In a world of over-saturation, creating an utterly unique and innovative brand is no easy feat but former stylist and costume designer Anna Osmekhina has achieved just that through founding TTSWTRS (Tattoo Sweaters) in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv. A talented designer, she has since successfully steered the brand to global recognition. Inspired by the rebellious allure of tattoo culture, the modernity of AI and the freedom of self-expression, TTSWTRS celebrates authenticity and acceptance through high-quality artisanry and local craftsmanship.
Since its inception back in 2013, the brand has been a resounding success, selling out their debut collection almost instantly at the iconic concept store Colette. From that moment forward, TTSWTRS has gone from strength to strength, releasing a further sixteen collections, showing at New York Fashion Week and gaining recognition from worldwide celebrities including Nicki Minaj and Winnie Harlow. All the while, they maintained a progressive ecological standpoint, extensively utilising sustainable fabrics since 2020, and releasing a fashion film dedicated to the Earth in 2021.
If there was ever a guidebook on how to build the perfect brand, Osmekhina would be on the cover. A distinct aesthetic, admirable sustainable policies, and a technological eye towards the future is everything you could hope for from a fashion label, and TTSWTRS has them all. THE REAL was fortunate enough to catch up with the creative director herself, and here is what she had to say:
Your leading source of inspiration is tattoo culture — how did this come to be?
I’m fascinated by the moment a person decides to mark their body — to archive a feeling or a turning point on skin. People fully covered in tattoos move me: their bodies become living canvases where emotion blends with skin tone and pigment, each hue aging differently, each line revealing time. TTSWTRS started from that impulse — a small capsule with a tattoo artist known for engraving-style work. He was completely tattooed, and that encounter crystallized what later became my biggest inspiration: the human body itself.
Looking through your collections, it seems you have drawn inspiration from a wide range of places – from underground youth culture to Iceland. How do you go from an initial source of inspiration to creating an entire collection?
Life events set the brief. We live on a beautiful, chaotic planet, so the themes are endless. We research, prototype, and translate feelings into function in our Kyiv hub — it’s a three-storey space with production, a print lab, and an exploratory workshop. We test ideas on the body, refine surface and silhouette, and keep only what carries an emotion. The goal isn’t just clothing; it’s the experience the clothing creates.
As a Ukrainian brand, can you tell us about any uniquely Eastern European fashion trends?
Talent, work ethic, and a love of being seen. There’s a confident mix of practicality and drama: strong outerwear, sharp tailoring, tactile textures, and a sense of humour that cuts through darkness. We grew up with resilience; that energy shows in how we dress.
As a brand you are very sustainability focused – which is fantastic given the current climate. However, has extensively using sustainable fabrics and practices created any difficulties for the brand? And is there anything that could be done to make the brand even more ecologically friendly?
Responsibility costs more, on average 25–30%,and we accept that. We’ve refused virgin animal leather for 11 years; when we use leather alternatives made from recycled leather waste, they’re about 40% pricier than conventional hides. Some of our latest pieces, like the Case Jacket Mozart or the Beauty Booster jacket, use Leathertex, an advanced cruelty-free material made from regenerated fibres within the eco line Second Life. It’s REACH Compliant, OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 certified, and Origin CEE Preferential — meaning it meets strict international ecological and safety standards. This material feels indistinguishable from genuine leather, yet it’s washable and fully sustainable. Our team are big admirers of our planet! We prioritize certified organic fabrics and have shifted to biodegradable packaging. The next step is circularity at scale: our dream is an in-house recycling facility to take back worn TTSWTRS pieces and turn them into new textiles or packaging, leaving as little trace as possible. As the brand grows, our ability to invest in better processes grows with it.
You often use technology and AI as a source of inspiration, releasing a VR show in 2020 and becoming the first Ukrainian brand to release a virtual capsule in 2022. Where do you go from here? How do you see the future of technology influencing your brand and creations?
Technology has always been a language for us. In 2020, we released our first VR show — an imagined future moment when technological evolution becomes inevitable and unstoppable. Two years later, we became the first Ukrainian brand to launch a virtual capsule with DRESSX, translating our physical designs into digital fashion. These projects let us explore what identity and embodiment mean in the digital era. I believe we’re witnessing the gradual disappearance of physical clothing, and the entire consumption model must evolve. The rapid pace of technological development clearly points in that direction. We’re already working on several ideas within fashion tech and hope to share them through our product very soon.
You recently presented your second couture collection Art is My Religion at NYFW – what made you select New York to show in as opposed to other cities?
I love New York — its pace, curiosity, and appetite for ideas. The city received us warmly, and the response humbled us, especially from Cathy Horyn. That dialogue with an audience that listens — and challenges — is why we chose it.
Which of your collections stands out the most in your opinion? Which is the work you are most proud of, and you feel best expresses the brand?
If I had to choose, the Art Is My Religion collection and the flamingo with the halo are probably my favourites at the moment. But I already have ideas for the next season, and I can’t wait to share them with my amazing team. They’re incredibly talented people, and what I’m most proud of is having built a space where talent can express itself freely, explore creativity, and truly revel in the role of the creator.
Where do you hope the brand will be in the next five years? What are your goals and aspirations?
I want to create immersive art experiences. To advance a gentle yet effective sustainability revolution, from take-back and repair to true recycling. To build that circular facility in Kyiv. To deepen our fashion-tech work so we make less and mean more. And yes, beyond fashion, I dream of a world without zoos, one that chooses sanctuaries and respect over captivity. I have a plan for how to make it happen.
Follow TTSWTRS on Instagram @ttswtrs
