“We are famous for our dresses,” the Ukrainian designer Anna October said by way of introduction. “And then a few collections ago I started to experiment with tailoring. For resort I wanted to put the two together.” This season’s suit was double breasted and slouchy, in a satin-esque fabric that is actually made from regenerated plastic bottle fabric that gives it a subtle sheen. There was also a terrific lightweight maxi coat/dress in tan with hook-and-eye details down the sleeves. Lingerie details have been one of her trademarks, and she enjoys finding new ways to incorporate them in unexpected places. The hook-and-eye-closure details also highlighted two very chic tailored black dresses; one on the empire waist of a strapless dress with a sweetheart neckline, and another the natural waistline of a simple sleeveless sheath. It was believable when she said her version of a sexy dress is “for the pleasure of the woman wearing it.”
October knows a thing or two about a sexy dress, and there was one for every occasion. A slinky navy dress with an asymmetrical neckline and sleeve exposed just a hint of shoulder; a sheer black ruffled halter dress with a bandeau and cutouts at the ribs was just the right amount of sexy; a long, spaghetti strap hand-knitted dress with crochet flower embellishments—both techniques that reference traditional Ukrainian crafts—could be perfect for an arty bride. (Actually there were several options here for any and every type of bride, a short tailored jacket-dress with exposed shoulders and floral embellishments, a few slinky satin slip dresses, and even a short ruffled number to change into at the reception and dance the night away.)
The women that love October come for their slinky, sensual dress needs, but the best pieces in the collection explored more voluminous silhouettes. A sky-blue A-line gown with a gathered hem and bare-minimum silk straps that tied at the shoulder captured a certain timelessness—sure there was a hint of the ’90s in its straight-cut neckline, but there was also something slightly more retro about it. This was perhaps most evident in a second look made from a skirt in the same blue fabric, this time in a slight trumpet shape, gathered at the hips and draped to swirl across the body. It was worn with a lingerie-inspired beige tank top with bra-strap details criss-crossing across the front and over the shoulder, creating a negative-space cap sleeve, and highlighting the gentle curves of the woman’s chest. “I always start designing every dress from the décolleté, because it’s the frame for the face of the woman, and when she arrives it’s the first thing you see,” said October.
She continues to push her brand forward despite the ongoing war; she photographed the lookbook outside this season in locations that were personally meaningful to her, but without ignoring her country’s reality—the graphic blanket that appears behind the model in one shot is not a blanket but sandbags used to cover the windows of a kindergarten to turn it into a bomb shelter. “It’s important for us to photograph what’s really happening,” she said.
