“There was a real European flair,” says Tucker. “His pieces were bold and produced in small quantities. They still inspire me today. I always wear them!”
Each Anna Antal garment features a pattern designed by Tucker. “They are our point of difference,” says Tucker. “They’re big, they’re brilliant, they make a statement.”
Currently selling exclusively direct to consumer, Tucker says feedback from his customers has been “incredibly validating.”
“I had underestimated how great the relationship with DTC would be,” she says. “It was fascinating to listen to the women and their shopping stories. A woman who was undergoing cancer treatment contacted me. She wanted a dress that would make her look and feel fantastic. I directed her to the Scarab dress, our hero piece, which symbolizes rebirth.
Pieces from the Resort collection, inspired by the El-Fenn hotel in Marrakech.
She bought it and wore it on a holiday to celebrate her remission. I think it’s just beautiful.
The Resort collection, exhibited at the Curatorial + Co. gallery in Sydney, is inspired by the El-Fenn hotel in Marrakech. “It’s brilliant acid. It is complete. That’s a lot,” she said. “But it’s time to get dressed.”
Above all, it will be a deserved tribute to Antal, who would have turned 100 this year.
“I want people [to see the show] and embrace the limitless possibilities available to us now,” she says. “Anna was bold, she knew the power of fashion and its impact. She knew the power of color, print and fabric, how fashion can transform you.
“Elsa Schiaparelli said that most women are afraid of being noticed, so they buy a gray suit. I think Anna Antal’s client would have a gray suit, but she would also have an evening dress. Because we we all have times when we need to stand out and be noticed.
Nice folds
Pleats and more pleats, from the Magnifique collection by L’Idée.
Also on view today is L’Idée, by designers Breeana Smith and Iuliia Ievdokymenko. The signature of the brand is the pleats and, as with Anna Antal, the accent is clearly placed on the dressing.
“The idea came from a skirt I own that belonged to my grandmother,” Smith explains. “It has creases and makes me feel so special and beautiful.”
Like Tucker, Smith says now is the time to throw away the sweatpants and rediscover the joy of dressing up.
“It feels like a period of rebirth,” she says. “We are in a time where women want to express themselves again. Colour, fabric, prints – I think we are ready to wear it all again.
