Anastasiia Lukinskaia is a stylist and costume designer from New York. We caught up with her to discuss her background and inspirations that led to her working as a film and TV costume designer and stylist.
WHAT GOT YOU INTO STYLING AND COSTUME DESIGNING AND MADE YOU REALIZE THAT IT WAS YOUR CHOSEN PATH?
I have always loved dressing myself. One of my earliest memories is being 8 years old, going shopping with my mom, and spotting this pleated leather, punk-style skirt. I thought it was the coolest thing ever. My mom gave me that look – the one that clearly said “no” – and in that moment, I remember thinking, I can’t wait to grow up so I can choose my own outfits.
My mom has great taste, but back then it didn’t match my rebellious side. I wanted spikes, bold silhouettes, and wild designs. She leaned toward transitional chic and understated elegance. Over time, I learned how to blend those two worlds: my younger self’s fearless style fantasies with my mom’s refined taste. It’s like if Brunello Cucinelli and Vivienne Westwood became best friends.
Starting on my social media later attracted clothing brands’ attention to me, which gave me even more opportunities to experiment and search for my style. And seeing my followers asking where I got my clothes, my friends ’ always saying that I am the craziest dressed in the room (in a good way), and people always asking to borrow my clothes just made sense and felt natural that I had a vision with clothes and people liked it I realized my mood could change completely based on what I was wearing – every outfit was like a different “character” of Anastasiia.
Throughout my life I always heard words of reassurance and encouragement, people who I just met at the bar saying that I should open my brand so they can buy clothes off of me, my friends asking me to customize their clothing after seeing what I did to mine, my DIY videos getting a lot of attention and people trying to repeat my style. It didn’t feel like I was trying. I just did it because I liked it, so if I can do it as a career, that would be just silly not to take this chance.
WHAT KIND OF TRAINING HAVE YOU RECEIVED IN YOUR CAREER?
The very first “training” I received wasn’t professional at all — it came from my mom, who is an interior designer. Growing up in spaces she created taught me how to recognize beauty in everyday objects. I started art school in 2nd grade, where I learned how to translate that vision of beauty so others could see it too.
My grandma would often drop me off at her best friend’s house, and we’d spend the whole day sewing toys, making dresses, and creating the wildest DIY projects until late at night. Later, I got into vlogging and collaborating on different campaigns, which exposed me to other people’s creative visions and taught me how to adapt my style to different environments and circumstances.
My sister started working as a stylist on set allowed me to see the process not from in front of the camera but behind the scenes, how to create the storytelling image in the frame, and how to do it in a team with other creatives. Those experiences were key things that got me my creative vision, and then I just had to collect my skillset to be able to bring my vision to life. I started volunteering on sets as an assistant to learn the order of actions while preparing a project for the team, then offered myself as a sub for designers to see how the process of creating the garment looks. I started working in a costume workshop during my acting degree and then attended fashion skills, where I learned design skills like patternmaking, sewing, draping, and other essential knowledge.
WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE STYLING ROLES YOU’VE BEEN INVOLVED IN?
One of my favorite projects was when I had to style a character who was going to live in a glass apartment for seven days straight, where anyone passing by could watch him — eating, sleeping, working out, everything. Usually, I style a character for a specific occasion, like a music video, a film scene, or a brand’s aesthetic. But in this case, I had to prepare someone for an entire week of real life.
I had to think of everything — pajamas, gym clothes, socks, casual outfits — basically, I was curating his full wardrobe like I would for a friend. It was such a cool challenge, finding ways to make every day, practical clothing still interesting and memorable for the public watching.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE KEY LESSONS YOU’VE LEARNED FROM YOUR EARLY EXPERIENCES IN ENTERTAINMENT?
There are no rules in creativity. You have to put yourself out there for others to see you. You could be the most brilliant designer who’s ever lived, but if you only keep that brilliance to yourself at home, how can you expect other people to connect with your work or appreciate it?
Sharing your work, collaborating with other creatives, and immersing yourself in different aspects of creativity helps you grow. When you exchange viewpoints, experiences, and ideas, you not only contribute to your field, it gives back to you in ways that elevate your craft.
WHICH DESIGNERS RESONATE WITH YOU MOST?
Vivienne Westwood, Comme des garcon, Grace Ling, Craig Green and the latest works of Robert Wun.
WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING ON THAT YOU CAN SHARE WITH US?
I’m currently working with the Amtrak team on a very exciting project. This experience is definitely helping me elevate my couture and ready-to-wear production skills. It’s been fascinating to combine elements that wouldn’t’t usually be seen together in daily life, and it feels amazing to be an innovator in that way. I can’t share too many details yet, but we’ll be revealing the results very soon this year.
WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO STAY UP TO DATE WITH YOU?
I am on Instagram @anastasya_lukinskaya, and I have my website is anastasiia-lukinskaia.com
