Vancouver Fashion

Vancouver's online fashion culture magazine

BCFW: Anna Kosturova

October 6th, 2008 | Published in Event Report

Words by Leanne
Photos by Maria

By now, the name Anna Kosturova is completely synonymous with ’sexy’, through association with ‘crochet bikini’. You don’t have to be a fashionista honed into the Vancouver fashion scene to know this. A well known annual publication known as the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue would give you a hint—as it has been doing so for the past couple of years.

It’s hard to say what exactly makes an Anna Kosturova bikini so darn seductive. We’ve all seen thousands of swimsuits in our lives, but what is it about crochet that provides for that little something extra? My best guess is the detailing, the intricacies one may only get from a labour intensive craft. Kosturova brings it to the forefront in creative new ways. As she showed us through her Spring/Summer ‘09 collection during BC Fashion Week, these bikinis are nothing like your grandmama’s doilies.

Immediately breaths were taken away by a black one-piece number, proving you don’t always need to wear separates to garner sex appeal. In fact, if tan lines aren’t a problem, Kosturova’s one-piece suits demonstrate that more equals more.

And more is what each of her pieces are comprised of. It seems each garment is meant to be appreciated up close. Several suits showed were bespeckled with what appeared to be sequins, but upon closer inspection turned out to be shells with a mother-of-pearl gleam. Accessories were pretty much optional as many pieces came adequately adorned. From tassels to pom-poms to cowrie shells, no article of clothing could be considered plain. One suit went as far as to incorporate what appeared to be a shell and pearl necklace into its very structure, with the supposed necklace draping down the chest and holding up the bottom. And in terms of necklaces in the traditional sense, there were crochet rosaries available in black and neon to boot.

Detail was not spared in the actual fabrics as well. This comes as no surprise as Kosturova has a Master of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering, with textile technology being her area of expertise. During the show, a line of zebra print suits were featured, exhibiting the ease at which one could forget the collection was crocheted by hand—knot by knot and loop by loop.

Lace-inspired designs looked as precious and delicate as, well, real lace. (All right, so maybe a few of the pieces looked something like your grandmama’s doilies, but plate covers have never been this sexy!)

And for the times when we want more coverage than a bikini offers, Kosturova provides us with a few dresses. Casual frocks included a white tiered peasant dress with a cute eyelet trim. For a more glamourous-yet-leisurely look, floor-length tropical wrap dresses did the trick. Many loungewear pieces featured a print evoking birds of paradise.

And so, with swimwear like this, spring just cannot come quickly enough. Indeed, the name Anna Kosturova will probably not remain a synonym of ’sexy’ for long. Rather, it has the potential to be the very definition.

Published in Event Report

Fresh off the press

Archives >>

Attached Photo Gallery

Fresh in Event Report

Event Report: Style & Strut Bridal Fashion Event

Wedding season approaching, one of our favourite bridal events was the Style & Strut Bridal Event, held at the Sutton Place Hotel on January 22, 2012.

Blanche Macdonald Grad Show 2011: the spectrum

The 2011 Blanche Macdonald grad show delivered once again with an array of well-executed designs as proof of the hard work behind the well-respected fashion design program.