Wiktoria Frankowska is one of a group of designers who are consistently developing their own aesthetic language, based on an architectural approach to form, thoughtful construction and a modern take on women’s fashion. Her designs are characterised by a distinctive silhouette, oversized proportions and details that serve to build character. Her aesthetic is already being applied in a variety of contexts – from her work at Undress Code, where she serves as Head of Design, to her own creative endeavours under her personal brand and special projects, including the uniforms created for the glo™ambassadors. It is fashion that empowers, brings order and allows one to express self-confidence through a conscious choice of form. The collections she designs are so mature that it is hard to believe she only graduated from fashion school six years ago.
We first recognised Wiktoria Frankowska’s talent back in 2020, when we wrote on whiteMAD.pl about her victory in the Fashion Designer Awards. Her journey to this point, however, began much earlier – back in secondary school, when she was given her first sewing machine and started altering clothes, learning pattern construction through trial and error. This early fascination quickly turned into a conscious choice, which led her to the MSKPU in Warsaw, where she developed the ability to combine creativity with technical precision. Even whilst still a student, she was already winning her first accolades, including victory at the Responsible Fashion Awards. From the outset, it was clear that her design work was not an intuitive play with form, but a consistent search for her own language, based on construction, proportion and a conscious approach to fashion.
Head of Design
A turning point in the designer’s career came with her collaboration with the Polish brand Undress Code, where she serves as Head of Design. The brand, founded in 2016 by Iza Godlewska and Kacper Zieliński, has, from the outset, focused on modern femininity and a bold aesthetic, and its products quickly found their way into over a hundred boutiques in thirty countries – from KaDeWe in Berlin to Galeries Lafayette in Paris. Bringing Wiktoria Frankowska onto the creative team was a natural step in the brand’s development, as it was seeking a designer capable of combining functionality with striking form.
At Undress Code, Wiktoria Frankowska is responsible for the design direction and development of the collections, creating pieces for women who want to wear fashion for themselves – women who are confident in their strength, sensitivity and individuality. Her approach, based on precision, proportion and a modern interpretation of tailoring, fits perfectly with the brand’s DNA. Her work for Undress Code complements the designer’s own creative endeavours, painting a complete picture of a designer who is able to combine artistic vision with the realities of the contemporary fashion market.
Her own brand
What lies at the aesthetic heart of the designer? This is best illustrated by the collections she creates under her own label. Wiktoria Frankowska Studio is a space where the designer can fully realise her vision – based on an architectural approach to the silhouette, scaled-up proportions and a reinterpretation of elements from the menswear wardrobe. Her designs are striking but not aggressive; elegant, yet free from formal heaviness.
The tie has become the brand’s flagship piece; in her interpretation, it takes on new meaning and becomes a symbol of feminine strength. This distinctive detail, present in both accessories and the construction of the garments, is an extension of an idea the designer has been exploring for years – how classic fashion codes can be transformed to empower the modern woman. The collections also feature sculptural coats, suits with unconventional lines, light dresses and shirts, all rendered in a minimalist, consistent colour palette. – For me, proportions, the quality of construction and respect for craftsmanship are non-negotiable. These are the foundations that remain relevant regardless of trends. What interests me most, however, is redefining the cultural codes embedded in clothing. I like to examine elements that have been assigned specific functions or meanings over the years, and see if they can be reinterpreted. That is precisely why I often return to classic forms, such as the suit or the tie. Not to copy them, but to show that contemporary fashion can maintain a dialogue with tradition, whilst responding to the needs and mindset of today’s audience,” says Wiktoria Frankowska.
Designer collections
The “Echoes of Revolution” collection marked a turning point in Wiktoria Frankowska’s career – it was this collection that launched her presence at international Fashion Weeks. The designer built the collection around the ideas of courage, independence and consciously breaking with convention, drawing inspiration from cultural icons such as Fran Lebowitz, Patti Smith and Tilda Swinton. In the collection, she juxtaposed classic elegance with a modern approach to form, creating silhouettes that are both striking and functional. The dominant red – a symbol of passion and rebellion – is contrasted with black and white, emphasising strength, self-confidence and clarity of expression. Every piece, from the signature blazers to the intriguing dresses, has been designed to pay tribute to women who consciously shape their own identities.
In ‘Echoes of Revolution’, ties – both classic and in the form of brooches – play a special role, becoming a key feature of the collection. Frankowska uses them as a tool to redefine cultural codes, combining a masculine symbol of strength with feminine elegance and a contemporary approach to design. This is a collection that goes beyond aesthetics: it is a manifesto of freedom of speech, the courage to be oneself and the value of individuality.
Off-season
In her latest collections, Wiktoria Frankowska develops her own aesthetic by creating two narratives. Two chapters. The first, entitled “Becoming”, is a reflection on incompleteness as a conscious design choice – the garments feature raw edges, visible stitching and lines that are deliberately left open. The collection emphasises that strength can stem from movement, change and acceptance of the process, rather than from the perfect completion of form. The second chapter, ‘One System’, focuses on building a wardrobe from the ground up – starting with the base layer, which organises proportions and sets the direction for the entire silhouette. Three T-shirts and one trench coat form a modular system in which each element works in harmony with the others. This is design based on practical logic rather than seasonal trends – well-thought-out, functional and consistent. The silhouettes created cannot be pinned down to a specific season. This is a deliberate choice. The designer encourages us to wear them whenever we feel like it.
Consistency in design
One of Wiktoria Frankowska’s most recent projects is the uniforms she presented at Elle About Fashion, a conference held in Warsaw bringing together designers, stylists, marketing experts and creators. The uniforms for the glo™ ambassadors were designed to enhance rather than dominate, to emphasise professionalism and boost confidence, whilst remaining comfortable and practical throughout long working hours. – I wanted to create a uniform that would be modern, distinctive and easily recognisable, yet far removed from the stereotypical promotional outfit. I wanted those representing glo™ to look professional and contemporary, and for their styling to evoke associations with design, innovation and self-confidence,” explains Wiktoria Frankowska.
The most distinctive element of the outfit is the tie-brooch in a vibrant orange colour – a detail that immediately catches the eye and has become the project’s hallmark. – I’ve always been fascinated by items of clothing that carry cultural significance. For decades, the tie has been a symbol of formality, control, structure and authority. I began to wonder what would happen if we took it out of that context. That’s how the tie-inspired brooch came about – the same symbol, but freed from the rules. You can wear it with a shirt, a jacket, a dress or a bag. It no longer imposes a single role or a single way of wearing it. It retains its visual impact, but becomes a tool for individual expression. It is a detail that defines the silhouette, draws the eye and, at the same time, tells a story about a contemporary approach to elegance – one less bound by rules and more about personal choice,” adds the designer.
Wiktoria Frankowska’s body of work shows that her design is not merely about creating clothes, but about consistently building a language that combines construction, emotion and functionality. From her early successes in design competitions, through the development of her own brand, to projects carried out for global brands – each subsequent project confirms her maturity and distinctive vision.
source: editorial team, www.wiktoriafrankowska.com
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