Fashion market in Kraków is becoming increasingly diverse. It is a place where inspirations of Far Eastern cultures and crafts intertwine with modern street style of European metropolises, and where new projects and brands following the spirit of slow fashion are created – ethically, in compliance with labour practices and with highest quality in mind. We present below the profiles of four fashion designers who excel at following these ideas.
Anna Gregory
Anna Gregory has earned a degree in fashion design at the University of East London. She presented her first collection at 2011 London Fashion Week. Eventually, she decided to develop her brand in her hometown – Kraków. Gregory creates fashion in the Scandinavian style – her collections are characterized by simple, synthetic forms,
neutral palettes of colours, and high quality of materials. Maturity and Nordic artistry of this Polish fashion designer have been recognized during fashion shows such as Graduation Fashion Week or Elite Model Look.
Joanna Hawrot
One of the most popular designers in young Polish fashion, Joanna Hawrot draws from Japanese aesthetics by presenting maximum content in a minimal form. Her fascination with the Orient manifests in the kimono – a traditional Japanese outfit, which she gives a modern spin to create a new form of city outfit.
Her kimono collections rapidly gain popularity and are worn by, among others, Maria Sadowska, Katarzyna Figura and Natalia Kukulska. Hawrot’s characteristic style has earned her the title of the designer of the year 2014 in the Hush Selected contest.
Mapaya
An original idea created out of love for fashion and travelling. Martyna Wilde, the founder of the brand, is always on the road, travelling all around the world in search of local handicraftsmen who create exquisite clothes and accessories. All of them are handmade and manufactured in accordance with fair trade principles, often using
traditional techniques such as “Shibouri Tie Dye” dyeing technique or Indian block printing. As a result, unique picturesque prints that resemble ethnic patterns from the farthest corners of the world are created, and together with modern styles they generate one-of-a-kind brand DNA.
Anka Walicka
The master of non-obvious configurations and contrasts. She daringly combines light and heavy materials, while using seemingly exclusive textures and patterns to create extremely harmonious pieces. Her layered outfits resemble sculptural forms, but do not
lack modern urban chic. Walicka has so far created three regular collections and became the winner of 2012 Art & Fashion Forum. She is also one of the very few Polish fashion designers who, in addition to clothes, also design shoes.
