On Monday evening, the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, garnered compliments from Donald Trump and the White House press pool for his formal jacket and trousers.

But for the ensemble’s designer, Viktor Anisimov, the outcome of the meeting, not the verdict on the outfit, was of more concern.

“It’s not about the suit – it’s about what happens to Ukraine,” Anisimov told Womenswear Daily (WWD), speaking through an interpreter before the meeting.

Zelenskyy has largely eschewed formalwear since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began, opting instead for military-style clothing as a gesture of solidarity with his country’s citizens.

In February, he was criticised by the pro-Trump TV reporter Brian Glenn for his decision to wear a long-sleeve polo shirt emblazoned with the Ukrainian trident, from the Ukrainian menswear brand Damirli.

“Why don’t you wear a suit? You’re at the highest level in this country’s office, and you refuse to wear a suit. Do you own a suit? A lot of Americans have problems with you not respecting the dignity of this office,” Glenn said at the time.

“I will wear [a suit] after the war is finished,” Zelenskyy replied.

Trump, too, noted the casual outfit in February, greeting Zelenskyy with a sarcastic: “You’re all dressed up.”

Anisimov told the magazine that Zelenskyy’s new look had not been designed in response to the first White House meeting. “We had already started working on the president’s new wardrobe and style in January. After what happened in February, knowing our president’s principles, I thought that he would not want to change his style. But no, he decided that we should continue.”

He told the Wall Street Journal that he was “gradually shifting the president’s image towards a more civilian style, while still preserving the military reference”.

On Monday, Zelenskyy was back in the Oval Office with Trump for another summit about the future of Ukraine. This time, Glenn praised Zelenskyy’s new look, saying: “You look good.” “I said the same thing,” Trump added.

Zelenskyy pointed out that Glenn, meanwhile, was wearing the same outfit. “I changed, you did not,” he said.

Despite Glenn’s remarks to the contrary, Zelenskyy’s Monday evening outfit is not technically a suit. It is a French-style army jacket, made in a military canvas material with four patch pockets – a style more akin to a counter coat. Zelenskyy wore the jacket with coordinating trousers, which may have been the source of Glenn’s confusion.

Anisimov, meanwhile, had other concerns. “I am not worried about whose suit he will wear,” he told the magazine. “It’s more about the results of this whole meeting. I am more concerned about who will be with us as a country.”