Did Avdiivka ever have its own distinct, unique embroidered shirt (vyshyvanka) pattern?
Our team has been searching for the answer to this question for quite some time. We interviewed local embroiderers, combed through historical archives, photographed exhibits in ethnographic museums across Ukraine, and occasionally, we were lucky enough to find old photographs of Avdiivka families featuring elements of traditional clothing. These searches were a vital part of our research into the local history and intangible cultural heritage of our community. Yet, to this day, we have found no documented evidence of a unique, standalone "Avdiivka ornament."
Why is that? One explanation lies in history: modern Avdiivka was founded in the first half of the 18th century, but its biggest wave of growth occurred later, during the 19th and 20th centuries. At various times, Ukrainians from the Poltava, Slobozhanshchyna, and Chernihiv regions, alongside Russians, Greeks, Germans, Moldovans, and Jews, all migrated here.
As a result, the embroidered shirts brought by these settlers naturally inherited the traditions of their regions of origin rather than blending into a single "Avdiivka" style. In one household, you might find a Poltava-style embroidery; in another, women wore patterns from Slobozhanshchyna; in a third, Chernihiv motifs predominated.
In 2026, the Donetsk Regional Educational and Methodological Center of Culture initiated the project "Embroidered Donetsk Region" (Donechchyna Vyshyvana), inviting communities to create or reconstruct a traditional shirt representing their area. For us, this was a unique opportunity to pause and wonder: What could an authentic Avdiivka shirt look like?
We didn't reconstruct a lost ornament because history simply didn't preserve one. Instead, we created a new embroidered symbol for our community, drawing inspiration from its origins, its natural manifestation as a "small center of the world," family memories, and the shared modern experience of people united by Avdiivka.
We named our embroidered shirt "The Center of the World" (Osereddia Svitu).
The pattern is built on a rhythmic combination of diamonds and rosettes in a classic red, black, and white color palette—the traditional colors of life in Eastern Ukrainian embroidery. The net-like structure of the ornament resembles a "memory map." It reflects Avdiivka as a crossroads of cultures, shared experiences, and life paths, where tradition does not disappear but transforms. Visually, it evokes the imagery of road networks and coordinate grids.
To us, this embroidery speaks of Avdiivka not as a ruined space, but as a sanctuary of culture that continues to thrive through human memory, creativity, and mutual support. Historically and in its modern dimension, Avdiivka is associated with borders: the edge between the steppe and the industrial landscape, between home, peace, and war, between rootedness and displacement.
The very first "Center of the World" shirt was crafted by a master embroiderer from Kamianets-Podilskyi. Meanwhile, a member of our team, Inna, is currently putting the finishing touches on a second copy. When we finally presented the shirt to the Avdiivka community, everyone was deeply moved—both by the profound concept behind it and by the beauty of the garment itself.
In June 2026, the Donetsk Regional Educational and Methodological Center of Culture conducted a photoshoot for an upcoming exhibition and photo album dedicated to the embroidered shirts of the Donetsk region. Diana, another member of our team—an extraordinary individual and a vibrant leader in Plast (Ukrainian Scouting), volunteering, and creative arts—proudly modeled our shirt.
You can see the Avdiivka embroidered shirt in the photos. And if anyone would like to have this unique piece in their own wardrobe, we are more than happy to share the embroidery scheme. This is how the Small Centers of the World became both the inspiration and the core meaning behind "The Center of the World" shirt. We truly believe the world has just witnessed the birth of a beautiful new tradition for a city so deeply dear to our hearts.
