First collection Honeyland

In 2022, I launched my own knitwear brand, Anu Sirkas. The brand offers knitted garments with original patterns, crafted using a waste-free method directly on the cutting edge of an electronic hand knitting machine. I use only 100% high-quality merino wool, which is gentle on the skin and environmentally friendly as natural fibers are biodegradable. I aim to avoid adding to the environmental impact of the already-polluting fashion and textile industry, and therefore, I steer clear of synthetics and overproduction. Products are knitted for customers on a made-to-order basis after purchase through the online store.

My journey into knitting began after 10 years of studies and work experience in the fashion and textile industry. Starting with a bachelor’s degree in garment technology from TKTK and culminating in a master’s degree in textile design from EKA, along with studies and internships in four foreign countries, I feel that the textile field is where I want to add value.

Knitting is a wonderful textile creation technique where I can intertwine creative self-expression and wearable garment construction. My favorite knitting technique is jacquard, which allows any artwork to be physically knitted. I draw inspiration for patterns from everyday life, observing details and textures around me and capturing them in photos. I then transfer the images to a knitting program and enhance them with 2-4 colors. I enjoy fantasizing about adding elements to the image and making the final piece more diverse than the original inspiration. For example, I might add abstract clouds and stripes to a stormy sky image. Perhaps even stars make their way into the picture. By making the colors more vibrant instead of stormy gray, a dreamy fairytale landscape emerges. This is how stories are born, and the value of the garment grows as the stories unfold while being worn.

Through my brand, I aim to:

Bring art into wearable form
Create exciting knitting structures
Provide beauty, positive emotions, and comfort
Slow down the fashion industry
Educate followers on environmental issues
Value craftsmanship
Value textile and garment workers

Inspiration for the 2022 collection:

The inspiration for the ‘Honeyland’ collection came from my childhood home, located in a rich forest by the river. It’s like a natural paradise. In the middle of the yard grows a centuries-old oak, guarding its territory. When necessary, it absorbs all lightning strikes to protect the home. In the middle of the yard is a lush garden. Beneath the oak, on the edge of the field, bees live in their hives. Carefully, they weave sweet honey from pollen. The honeycomb pattern became the main theme throughout the products, where the taste of honey is expressed in vibrant tones, and hexagons of the honeycomb transformed into organic patterns. Bursting honey spots can be found here and there. Even the bark of the beloved oak became the pattern for a green cardigan. The symbiosis of grapes and a lush greenhouse wanted to appear in a bluish cardigan. Under the moonlight, a shining rye and cornflower bed turned into a long dress.

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Scroll through to see the lookbook pictures, Omamood fashion movie and runway pictures from Antonius.

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Lookbook

January 2022

Photographer: Marin Sild
Make Up and Hair: Anna Murulauk
Model: Elis Niinberg
Assistant: Teele Koel