vocational School No. 31 in Lviv, specializing as a "Tailor-Designer".
I later got a job as a seamstress at the "Nadiya" Mine, where a sewing workshop had been established. After two years of work, I was promoted to foreman, eventually became a tailor-designer, and then the head of the sewing workshop (a position I held for 7 years).
During this time, I completed my studies at the Kyiv University of Culture, specializing in "Clothing Design". This step was the key to a new vision of the sewing process, where the craft of a seamstress merges with the art of creating designs. I realized that every piece I created with my hands also carried a piece of my soul.
The "Nadiya" mine was restructured, and the sewing workshop was closed. Was it a coincidence? I believe it was nothing less than a necessary push for me to move on to the next stage of development. As a tailor-designer, I began working with a young brand. One year of working there was enough for me to realize that I could and wanted to create my own projects.
The war brought its own challenges, but it did not break my spirit. The closure of the workshop marked the beginning of a new phase. I want not only to resume my professional activity but also to contribute to the development of our community. That’s why I decided to open my own atelier, where anyone can order exclusive clothing or learn to sew on their own. This is my small victory over circumstances, and I believe that together we can rebuild our country.
We are confident that her success in the Business Ideas and Startups Competition will inspire Yuliia as she continues on her path to new achievements! We wish her further success and the realization of exciting ideas!
More about the story of the talented designer — in the video.
