“On the 24th of February Ukraine and the whole world has changed. A lot of people had to evacuate from their hometowns in order to save their lives, and I`m not the exception. Right now I`m in Europe, and I put all my efforts into raising awareness of what is happening in Ukraine and making my brand able to continue working. Despite all of the struggles, we stay optimistic and believe that the war will end soon and we all can come back home and rebuild a new, strong and independent country. And I present to you this collection with Ukraine in my mind and my heart.” — Anna October.
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The Anna October FW2022/23 collection is inspired and built around the story of the first midnight tango in Paris. The signature features of the brand — lingerie style, open backs, and streamy straps — receive a new insight. Most of the collection consists of tender dresses that emphasize the fragility and subtle sensuality of the woman. The designer adds thigh slits and cutouts, mostly on the back of the dresses. Open shoulders accentuate the elegance of a woman`s body. At the same time, cropped sheer turtlenecks and low-waist mini skirts embody the undisguised sexuality of the 90s.
Anna October adds a bit of a 70s fashion aesthetic by using the essential for those time elements — patchwork and fringe. The statement item of the collection is a long fringed cape handmade from golden threads.
But it`s not only about traditionally feminine clothes: in Anna`s opinion a woman should feel equally beautiful in both revealing dress, and in a masculine suit that, in this collection, is represented with classic low-waisted pants with lingerie detailing and wide-leg silhouette that work best in the combination with corsets or with brand`s recognizable bras. Moreover, in this collection Anna October introduces the new variation of this signature item — a double bralette that can be worn independently or as a part of the dress.
Brand`s longtime take on ethical fashion is using craftsmanship, and in this collection, it presents a range of sheer delicate items made of young wool —cropped jumper, cardigan, vest, and midi-dress handcrafted by Ukrainian craftswomen.
Long colorful gloves are a bold addition to the refined and discreet looks presented in this collection.
The color palette consists of different tones of brown — chocolate, black coffee, and cinnamon, along with white, creme, and grey. Monochrome shades are complemented with pastel colors: rose pink, yellow, cucumber green, and light blue with bright addition of turquoise and gold.
Following the conscious approach to production in this collection, the brand uses both natural fabrics like viscose, cotton, or wool, and deadstock polyester and rayon. This choice is consistent with one of the main principles of a brand`s ethical strategy – the desire to create “timeless” clothes that will last more than one season.
Anna October is an ethical womenswear brand founded in Odessa in 2010. Inspired by women’s versatility, its designer and creative director Anna retranslates excitement and joy of being a woman in her every piece. A hedonistic lifestyle, tenderness and easiness are laying in the fundamental philosophy of the brand.
