Dress by Lanvin for H&M, earrings and bracelet from Forever 21, belt from Zara, shoes from Miu Niu from Holt Renfrew.

By Michaelle LeManne
Photography by Jason Eng
Styling by Leah Van Loon
Hair and Make-up Alicia Wilkosz

At age 25, Calgary’s Ania Boniecka is considered a veteran in at least one of her two careers.

Her relatively routine day job has her crunching numbers and reconciling accounts as a full-time accountant. But Boniecka is also a model and one whose career has had her globetrotting since she was 14.

“I have been around the world — Tokyo, New York, Paris, Prague — and have seen countless countries as a teenager,” says Boniecka, who lists walking the catwalk for Missoni as a career highlight.

Born and raised in Poland, Boniecka’s family relocated to Calgary in 1999. Within a year, she had signed a contract with Mode Models (she’s now with Sophia Models).

“I’m from Eastern Europe, with very strict parents. School was always the number one priority, and modelling was only ever Plan B,” says Boniecka. “I always looked at it as an opportunity to travel more than an opportunity to model. If I could go back, I would change my outlook and truly embrace it.”

Helped by her modelling career, Boniecka became an almost-instant fashionphile, eventually taking her love of fashion and design to the Web in 2010 with a fashion-inspired blog, aniab.net. Boniecka’s sharp eye and astute esthetic has received notice by the likes of Flare and Lou Lou magazines.

“I’m just so into clothes and fashion; it really just gives me an excuse to shop,” she says, laughing. “OK, that and playing dress-up.”

Jumpsuit by Kate Moss for Topshop, belt from Zara, boots by Ash from Holt Renfrew.

What made you start blogging?

I started blogging at the beginning of 2010. It was inspirational-type stuff to start about things that I liked — art, photos, travel, etc. It evolved into a fashion blog after I contacted magazines in Toronto wanting to be featured and they steered me in that direction. It is easy because I’m very much into fashion and I dabble a little bit in styling from time to time, as well.

How has your modelling influenced you, personally?

I don’t think I would be the person that I am today without having modelled. It opened me up a lot. I was super-shy when I started — hiding behind my hair, that sort of thing. It let me grow and develop tastes, as well. We all know the fashion community is very opinionated.

We have all heard about the pressure for models to be thin and the resulting pressure on young women who try to emulate that. Did you experience much of that?

Not until I turned 25. Until then, I never really watched my weight. I do find that my body has its optimal weight, and I do try and watch that now. That being said, it’s hard in the modelling industry, because it changes so fast. Today, the standard is different from what it will be five years from now. When I started modelling, it was all about the wispy girl with the big eyes, that kind of alien look; now it is about the return of the supermodel. It changes all the time, so it’s really hard to take it at face value. If you’re not the look of the day, it doesn’t mean that it’s wrong.

How would you describe your personal style?

I work in an office, but in an ideal world I love to dress a little rock ‘n’ roll, contemporary and very Alexander Wang. I get inspiration from designers more than I actually buy their clothes, although I do buy if I can afford to. By no means do I look like I do on my blog all of the time. But I do love to dress up. That is one of the reasons I started my blog. There’s just not enough opportunity to dress up in Calgary, so I create my own opportunities.

Do you think clothes help define who you are?

I think so. You don’t just have to dress in designer clothes to portray a stylish image of yourself. There are so many retailers now like Zara and H&M that mimic and even copy designer fashions. I read an article that suggested if you really want to find your personal style, don’t wear the designers, wear what the designers wear. When a designer comes out at the end of a runway show, they always look casual and comfortable, and it’s not a big deal. Even with French women, people always say they admire French women for their style, but, when you go to Paris, nobody dresses up, everybody has buns in their hair — it’s casual chic.

Jacket from Zara, sweater and pants by Helmut Lang from theoutnet.com, necklace by David Yurman, bracelet by House of Harlow 1960 both from Holt Renfrew, pants by Helmut Lang fromtheoutnet.com

Is there a colour palette you like to play with?

Black, white and grey are my favourite colours to wear. It’s hard for me to step away from that. I try with floral patterns — I love floral patterns — but it’s never the focus. For me, it’s about comfort, and I’m comfortable in that spectrum. It’s more about the design than the colours you are actually wearing.

Do you like to shop?

I love to shop. I have a problem! And I’ll blame the blog a little bit. Once I started blogging, I needed to stay current, so I have to go inside the stores to find out what’s new. If I see something I really love, it’s hard for me to say no.

Where do you like to shop?

Online shopping has become a bit of a vice. I’m on shopbop.com all of the time. They sell a lot of contemporary designers. I also loveHolt Renfrew and Zara. And I spend a lot of time at the mall. As far as boutiques go, I love going to Mealan and checking out local designers like Caitlin Power and Madame Wolf. It’s more about the finds than the actual shopping.

Do you ever covet things you see in the shops?

Sometimes, if I see things in a magazine and I get fixated on wanting that item or something similar to it. It’s funny … recently, I was eyeing this Alexander Wang bag with rose gold studs on the bottom. And I just couldn’t stop thinking about it — I had it open on my computer for months trying to justify buying it.

Dress and belt from Zara, bracelet by Hermès, shoes by Jeffrey Campbell from Browns, bag from asos.com

What is your favourite purchase?

The thing I was most excited to buy was my Chanel bag. It’s not even a bag, really, it’s a wallet on a chain, but it cost a fortune. I waited too long to get it. Prices have gone up for Chanel. We were in Europe and they were completely sold out of that particular bag in all their stores. Of course, that made me want it even more — they know how to work that! When I finally found it, that bag was one of my most-satisfying purchases. I don’t wear it as often as I would like, but I cherish it.

What would you say to someone who believes fashion is a trivial endeavour?

I think that everyone has eccentricities. Everyone has those things that they really love to do and have. My sister-in-law goes on a cruise almost
every two months, but she won’t spend the money on a Chanel bag. I think everybody, especially in today’s world, has a material obsession or fixation.  People have the same love I have for fashion for things like gadgets and electronics. If it makes you happy, that’s all that matters.

Do you have any advice for women who would like to be more confident in their fashion choices?

It’s very personal. For me, empowerment comes from dressing the way I want to and not listening to what anyone says about it. In the workplace, you can’t always wear what you want, but I’m fortunate enough to work for family, even if we often have fights about the way I dress. I’m never going to the woman that wears a suit to work. For me, it’s about being able to express yourself. Fashion has always been one of the most visible forms of self-expression, even in the days of corsets and wigs.

Do you think clothes are a status symbol?

I would have agreed with that a couple years ago, but I think because of globalization and the access to stores like H&M and Zara, women don’t have to buy a designer suit or a designer dress to be fashion-forward.

Is there something you’d never wear?

Vintage shoes. I’m not really a fan of vintage, in general. There is just something about getting a piece of clothing brand-new from a store — the way it feels and smells — wearing something for the first time is the best.

What fashion trends are you enjoying right now?

The oversized look. I’m into wearing oversized dress shirts and blazers. I also like the return to the grungy look of the ’90s.

Dress by Lanvin for H&M, earrings from Forever 21

Is there something you hope never comes back?

Even if I say I hope something doesn’t come back, when it does, I’ll just stare at it so often, I end up loving it again. I never thought I would wear big shoulder pads or skinny jeans. When I was younger, my parents owned a denim shop in Poland and they tried to give me skinny jeans. They were high-waisted and pretty slim, and I thought, “I am not wearing this, they are ridiculous.” But now I won’t wear anything other than the skinnies!

What do you hope to be doing 10 years from now?

Something with fashion, for sure. But I always have a lot of things on the go, so I’m never really sure where I will end up. I would really love to keep working with my brother and help him grow his business. I know that I will stay in Calgary, because I have roots here now. I would really like to see the city grow on the national and international fashion scene, so I can continue to blog about fashion in Calgary.