It Pays To Think Out Of The Box When It Comes To Style

It pays to think out of the box when it comes to style – as these cult labels demonstrate

- Abigail Leong

SKIN DEEP

As often occurs in major breakthroughs, Kiev-based collective TTSWTRS got its start by happy accident. Founder Anna Osmekhina, a costume designer by training, came to know Belarusian tattoo master Ien Levin by chance through a mutual friend, and was so galvanised by his easy confidence and energy that she conceived a capsule of “tattoo sweaters” (abbreviated to TTSWTRS) based on Levin’s ink. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Focusing on the idea of clothing as a second skin, Osmekhina collaborates with emerging and established tattooists such as Arnest Makhin, Ulyana Nesheva and Andrey Svetov, transforming their body art into wearable art via strategically embroidered and silk-screened pieces that blur the line between reality and illusion.

An exploration of technological singularity and artificial intelligence, the Ukrainian label’s latest collection blends futuristic accents with athletic silhouettes in cut-out cyborg bodysuits, mesh corsets, lacquered biker jackets, oversized down parkas and mix-and-match separates like ultra-cropped tops, leggings and bikini briefs in black and neon green, adorned with the brand’s signature tattoo motifs as well as fluorescent reactive graphics. TTSWTRS counts Nicki Minaj, Winnie Harlow, Kourtney Kardashian, Amanda Steele and more among its many fans, which must count for something, right?

TO THE MAX