WOMENSWEAR LABELS TO WATCH
OK KINO
Darya Golneva and Denis Caunov founded their brand, OK KINO, in Chișinău, Moldova, in 2020. Darya's educational journey started in Moldova and progressed to Italy, where she studied at Polimoda and the Aldo Galli Academy of Fine Arts, honing her pattern-making and tailoring skills through apprenticeships with various brands and ateliers. Meanwhile, Denis was already gaining experience as a young architect, collaborating on various projects. United by a shared vision, the designers infuse their collective expertise into every aspect of the creative process. Their collections highlight ethnic and cultural symbols and codes, reinterpreting them through a minimalist perspective characterized by clean silhouettes, precise tailoring, and a delicate color palette. Using carefully selected fabrics, the designers craft high-quality garments made to last, highlighting their ethical commitment to both the environment and production practices. The collections are available at the Moda showroom in Chișinău, the Reiner store in Paris, and through the brand’s website. studiookkino.com
TSYRK
Irony meets whimsy at Tsyrk, the womenswear label founded by Kori Chiang in 2021 in Kyiv. In Chiang’s work one finds a clever yet elusive nod to everyday objects like toys and uniforms, retro Americana, and the designer’s Asian heritage, all reimagined as streamlined and sculptural contemporary clothing. Produced on a small scale to minimize waste, each collection is tightly focused, featuring redesigned classics and forms, such as trench-coat dresses, aprons, and subtly ballooning skirts, along with modular styling. Chiang elevates ready-to-wear with made-to-measure sizing and hand finishing carried out in the brand’s atelier, evident throughout the collection in decorative top-stitching, cutout constructions, and delicate tailoring. The phonetics of the brand name evoke the word “circus” in various languages, inviting customers to imagine this space of quirky spectacle as a context for fashion. The brand is sold direct-to-consumer online and the team is based between London, Barcelona, Amsterdam, and Kyiv. www.tsyrk.com
JADE CROPPER
Upon graduating from Beckmans College of Design in 2020, Swedish designer Jade Cropper launched her eponymous fashion label. Drawing inspiration from her grandmother and other influential women in her life, she honors the beauty of imperfections through deconstructed designs and resourceful detailing. With versatility and sustainability as guiding principles, every Jade Cropper collection is crafted to evoke confidence, empowerment, and uniqueness. Committed to countering fast fashion, Cropper utilizes waste fabrics, recycled materials, and deadstock to create her critically acclaimed, timeless pieces. The brand has received significant attention from the fashion industry and international trendsetters since its launch. It is currently stocked by prominent online multi-brand retailers Farfetch, SSENSE, and Browns, and is available via the brand’s own webshop. www.jadecropper.com