Ukrainian costume designer Antonina Belinska, known for her costumes in films such as “The Rising Hawk,” “The Stronghold,” and her work with Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen (“Casino Royale,” “Doctor Strange,” “Another Round”), has unveiled the first collection of her own brand, TONiA.

The brand’s collection is created based on a modular principle, where any clothing element can be easily combined with another in various ways. “Creating a collection for a brand was a renaissance of my creative childhood personality, as I’ve always dreamed of creating my own clothing,” says Tonia Belinska. 

The core of the brand’s DNA is the combination of ancient sewing techniques and the art of handcrafting with a modern reinterpretation of trends from different eras and the exploration of female allure. TONiA’s clothing is both sexy and comfortable. 

Each TONiA piece embodies an aesthetic that allows a woman to learn more about herself and her inner world. This clothing helps modern Ukrainian women harmoniously express their femininity, despite challenging times, regain a lost sense of security, inner freedom, and personal identity, free from judgment, devaluation, and fear.

A distinctive feature of each collection is a knitted corset created using a 19th-century ancient technique. To create it, Belinska adapted the pattern of an authentic corset from that time, which she acquired at an auction. “Ancient corsets had a beautiful transition between the waist and hips. They didn’t constrict the diaphragm – that was the tailors’ secret. That’s why women found it easy to walk while visually having a very narrow waist,” shares the designer.

The brand’s knitted products are made of high-quality Italian yarn of natural composition. This allows the clothing to beautifully accentuate the body’s curves and be comfortable to wear even in hot weather. Additionally, practically every element of the collection features hand knitting or embroidery.

“The idea of creating crochet items, inspired by the ancient technique of ‘carving,’ is also a tribute to my childhood,” says Tonia Belinska. “My mother used to create decorative elements for clothing by hand, and I could watch this process for hours. I still remember all the curtains and embellishments they embroidered with my grandmother. I wanted to convey this lightness and delicacy, created by ancient techniques used in Ukraine in the collection.”