Anna Kosturova was born in 1968 in Roznava, then in Czechoslovakia, and she earned a master's degree in mechanical engineering with a specialty in textile technology. That is an unusual start for a swimwear designer. She moved to Vancouver at 24, studied fashion arts at Vancouver Community College, and in December 2001 a crochet bikini called the Beach Goddess, made at a factory in the Philippines, drew attention in Australia and started the label. In July 2004 she showed at the Miami SwimShow. She says her fashion life began at age 3, when a Snow White costume sparked her interest, and the aesthetic is vintage-inspired, bohemian and easy. The dresses here are where that comes together. The Filigree crochet cotton minidress and the Manor crochet cotton midi dress are the lacy ones, the crochet cotton maxi dress and the crochet cotton kaftan are the long ones, and the crochet striped cotton polo dress is the sportier option. The crochet scalloped minidress adds a curved edge at the hem. The Hailey tie-dye silk minidress brings the other half of the brand, silk tie-dye, into the mix. Wear any of these over a bikini or alone with flat sandals.

The skirts and shorts show how many ways one stitch can go. The Florence crochet ruffled cotton midi skirt and the Florence cotton crochet miniskirt are the same idea at two lengths, and the Filigree midi skirt and the Filigree crochet-trimmed cotton maxi skirt keep the lace pattern going. The Rosette crochet cotton midi skirt, the Elsie ruffled midi skirt and the Brigitte miniskirt are the softer ones, while the crochet fringed cotton miniskirt is the playful one. Developing an original crochet stitch can take up to two years, which makes the repeating patterns here feel more considered. For shorts, the Deauville, Maija and striped crochet cotton shorts are the choices. The crochet cotton wide-leg pants and the straight pants are for cooler evenings. For wearing fringe, see how to wear fringe, and the fringe dress story has a long history. What I would skip is wearing a ruffled crochet skirt with another ruffled top, since the stitch is already the statement.

This group is where the label's swim history shows. The Summer Chevron crochet cotton bikini top, the crochet striped cotton bikini top and the Filigree halterneck top are the swim-ready pieces, and the crochet bra tops and crop tops can go either way, beach or evening. The Rose crochet cotton top and the off-shoulder crop top are a little softer. The Maija cropped cotton cardigan is for cooler evenings by the water, and the striped polo shirt is the most casual. From 2006 the label has appeared in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, and the first magazine cover had come in November 2004. For mixing tops and bottoms, my bikini sets and halter tops edit covers the idea.

The last group finishes the set. The Summer Chevron bikini bottoms, the striped bikini bottoms and the crochet cotton bikini bottom are the matching pieces, and the Bella Ballerina crop top and the crochet bikini top fill in. The tie-dye silk beach cover-up and the tie-dye silk maxi dress are the silk half of the story, and the Bianca and Melissa crochet minidresses go over a swimsuit when you leave the beach. A quick test for any of the dresses is to check the length against your own cover-up habits: choose the minidress for a short walk to lunch and the silk maxi for a longer evening. The crochet head scarf and the crochet scarf are small and good for a windy beach. For a wider swim view, my Monday swimwear edit is a good next step.

In our fashion dreams she is walking along a Vancouver beach in the Hailey tie-dye silk minidress with a crochet scarf in her hair. I would wear Anna Kosturova that way, with one handmade piece at a time and everything else plain. The pieces are produced overseas by generational artisan families, and the designer still works from her Vancouver studio. For a crochet bag to go with it, see crochet bags too.

For more in the same spirit, take a look at MIKOH Swimwear and BOAMAR Swimwear & Dresses.