At first glance, Daria Shugaieva’s vibrant paintings, recently displayed at Les Couleurs Art Gallery in Downtown Miami, radiate emotion, complexity, and cultural symbolism. But behind each brushstroke lies a story of resilience, loss, and rebirth. A native of Odesa, Ukraine, Daria is not only a gifted visual artist—she’s also a fashion designer whose journey from Eastern Europe to South Florida has shaped a uniquely bold and soulful creative voice.
Daria arrived in South Florida on vacation, never imagining she’d stay. But when war erupted on February 24, 2022, returning home was no longer an option. “Odesa is a beautiful city; I miss it every day,” she reflects with heartfelt nostalgia. As someone with Greek, Ukrainian, and Russian roots, Daria embodies the layered history and cultural tapestry of her birthplace—a richness that deeply informs both her art and fashion.
Although her academic background is in English Language, Daria’s true passion has always been art. Throughout her life, she filled sketchbooks with portraits, fashion illustrations, and emotional collages. These early explorations evolved into a distinct artistic identity—what she now describes as eclecticism, blending academic precision, contemporary forms, symbolic storytelling, and folk influences.
Her visual inspiration pulls from some of the world’s most dynamic artists. She is particularly moved by Frida Kahlo’s raw emotionality, Salvador Dali’s surreal symbolism, and Yayoi Kusama’s boundary-pushing creativity. But Daria doesn’t go searching for inspiration—it finds her. “It can be a regular day and I see my reflection in a cup of coffee,” she explains. Her work becomes a diary of fleeting moments, inner fears, cultural memory, and a longing for home.
In 2020, Daria’s creative energy spilled over into fashion. Already a mother of two, she launched a Ukrainian fashion label called Aphrodity—named after the Greek goddess and reflecting her Hellenic heritage. The brand stood for feminine strength, elegance, and timeless beauty, made from luxurious French fabrics and styled with mythological poise. Her designs caught immediate attention, culminating in a breakthrough moment when Ukrainian top model Alla Kostromichova wore one of her pieces during New York Fashion Week.
But just as the brand was gaining momentum, the world changed. First, COVID-19 halted production. Then, in a devastating blow, a Russian missile strike destroyed her fabric warehouse near Odesa Airport, wiping out her entire fashion inventory. Years of work reduced to ashes.
Yet even in the face of such loss, Daria remains hopeful: “I am still young. I hope to rebuild the business eventually.” Her dream of merging art and fashion has not died—it has only deepened. The same creative fire that fuels her paintings continues to flicker beneath the surface, waiting for the right moment to reignite.
Daria is inspired by designers who, like herself, view fashion as a form of art. She reveres the theatricality and brilliance of John Galliano, who transformed runways into storytelling platforms, and the dark romanticism of Alexander McQueen, who brought emotional depth and conceptual boldness to couture. Like them, Daria sees fashion not as decoration, but as expression—raw, poetic, and fearless.
Today, Daria Shugaieva lives and works in Miami, drawing on her multicultural heritage and complex journey to create art that transcends genres and borders. Whether through paint or fabric, her work tells stories of womanhood, resilience, displacement, and beauty in brokenness.
