Anna October is perusing her exquisite lingerie dresses in a Paris showroom and is delighted to introduce her new cut. “This collection is very eveningwear and purposeful,” she said. “I think that’s the spirit: we fought, we lived today, we fought again.”
Every stitch in October’s work is a response from Ukrainian youth to Vladimir Putin. Putin) and his wars against their country. Listening to her explain how, where, and why her fall collection was made, it became more and more enlightening.
The last time in Ukraine in October was on New Year’s Eve. “I was at a rave in Kiev. The club worked during the day,” she said. “It was a beautiful group of young people dancing and celebrating life – even with the air raid sirens outside and people fighting. At midnight, everyone started singing the national anthem, it was magnificent. I felt so lucky to be there, so lucky to be there Feel it.” Still, the city’s entrepreneurial kids have been building clubs and places to eat, she adds. “Donate to the war.”
October has been living between Paris and Ukraine since the Russian invasion a year ago. She traveled by train to Kiev to work with her team, who continued to use their incredibly fine sewing skills under the daily Russian bombardment. Every bra style dress, detailed and pleasing to the eye, is crafted this way.
Another thing that October decided to do while in Kiev was to establish relationships with top tailoring companies in the capital. “It’s this amazing three-story studio that makes suits for Zelensky. And all the strongmen in Ukraine.”
Volodymr Zelensky isn’t much of a suit lately – world We all know how he represents Ukraine’s wartime state in every appearance with his combat casual clothes. By comparison, everything October does seems female-centric frivolity. It’s not like this. With every stretchy fiber — whether it’s her tailored Kiev suits and coats with sexy hook-and-eye bodice implants, or her live-in-the-moment party dresses — she stands up for Ukraine as firmly as her compatriots out. “We will win this war,” she said. “We don’t know when it’s over. But we’re going to win, we have no doubts.”
