Meet The Designer Making Functional Fashion Into Wearable Art
8 questions with Anna Slevin of Anna Slevin Collection (ASc).
This is "8 Questions," a monthly series highlighting the independent designers creating great clothes that put people and the planet first.
When you think about sporty clothing, rarely does something fashion-forward come to mind. Functional, yes. Cute, maybe. Usually, though, art and fashion are sacrificed for function, and what’s left is the same old pair of black biker shorts. But it doesn’t have to be that way, and honestly, it shouldn’t be. That’s exactly what drew me to designer Anna Slevin and her eponymous brand, Anna Slevin Collection (ASc).
Her pieces are unique, and often have quirky cuts made out of funky patterns and colors. Many of them have dual-purpose, like a purple halter top that would make for a cute summer going out top, but it also doubles as a swimsuit. There is an “ultra crop top” which is essentially just a sleeve and a turtleneck, but could be used to style a dress, or a pair of jeans and a tank top. Everything is thoughtful and unique, but still multifunctional.
Anna Slevin Collection Halter Top
The best part of course is that for Anna, fashion isn’t just about great clothes, its about meaning and impact. All of her pieces are made-to-order to reduce over-production. Instead of creating something completely new each season, she reuses the fabrics left over from the previous collection. And most importantly, the clothing is an antidote to fast fashion ... it's made to last.
Below, get to know Anna Slevin Collection and her brand in 8 burning questions.
When and how did you start your brand?
I have been sewing and designing since I was really young, probably around age 6, and I sort of always knew I wanted to have my own line. I grew up in a huge family, so I had a lot of hand-me-downs from my older sisters that I reworked to make into my own style. We also did not have a lot of clothing stores in my hometown, so shopping was incredibly limited. Being able to express myself through my personal style has always been really important to me, so learning to make my own clothes just became a necessity, particularly as I got into high school.
After studying business in undergrad, I gained some work experience in finance and with a few different fashion brands. I eventually started ASc in the late summer of 2014. I wanted to keep my product offering small to start, so I started out with a line of wearable, well-designed basics and built from there. Working in the industry, I realized how much waste can happen in the design process, so I chose to do so much of everything myself. I still do. I also was not totally sure who to trust when it came to ethical production, so I figured I would just start making small quantities myself to start, which also helped keep waste down, so it was a win-win. I have always felt that creating art is a privilege and should not be at the expense of natural or human resources, so I made sure to establish a brand with well-defined values from the outset. I knew my aesthetic and the message I wanted to convey, which has been the driving force since the beginning.
If you had to describe your brand using a song what would it be?
I love music, so it is honestly super tough to pick just one, but the first that comes to mind is Crazy in Love, by Beyonce and Jay-Z. The title isn’t necessarily descriptive of my brand, but I honed a lot of my personal style around the time this song came out, and this era heavily influences ASc’s aesthetic. Not to mention, the fresh, optimistic beat makes this song is one of my all-time favorites. Beyonce always emits confidence and strength, qualities that I am always trying to convey. Also, I have been a huge fan of her music and style since Destiny’s Child, so it seems fitting to pick one of hers.
What is your brand ethos?
The thing I love about fashion is the ability to outwardly express individuality through an outfit. I always intend for the pieces that I design to encourage that individual style, and still be functional for everyday wear. I focus on making clothes that last and that can be styled in a variety of ways, so people can buy less, but not have to compromise aesthetic or quality. My designs have artistic shapes and colors, but they are intentionally widely versatile and totally wearable (and washable).
Focusing on minimal waste and ethical production is paramount for me, so almost everything is made-to-order in the studio, (sometimes we produce extra units to help with the workflow). This also has made it super easy to ensure consistent quality. There are a lot of ways we minimize our footprint, and I am fortunate to have found ones that align with my values, including some awesome compostable packaging and recycled labels. I also often keep reworking stock fabrics season over season to create pieces that feel totally new and minimize waste. In my opinion, you don’t need to start from scratch every season to create new products. I love the challenge of getting creative with what I already have.
What is your first outfit memory?
One of the very first outfits I really remember wearing and absolutely loving as a young kid was this gray corduroy A-line jumper dress with a coordinating high collared button-up blouse. The blouse had ruffles at the neck and the cuffs. The very best part of this outfit was the gray mouse-shaped brooch that I wore like a cameo at the base of the collar. I loved it so much because it felt put together and fancy, but still very me somehow.
Do you have a favorite piece from your collections? What is it?
I would probably have to say the piece that I wear the most mullet shorts, which I have been doing for years now. I designed the first pair for myself out of necessity, and I offered them in one of my first collections. I still wear them regularly. They look good paired with virtually any style top, and I wear them through the winter with tights as well. The high-low hem is awesome for layering, they pack really well for travel, and they can be dressed up or down. I have done them in a bunch of different fabrics since their initial launch. This silhouette is a staple in my wardrobe and in my line.
Anna Slevin Collection Mullet Shorts
I also live in the High Cut Asymmetrical Tanks. I have also done them in a lot of colors now, and they really hold up! The architectural hemline has become a signature of mine, as I have been doing it since the very beginning of ASc, and I cut it even higher for this top so you can see some skin. It’s so cool to tuck it in and see the high hip cutouts or leave it untucked over the beltline. The fabric is soft and super stretchy, so it’s super comfortable. I wear these tanks everywhere from the gym to dinner, over a mesh top, or under an oversized jacket. They’re just reliably cool.
Is there a style philosophy that you follow?
My style philosophy is to wear what you feel good in. I think people look the best when they are confident in what they’re wearing, whether it’s a sweatsuit or a dress. Personally, I love to mix and match casual pieces with more polished ones—the casual pieces help tone down the polished ones and vice versa. It creates a style that is chill, but purposeful. I also played sports for many years, so my look usually tends to have a slightly sporty undertone in one way or another.
If you had to pick a character from a movie that would wear your brand who would it be and why?
I would probably pick Kat Stratford from 10 Things I Hate About You. I know it was made in the late 90s, but she wears a lot of crop tops, baby tees and layered tanks paired with low-rise bottoms, which definitely nods to the y2k aesthetic. Also from a character perspective, I love that Kat is smart, she thinks for herself and doesn’t settle. She is just kind of dynamic and effortlessly cool. I also think ASc would work really well in Euphoria—the styling is so so good!
What’s your hope for the future of fashion?
I hope for a continued push for integrity in the industry. Changing an entire industry does not happen overnight, and I feel that it’s going to take individuals setting higher standards for themselves to make the decisions that will establish lasting positive change in the industry, be it inclusivity, sustainability, ethical best practices, or beyond that. People making the daily choices to treat all people and natural resources with respect and not wastefulness, would put the industry in a much better place. In the past few years, there have been much more transparency and accountability, which has been great, and I am optimistic that it will continue in the future.
Check out all of Anna Slevin Collection here!
Other “8 Questions” you should read!
Meet The Upcycling Designer Making Forgotten Vintage Fabrics Chic Again
*This Stuff is a newsletter by me! fashion journalist, Alyssa Hardy. Three times a week, I unpack the ways our clothes impact the world through news, essays, interviews and more. Subscribe for free here and follow me on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Know someone who might like this story? Forward it to them!*