Colleen Allen: Tarot, Witchcraft and the Divine Feminine in Fashion

Colleen Allen, a womenswear designer originally from Chicago and currently residing in New York, is spotlighted in the Autumn/Winter 2026 edition of AnOther Magazine, celebrating the publication's 25th anniversary. Renowned for her contemporary designs infused with darkly romantic and historical elements, Allen views clothing as both ritualistic and transformative, drawing from themes of tarot, witchcraft, and the divine feminine. After her studies at Parsons and Central Saint Martins, she collaborated with design teams at Calvin Klein and The Row before establishing her own brand in 2024. Her collections reimagine corsets, bloomers, and Victorian tailoring into more relaxed styles. A nominee for the CFDA's American Emerging Designer of the Year and a finalist for this year's LVMH Prize, she also received the Net-a-Porter Vanguard award. In her interview, she shares her experience of receiving her first tarot deck, the Rider-Waite-Smith, at 16, and critiques the historical oversight of illustrator Pamela Colman Smith. Identifying with The High Priestess card, she strives to express the connection between spiritual and physical realms through her designs. Reflecting on her Catholic upbringing, Allen notes the absence of direct divine access for women and considers tarot a reminder of life's cyclical nature. She maintains an altar in her bedroom and approaches the occult with respect, stating, "I don't fuck with Ouija boards." The issue is now available for purchase worldwide.