About Emilka

In 2017, Dayna went to Holoc Ukrainian Store in Winnipeg's North End to see what treasures she could find during their closing sale. This is where she found two Taras Shevchenko embroideries and said, "What if...I put this on the back of a denim jacket?" The project snowballed, and she opened her Etsy store in 2019.

Dayna has been passionate about sustainable fashion since the Rana Plaza collapse in 2013. Drawing from the ingenuity of her Ukrainian ancestors, she looks to reduce her impact on the planet by reusing and repurposing thrifted jackets and cultural textiles.

The brand is named after her paternal Baba (grandma), Emily. As a child, her Baba would take her to thrift stores to find items to donate to the nursing home and would often salvage Ukrainian and religious items.

Dayna cherishes the legacy of her Baba and, since moving to Toronto, has connected with the strength and resiliency of her prababa (great-grandma) as she immigrated to Canada with only her sister at 16. 

Born and raised in Winnipeg, MB, Dayna Konopelny is a fourth generation Ukrainian. She studied Theatre Design at the University of Winnipeg and Industrial Design at OCAD U. She loves learning and is curious about everything. Dayna is currently based in Toronto, ON.