Anastasia's been sewing over 25 years and loves it so much that she's based her whole life around it. She wears a lot of hats. She's:

• Chicago's Best Fashion Designer, as picked by Chicago Reader magazine, known for her fun flirty dresses and separates
• Brand Ambassador for Husqvarna Viking sewing machines - she's got dozens of their machines in the studio for students to use
• An amazing, enthusiastic sewing teacher that spreads joy and knowledge to all her students
• A YouTuber that's made 100s of sewing tutorial videos with millions of views

The Beatles are what originally got Anastasia into fashion. She wanted a pair of bellbottoms but they were nowhere to be found in the 90s, especially in her size. So, naturally, she made a pair! Her mother took her to the fabric store, showed her how to set up the sewing machines, and she was on her way to discovering the art of fashion.

Her years exploring the Detroit music & art scene where she grew up helped shape the womenswear designer she is today. A few of her muses are Kim Gordon, Kathleen Hanna and Courtney Love (and, honestly, Jem!). Rich colors/prints and textures are woven into the DNA that is recognizably an Anastasia garment.

Anastasia even got her start in fashion retail with the help of local Detroit music venues. They let her setup racks of clothes at punk rock shows. She created garments all week to get ready for the weekend sales to sell to concertgoers.

After college and honing her skills with designers like Betsey Johnson & Anna Sui, Anastasia started her own clothing line. The Anastasia Chatzka brand consisted of fun, feminine, and cutting edge ready-to-wear and custom made designs. Truly a lifestyle brand, her collections encompassed everything from ball gowns to intimates.

For over a decade, Anastasia owned boutiques where she designed and sold her collections. She had everything manufactured locally, right here in Chicago. Anastasia's done everything in fashion - you name it: tech packs, sourcing, pattern drafting, draping, samples, manufacturing, trade shows, photo shoots, fashion shows, retail, promotion, and mentoring.

Wanting to spread her love for sewing and fashion to more people, she opened Sew Anastasia. Sew Anastasia is about teaching sewing and fashion to everyone.

Now, Anastasia splits her time in her design studio shooting sewing tutorial videos, and teaching sewing classes for adults and teens in the evenings.