The World of Roksolana

As founder and creative director, Oleksandra builds Roksolana at the intersection of structure, sensuality, and modern luxury.

There is a certain kind of elegance that does not seek attention, yet quietly defines presence. This is the sensibility that shapes Oleksandra, the founder of Roksolana. Her perspective on beauty was formed very early on influenced by a life lived between cultures. Partly in Ukraine, where she grew up surrounded by textile craftsmanship, and partly in France, where time spent with a family connected to the Romanov imperial household gave her an instinct for restraint, proportion, and the subtle language of refinement. Rather than following trends, Oleksandra approaches fashion as something very personal, an extension of emotion, memory, and identity. This became the foundation of Roksolana, a brand that reflects not only her aesthetic but her values: craftsmanship, intimacy, and a quiet confident femininity that belongs to every season. Positioned between ready-to-wear and couture, Roksolana redefines knitwear as a form of structure and precision, garments built with intention, designed to hold their form and value over time. What began as a natural continuation of a family tradition, creating garments by hand, has evolved into a distinct design voice. Today, Oleksandra is based in London, where she founded Roksolana and continues to build it on her own terms. Through the brand, she offers more than knitwear. She offers a way of dressing that feels considered, enduring, and closely connected to the person who wears it.

L'Officiel Arabia: You grew up between Ukraine and France, two very different worlds. How did that shape your understanding of beauty and elegance, and how does it translate into your work today in London?

Oleksandra Liakh: What Ukraine gave me most was discipline. The way my mother worked with textiles, the patience she had, according principles of quality. That became my foundation. France was something else entirely. I spent time there as a child with a family connected to the Romanov imperial family. I was nine when I first met them and what I walked into was a completely different world. There were rules to everything. There was a very precise etiquette, but more than that, there was an atmosphere of restraint and quiet confidence. I was deeply impressionable at that age, and I absorbed it intuitively.
London is where it all came together. The city is demanding and it has a very sharp eye. It pushed me to be clearer about what Roksolana is and what it is not. What these three places gave me is a very simple understanding: elegance is never something you try to prove. It is something that is either present or it isn’t.

What core values define you as a founder and how do they shape Roksolana?

Honesty is fundamental. I cannot create something I do not fully believe in. Every decision around Roksolana has to feel resolved on a personal level before it moves forward.
The second is standard. I was raised around a very clear understanding of how things should be made, and that has shaped the way I approach everything I do.
For me, it has never been about producing more, but about producing with intention and precision. It is not positioning. It is simply the standard I work by.
I would always choose to make less, but make it properly. That principle defines the foundation of the brand. At the same time, I believe in building something that naturally draws the right people in, those who recognise its value and want to be part of it in a meaningful way.

Roksolana is positioned as demi-couture knitwear. What does that mean to you and why is it important today?

For me, demi-couture means that both the construction and the intention of a garment are resolved within the knit itself. What you see is the result of decisions made from the very beginning, stitch by stitch. It requires a very precise approach. Each piece is carefully calculated at the level of the knit, from the tension and density of the fabric to the finishing of every edge. So that it sits naturally on the body and feels effortless to wear.
We work with fine cashmere, merino, alpaca and silk, adapting the weight and structure of the knit depending on the season. Lighter constructions for spring and summer, more substantial ones for colder months, always with the same intention of balance, comfort, and clarity of form. What matters to me is that people can feel this difference immediately, even if they cannot fully articulate it. There is a quiet satisfaction in wearing something that holds its shape, moves with the body, and remains relevant over time. In a world where clothing is often made quickly and forgotten just as quickly, demi-couture is a conscious return to something more considered, more enduring and ultimately, more personal.

Walk me through what happens between the yarn and the finished piece. What decisions do most brands skip that you don’t?

It always begins with the silhouette, resolved through the knit itself. Before anything else, we develop a sample, studying how the yarn behaves once it is washed, how the density settles, how the proportions translate into the final form. At this stage, it becomes mathematical. Every stitch, every line is calculated in relation to the body. Yarn is never entirely predictable, and that unpredictability is part of the process. It requires time, attention, and a willingness to adjust until the balance feels right. From there, the construction evolves through the knit. Tension, how each section connects, where the seams fall and even a slight inconsistency can change how the piece rests on the body. When something is not right, it is reworked. Not adjusted, but reconsidered from the point where it began.
This is the part most brands move past. The pressure to continue is always there, and returning to refine something requires time and precision. But that is where the quality lives. It may not be visible, but it is something you feel immediately when you wear the piece. A single garment can take weeks. Not as a statement, but simply because that is what the process demands.

You are involved in every aspect of the brand. How do you manage that and where do you draw the line?

I remain very close to every part of Roksolana. At this stage, that level of precision still feels essential.
In the early stages, that level of involvement allows the brand to develop with clarity and without dilution. Every decision, from sourcing to silhouette to communication, carries the same voice.
But true growth comes from understanding where your presence creates the most value and where it becomes more powerful to trust the right people and step back.
For me, it has never been about doing everything. It has always been about ensuring that everything feels exactly as it should.

What does modern femininity mean to you and how is it expressed through Roksolana?

For me, femininity has nothing to do with fragility. It is about being completely at ease with yourself, knowing what you want, choosing what you wear with intention, and not seeking validation in the process.
For a long time, fashion positioned femininity as a choice between softness and strength. What interests me is their coexistence. A piece that holds its shape effortlessly. That has presence without needing to assert it. That, to me, is what modern femininity looks like. Roksolana reflects this balance. The pieces are structured, yet inherently soft while being designed to move with the body, offering a sense of ease and quiet sensuality rather than performing around it. There is a certain immediacy to how they are felt, and I believe that is why the response has been so instinctive and strong.

What kind of person do you design for, beyond aesthetics?

Someone who has stopped chasing trends and started building something more considered. It is not about age or income. It is just a mindset. A person who recognises quality the moment it touches the skin. Who understands the value of something well made without needing it explained. For them, getting dressed is not a performance, but a quiet certainty. I design for women and men who value how clothing feels as much as how it looks. Pieces that bring a sense of ease throughout the day, where comfort becomes almost unnoticeable, yet deeply felt. For those who appreciate the quiet satisfaction of something made properly.

Who are the Roksolana women and men today, how do they live, move, and what defines their connection to the brand?

They are not defined by a lifestyle or an occasion. They are defined by a standard they hold for themselves, quietly, without making a lot of noise about it.
The Roksolana woman moves through her day without needing to reconsider what she is wearing. She is present, composed, and entirely herself. The Roksolana man is similar. Someone who understands quality without needing it explained, who chooses carefully and keeps things for a long time. What connects them is not aesthetics. It is a relationship with clothing that goes beyond appearance. They are drawn to pieces that feel considered Roksolana does not define them. It simply meets them where they already are.