Architecture & tailoring: the interview with the designers of OK KINO brand 

I saw some of their cool pieces when I was scrolling on Instagram a few years ago. Then, I discovered that the reality looks even better, when I saw OK KINO collection during Mercedes Benz Bucharest Fashion Week last year. Therefore, I wanted to find out more and I talked to Darya Golneva and Denis Caunov (the founders) about their story, the life as a creative duo, sustainability and social media. And, of course, about architecture & tailoring: read, below, the interview with the designers of OK KINO brand. 

Well, Bucharest wasn’t their only ride at a Fashion Week. Actually, the designers duo launched (internationally) their brand at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Tbilisi (Georgia) in May 2023. After that, Milano Fashion Week (through fashion Hub), London Fashion Week in 2024 and Moldovan Brands Runway editions in their home town, Chișinău. Some big steps for a design studio. 

OK KINO pieces are available in Paris at Demain Retro Concept Store, in Chisinau at Dofamin Concept Store, and online at www.studiookkino.com, or directly from in the studio in Chisinau.

Let’s start with your… brand name. Why this one? What was the moment that felt that you must start this brand?

OK KINO brand name doesn’t tell a story, it frames one. Launching the brand felt less like a decision and more like an inevitable continuation of our way of seeing the world. Denis was developing his architectural practice, while I was gaining experience in tailoring. When we felt our vision and craft aligned, we founded OK KINO.

How is life as a creative duo?

Collaboration is instinctual. Working together is a mix of constant dialogue, experimentation, and mutual trust. We push each other to think differently, and the process is both challenging and deeply rewarding.

The perfect remedy for an inspiration gap would be…

A walk in a city we love, a conversation with a friend, or watching films and photography from different eras – it usually sparks new ideas.

Your collections have clean cuts, minimalist shapes, neutral colors. But what is that unique feature that characterizes 100% the OK KINO pieces?

While our collections are built on clean lines, the signature of OK KINO is found in the details and adaptability of each piece: they can be worn in different ways and remain effortless over time. 

Sustainability is now a concept more often used. What is your view about this concept and how it can be identified in your collections?

Sustainability for us is responsibility layered into design. Materials are chosen for their longevity, and every piece is made in thoughtful, limited production. The aim is durability, not just physical, but in relevance and resonance.

The best thing / the worst that happened to fashion in the social media era is…

The best: unexpected connections and exposure to ideas from around the world. The worst: speed over thought.

The biggest challenge for a designer nowadays is…

To remain measured, to preserve depth and nuance.

If your clothes could be a music theme, they would be…

If our clothes could be a music theme, it would change with each collection. While working on the latest one, we listened to a lot of melancholic music – Nick Drake, The Velvet Underground – which naturally influenced its mood. But each collection has its own soundtrack, evolving with the process.

OK KINO latest collection, presented in March 2026 at MBBFW is about… 

Casa Mare refers to the main room in a traditional Moldovan home, a space reserved for what is kept with care. For objects chosen once, meant to last, and brought out only on certain days. White becomes the starting point of the collection. Light blue appears as a secondary note. Like objects kept in Casa Mare, the pieces feel as though they have rested for years – folded, remembered, softened by time rather than use. This is a collection about care. About keeping things intact, not out of nostalgia, but out of belief that there will be a moment worth opening the door.

About the founders of the brand, Darya Golneva and Denis Caunov, we should know…

Denis and I are drawn to everyday moments. We work both intuitively and carefully, paying attention to form, proportion, and detail. Our collections are shaped by what matters to us most – observing.

What’s next for the brand?

We are gradually expanding our team and are already preparing the next collection. In the future, we hope to be represented in physical stores in Romania as well, while currently we serve our Romanian clients through our online shop.

Photography: OK KINO.