Charles Anastase Fall 2009

Although a devo­tee of fash­ion, Lon­don based designer Charles Anas­tase began his career as an illus­tra­tor, land­ing jobs as elu­sive as a 2004 Calvin Klein adver­tis­ing cam­paign. In August 2008, Anastase’s ven­ture into fash­ion was made eas­ier after he secured a five-​​year pro­duc­tion agree­ment with Ital­ian agency, Pier spa. Anastase’s “ethe­real and often nos­tal­gic col­lec­tions are born of the desire to cap­ture the beauty of the 19th cen­tury Vic­to­rian images, which have cap­ti­vated him since child­hood. Rem­i­nis­cent of the demi-​​couture, which was the zeit­geist of this period,” the sil­hou­ettes that Anas­tase has become known for evoke a cer­tain sense of naivety, yet still show­case the con­struc­tion of a Sav­ile Row tai­lor. Anastase’s fall col­lec­tion plays with an unusual refined sense of filth cre­at­ing a col­lec­tion of Vic­to­rian grunge. Flan­nel gets updated with ruf­fles and a shirt­tail, while a slim fur coat sports cropped sleeves. The idea of Vic­to­rian grunge is quite fit­ting for a mod­est sea­son over­whelmed by the economy.

Pic­tures from Cat­walk­ing