Fractale

From the icy shades of the Icelandic landscapes to its fascinating natural fractal details, TTSWTRS blends nature and technology in its first collection released since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. With this collection titled “FRACTALE”, the Ukrainian brand invites us to cherish the natural beauty of our planet and focus on the phenomenon of similarity and duplication, a ubiquitous process that symbolizes the continuation of life and earth’s immense resilience.

Words by Fernanda Russomano

If looked for, fractality can be seen everywhere. Fractals are known as geometric shapes that are self-similar across different scales and sizes. Like snowflakes with complex identical branches or Romanesco broccolis that grow in an almost perfect spiral pattern, the collection functions as a large-scale fractal which consists of units similar to each other that, just like a puzzle, intertwine as parts of one full organism.

Previously known for its bold imitation of tattoos, TTSWTRS — an elision of “TATTOO SWEATERS” — is a streetwear brand founded in 2013 by Ukrainian stylist and costume designer Anna Osmekhina, with showrooms located in Kyiv, Odesa and Kharkiv. Since every product is manufactured in Kyiv, the launch of the FRACTALE collection was delayed due to Russia’s heavy bombardment on the capital and many other cities in Ukraine since the start of the war on February 24, 2022.

Focusing now on symbolism, cultural heritage and futuristic thinking, Anna turned to the calming nature of Iceland to find inspiration for this collection. Together with the grayscale color palette characteristic of the icy landscape, the collection brings unique designs of various textures representing the earth’s abundance of surfaces. With nature’s beauty and resilience as its main inspiration, FRACTALE is a deep metaphorical dive into how nature rebuilds itself, just as in a fractal composition where each new element build is practically identical to what was built before but slightly better, constantly getting stronger once lessons have been learned.

Iceland, this incredible country, has become my inspiration — as the mirror of nature and its genius, with its perfect combination of colors and the beauty of fractality in every detail.

–  Anna Osmekhina

Aiming to take a stand against the world’s current ecological crisis, TTSWTRS has been using solely sustainable fabrics since 2020, and creating art and social initiatives to address environmental issues. From bodysuits and bicycle shorts to loose-fitting genderless clothing, the FRACTALE streetwear collection was created using only eco-friendly materials and mixes oversized with skintight pieces, a typical approach of TTSWTRS. It features different silhouettes with prints that are designed to work cohesively together, so that two pieces can become one when combined.

With this collection inspired by nature, TTSWTRS reminds the viewers that “life on the planet can be maintained, cherished and restored”, but it can also be subject to self-destruction. In the midst of the current major global environmental issues, as well as the inhumane Russian attacks inside the brand’s home country, TTSWTRS invites humans to redirect the focus: “The collection serves as a reminder to dedicate ourselves and all our actions to life and recovery, instead of destruction.”

Since the beginning of the war, TTSWTRS has been making frequent donations in support of Ukraine to @savelife.in.ua.

More information about TTSWTRS can be found at ttswtrs.com.

All images courtesy of TTSWTRS.