When Afrobeats superstar Rema stepped out in an “anarchy scarf” from Toronto label ONGNA during his show at Scotiabank Arena, it was more than just a fashion statement. For founder Angana Ananya, it was a dream come true, years in the making.
The moment marked the realization of a vision that began in her childhood home in Assam, India, and has since been woven into every fibre of her work.
“I cannot tell you how long I have manifested this,” Ananya told Now Toronto. “At first, it did not feel real at all.”
The opportunity was brought about by Ananya’s friend, Adeoluwa Olutade Alakija, who happened to be the assistant stylist for Rema. They presented different options to the artist, and ONGNA was one of them.
“I love his music, and he’s such a big influence in the fashion world because he also comes from a very deep culture and he accentuates that with modern silhouettes, which is something I relate to,” Ananya explained.
That same ethos is stitched through every limited-edition garment Ananya creates from her studio apartment in Toronto.
ONGNA, named after the Assamese pronunciation of her first name, is a brand born from memory, movement and a desire to create space for marginalized stories in the fashion scene.
Launched in March 2024, it fuses traditional influence from Assamese designs with contemporary silhouettes and an edge inspired by global subcultures, intertwined with the multicultural influence of Toronto’s style.
Growing up in Assam, Ananya watched her mother run a weaving business that crafted traditional silk garments.
“By seeing her work, that was my first exposure to the fashion world. Even though it was super cultural and mainly refined to traditional Assamese garments, I just loved seeing her dress clients in clothes that she would create for them,” she said.
But ONGNA isn’t just an homage, it’s a political statement.
“I am Assamese, and it’s my whole entire identity. Living so far away from home, this is how I express my love for my culture through my art, which is fashion.”
“A huge inspiration was that back in India, there is not much exposure to my own culture, like for the Northeast India, which I’m from. Assam, northeast India, I feel in mainstream media, we do not get a lot of coverage. They do not know a lot about our culture. There’s also a lot of racism towards my people. So, I think it was hugely political as well. I thought that if I could build a platform and be seen, it would be beneficial for me and where I’m from,” Ananya expressed.
Ananya moved to Toronto in 2019 as a student, and after graduating in 2021, she spent over two years learning about ethical fashion production before officially launching her brand.
STREETWEAR POWERED BY SUSTAINABILITY
What sets ONGNA apart isn’t just its designs, it’s the care embedded in the process of creating the pieces.
“Sustainability is a huge deal for me, and I’m doing it my own way,” she said. “I’m not mass producing anything. I only make 40-50 pieces, and everything is very high quality, so it will last for a very long time.”
ONGNA’s environmental consciousness isn’t just a philosophy, it’s a way of life, inspired by how her family repurposed everything back home.
“Going back to my culture, we are people who love nature and we recycle almost everything. Back at home, my mom would keep anything that was reusable, like plastic bags, so we can reuse them,” she said.
This intentionality is also reflected in her creative process. Each garment, sourced mainly from local stores, draws from intersecting inspirations, from Japanese workwear to Assamese embroidery, to the curve of an architectural detail she spotted somewhere downtown.
“My own inspirations, it could be anything from architecture sculptures or really cool shoes that I saw, and I would get ideas on how I could incorporate that style or that certain design and make it my own,” she said.
AN EXPERIENCE, NOT JUST AN OUTFIT
Every ONGNA piece is delivered with care and a personal touch. Ananya handles the packaging herself, assembling each box with creativity and even a few surprise goodies for the customer.
“It’s an experience. When someone opens a box and they have actually paid their hard-earned money, I want them to feel like that’s the best purchase they made,” she said.
For her, it’s way more than just aesthetics. Every piece is crafted to be high quality, comfortable and distinct. She wants wearers to feel confident, stylish and seen.
“I’m sure they get a lot of compliments because everything is super unique. It does not feel like it’s a rip-off, because everything is super unique and one-off pieces.”
Last Sunday, ONGNA took the spotlight at Toronto Fashion Week, as designer and founder Ananya delivered a standout show and revealed her latest collection inside the Toronto Reference Library.
“Being part of Toronto Fashion Week presented by RCHIVE at the Toronto Reference Library was such a surreal and grounding moment for me and for ONGNA. As a brand that started in my tiny studio apartment, stepping onto a runway for the first time felt massive, but also deeply personal. I poured everything into that showcase: my identity, my culture, my roots, and the intention to make people feel something,” Ananya said.
Ananya has many dreams of future collaborations, but for now, she remains grounded in her hustle.
