Romanian Designers

Axente

Heavily influenced by the unconscious punk undercurrent of a small underground city, AXENTE mixes the harshness of trash with the softness of elements as fragile as lace.

AXENTE’s first project, a drop of 3 graphic t-shirts was all about shining light on the darker, more raw side of humanity, using a piece of clothing as wearable as it can get to exhibit statement messages that highlight today society’s controversial issues, from sexuality – “MURMURE-MOI TES FANTASMES”, all the way to political issues – “ONLY SUITABLE FOR INSENSITIVE LAWBREAKERS”.

A year later, the first capsule collection entitled “Lace handkerchief” was launched, being a sincere unveiling of past emotions and experiences, materialized through garments. The main source of inspiration for the collection is the Victorian handkerchief with lace details that women used to carry, which they often wiped their tears with, used as a symbol to illustrate the acceptance of emotional development through the complexity of feelings. The collection has brought together several directions in a common aesthetic, ranging from basic pieces, activewear, to complex compositions and combinations of materials for decorative purposes. This project aimed at highlighting the emotional and vulnerable side, representing the beginning of the transition to the next project.

The following collection is called BLACK SUN and illustrates human typologies passed through a filter with punk influences in the form of ten very well defined outfits. It is very much a manifest with the purpose of destroying stereotypes in contemporary society, as well as remodeling the instinctive thinking of modern man. Metaphorically, BLACK SUN was a counterattack aimed at restrictive rules that limit the uniqueness of the individual, creating an abstract space in which we are allowed to outline an authentic appearance, in the absence of fear of rejection from the outside.

AXENTE illustrates the graceful process of emotional evolution through both positive and negative experiences, exploring the duality of human nature, driven by power and sensitivity simultaneously. The wide range of garments, from active wear to intricate shirts and corsets, encourage people to dig into themselves to find their most authentic, raw side and later express it on the outside through clothes.

Bol Fashion Of Nature by Oana Lupaș

Immersing myself in nature, I am able to glimpse the meaning of happiness. Walking through life, I see its complexities… I yearn with the desire to unravel them.

The pure attention that kids turn to everything around them is my key to unlocking the wonder, beauty, joy and the interchange in nature. I gracefully pursue and cherish this miracle, while being in nature.

With this same passion, BOL creations are emboldened with my pure contemplation of the Natural. Its harmony overflowing into my spirit – a vivid exchange of affections and being alive. An interchange of thrill and pulse.

BOL mirrors the art of observing life in all forms, through the unfolding of the nature of happiness.

BOL is an elegy for love and ephemeral beauty, composed with passionate patience and sensuous tempo.

A Transylvania based label which aims to contour an innocent, playful and curious image for creative and sensitive people.

Ioana Ciolacu

Ioana Ciolacu is a contemporary womenswear fashion label from the Romanian designer by the same name. With an MA in Fashion Design and Technology from the prestigious London College of Fashion of University of the Arts London and with design experience from one of the best international brands – Stella McCartney, Ioana has developed a strong understanding of creating high quality clothes and unique designs. With a focus on shape, craftsmanship and sustainability, Ioana takes inspiration from architecture and nature combining signature graphics with tailoring techniques.

Her simple yet tailor inspired silhouettes work as canvases for signature graphics – transposed in prints and embroidery -and fabric combinations that all show a deep understanding of shape, proportion and craftsmanship. Ioana’s effortless pieces show a love for playing with custom developed techniques to create a modern and alluring look.

Tudor Halațiu

For those who don’t know me, my name is Tudor Halațiu and I am one of the well- known young romanian designers. I studied fashion design at the University of Decorative Arts and Design in Cluj-Napoca license level, and then I came toBucharest where I continued my studies at UnArte, master level and later I started to build my personal brand step by step. When you are active in the creative field, it is quite difficult to describe yourself in words! In general, the clothes I create tell 99% of my story. A good story in this area starts with a bold character that perfectly captures a successful action! Over time I came to believe that every designer is born with this aspiration, to create something fantasticallyand the result I enjoyed when I was a mini Tudor was to have the most beautiful dolls, and today I am one of the most discussed names of young romanian designers.

Tudor Halațiu brand is and will always be a brand that talks about the visual power expressed through extravagance. The word power comes with extravagance, because in this industry I believe that visual power push you to the top of the best designers. The enemy of the word “good” is the phrase “very good,” and this is very well associated with power. I havenever wanted my brand to be positioned in a lower area and I strongly believe that my efforts to make this brand shine day by day are supported by the activity I present in the online zone, in the care that I want my story to go on in a clean way, but also about the characters I associate with when I talk about projects. I think it’s very important to know whatyou want to tell as an individual brand and a fashion designer, and I think at this point I’m at a clear enough maturity to realize that fashion is closely related to global socio-political and socio- cultural events. Over the years of activity in this field I believe that the most important and strong concepts in fashion are those that make direct reference to thestages in human evolution, starting from self-knowledge, spirituality, sex, etc. I have an affinity for the mystical and spiritual area in which human is integrated, concepts that I integrate in all the collections that I propose, on the runway and in the ready-to-wear collections. This is one of the elements that makes my brand recognizable, in addition to the explosions of sequins, the abundance of metallic shades, the bold combinations of textures and the bold silhouettes that Ipropose.

The creations signed by Tudor Halațiu talk about confidence, courage, strength and success! Success requires courage,and for me success means solid and well-defined values which helps you in the journey you have chosen to follow. Iconsider that at the moment the most important value that my personal brand and I have is the fact that I have alwaysbeen a person who stood out in any context. This comes with the risk of trying new areas and experimenting modern aesthetics in the direction I follow when I creat my collections. In addition, there is the courage to express my style in an original and recognizable way and as an example in a room where there would be 100 items created by romanian designers, my item would be recognized very easily and certainly would stand out. I follow a very solid principle in this industry, a principle with I also educate my personal brand: “it takes courage to dethrone the aesthetics of Tudor Halațiu”. Some people would perceive this as self-access, but I only correlate it with the courage to do something different.

Going back to the values I don’t think that you can establish your values as a personal brand from the very beginning, but I think that it is rooted along the way, depending on the image and the message you want to express. When I stepped into this industry I did not know even 1% on what values my identity as a designer will be built, but after a few years spent inthis industry I consider that my main values that I have acquired are integrity and originality. On a personal level I became a much bolder and much more radical person, and on a professional level I became much more professional thanks to this recipe. I consider myself a very lucky person from this point of view, because I don’t have to bother much to carry on my story because it relates itself and sometimes you don’t need words. The self-confidence I have gained over the last few years allows me to talk about myself and my work in the superlative way and because I am so confident of my power as a designer, in some cases words are unnecessary.

Cristina Lazăr

Brandul Cristina Lazăr apare în anul 2000, odată cu prima colecție personală lansată, intitulată “Generații”. Colecție care a fost selectată să participe la Festivalul Internațional de Modă de la Iași și care avea ca sursă de inspirație costumul național, bazându-se pe crearea de mixuri utilizând elemente tradiționale într-o notă contemporană.

Cristina Lazăr este absolventă a Facultății de Arte și Design din Timișoara și doctorand în Artele Vizuale având lansate mai multe colecții personale care au fost prezentate la diferite evenimente naționale și internaționale de profil: Romanian Creative Week(Iași), Soirees de la Mode(București), Festivalul Internațional de Modă (Iași), Timișoara Fashion Week(Timișoara), Festivalul Internațional Transilvania Fashion( Cluj-Napoca), etc.

Cristina Lazăr abordează un design proaspăt în linii simple, forme epurate cu accente compoziționale de elemente unicat, manufacturate. Toate acestea fiind într-o continuă adaptare, urmărind spiritul și rafinamentul cromatic înainte de a fi un răspuns direct al noilor trenduri. Își propune creearea unor piese versatile, în care accentul pe calitate și funcționalitate sunt principiile de bază ale brandului. Prin creațiile sale, designerului Cristina Lazăr surprinde și reprezintă etape ale modei contemporane obținute din conștientizarea trecutului și reinterpretarea acestuia. Procesul de căutare, remodelare este continuu și evoluează atât vizual cât și conceptual.

Principiile brandului sunt reprezentate printr-o viziune estetică personală de design în dezvoltarea liniilor vestimentare și de accesorii, propunerile sale urmăresc dezideratului distanțării de uniformizare.

Laura Lazăr

Laura Lazar is a Bucharest based fashion brand that specializes in glam-rock inspired designs.

Since launching her namesake label 10 years ago, Laura Lazar has featured signature designs and distinctive details, daring figure-flattering cuts and fabrics which convey the brand’s unique Rock and Royal feel.

The label’s aesthetic is heavily influenced by the glamorously decadent era of Studio 54, the everlasting appeal of ‘70s bohemian style, and the designer’s own personal style and unique take on rock and roll and punk rock scene of late ‘70s, grunge music genre, culture and lifestyle.

These attributes – reinvented and reworked season upon season, and adjusted to fashion’s latest trends by creative director Laura Lazar – come to life in label’s signature fringe dresses, daring stage costumes, bold-shoulder jackets, distressed and shredded T-shirts, rock-inspired essentials, embellished leather pants with rock-studs, zippers and safety pins; keynote pieces also include plunging V neck jumpsuits, thigh-grazing disco dresses, bohemian-inspired silhouettes and effortlessly dramatic floor-length stunners with a glam-rock flair.

“Each collection is a page added to the rock and roll story that I build and constantly refine from season to season. My clothes tell the story of a muse who becomes the rockstar of her own scene. Any of my creations can be worn as you feel, because the woman who chooses to wear it does it for herself, not for others, and she has the audacity to be the way she wants to be, without feeling bound. She is a free spirit who feels like living a rockstar life.”

Lenca

LENCA is a Romanian brand founded by Elena Vanghelici, a graduate of the National University of Arts in Bucharest. The name LENCA is a derivative of the name Elena and comes from Aromanian culture. It was passed down from generation to generation in the designer’s family, where tradition presupposes that the grandchildren must inherit the names of the grandparents. Therefore, the name itself keeps the past alive and gives transcendental attributes to the present.

LENCA started from Elena’s desire to express her own vision of femininity. The image of femininity has changed majorly along with the status of women in society and following these “revolutions” have appeared iconic shapes in fashion, that the brand integrates into the modern wardrobe. Therefore, LENCA is about a symbiosis of the past with the present, about shapes, colours, textures that make a statement and about women who are not afraid to propose bold outfits, which will stand out regardless of the context.

Lunar Laboratories

LUNAR Laboratories is a clothing and accessories brand, founded in Bucharest, Romania with a constant concern for identifying the best alternatives towards a sustainable future in the fashion industry.

The creative vision of the brand is centered around the past experience in the field of aerospace engineering of creative director, Vlad Vraciu, highlighting clear lines, right angles, shapes or layers transposed from the dynamics of aircraft, in ready-to-wear pieces, with the desire to to propose a personal perspective on the future in fashion design.

The brand aims to experience Art through clothing design in various directions such as deconstructivism, textural experiments on fabrics, structural volumes inspired by architecture, or packed layering.

Thus, all the pieces created have multiple functionalities, following the main intention of offering clothing items that can be used both in everyday life and at different types of events. The aesthetic style approached is an alternative one, with dark-futuristic valences.

The debut of the brand took place in the year 2022 through the collection entitled “S2”. Later, the collections “AMETSA331”, “PAST RESILIENCE” and the last collection “BLINDFOLDED” followed. Each collection represents an attempt by the LUNAR Laboratories crew to reach the Moon. In this sense, each journey, as the collections are understood, represents another step towards the proposed objective. We can also state that these trips also represent a moment in the personal and creative development of the designer behind the brand.

The collections “AMETSA331”, “PAST RESILIENCE” and “BLINDFOLDED” were presented during Paris Fashion Week in 2023 and 2024, and the collection “BLINDFOLDED” was also presented at Berlin Fashion Week and Milan Fashion Week in February 2024.

Raluc

Raluc started in the summer of 2021 as a manifestation of my artistic vision. The “mission” of the brand is to create timeless, durable, and high-quality clothes that tell a story. My passion for drawing was a major influence, which facilitated the closeness and desire to make clothes. I find inspiration either from nature or from the beauty and fluidity of the human body, both being in constant motion, transformation, which is an unlimited creative resource. The clothes are inspired from this concept and materialize in clear, sculptural, clean shapes and lines that highlight the body. Most pieces are minimalist, casual, over-sized or adjustable to support diversity and create unique ways to wear clothes. The final product is a balance between colour, composition, and material. The vision of the brand is responsible in terms of material resources and the process of creation and sale, being a slow-fashion business. In other words, the garments are made to order, to avoid wasting material or other resources. Brand integrity consists in controlling the production, creation, and choice of quality materials.

The brand’s debut was in November 2021 with the launch of the “Pink Days / Blue Days” collection. The name of the collection is inspired by the work of the artist Louise Bourgeois, “Pink Days and Blue Days”, which invites the viewer into the intimacy of her childhood, suggesting the artist’s growing-up process.

Located on the border of casual and classy, the „Pink Days/Blue Days” collection wants to offer individuality to both the wearer and the garment. It is an attempt to escape from reality and to fight for the beauty of fluidity.

Due to the latest collection, the brand has evolved on all levels. “Motherhood” is a personal experience, a story that is inspired by reality, respectively by the experiences of my mother, whilst “Lunela” is a farewell letter to her. My work is about and for her, and the result of this artistic process is a collection of emotions, feelings and inspirations from artists who have used the same theme. The idea of “Motherhood” does not remain only on a personal level in the work but goes beyond this plan and explores the theme in a general sense as well.

The role of contemporary clothing is to be easy-to-wear, but ‘with a twist’, movement and multifunctionality being two main elements to consider. Handmade and tailoring details highlight the uniqueness and personality of the pieces. The shapes vary from organic to sculptural depending on the material, piece, colour, concept. The main purpose of the collection is to create effortless clothes that last over time and suit any type of body.

Also, the multifunctionality of the clothes encourage the creativity of the wearer because it generates new styling variants. The collection embodies softness, sensitivity and movement, a metaphor for the contemporary individual in a situation of continuous uncertainty of trying to find himself.

Although they are in antithesis, the brand manages to combine organic & structure, sensitivity & harshness, thus embracing duality.

Scapadona

The brand was created because of the passion and the need for freedom and ease in today’s lifestyle and it wishes to bring these to their customers with a sense of earthbound and confidence, through long lasting designs and a good deal of charm. SCAPADONA creates garments which bring comfort, with a subtle, elegant approach.

The brand’s aesthetic proposes classic and clean lines enhanced by adornments such as flowers, drapery, textured fabrics, or prints. Whether they get peculiar, romantic, or masculine, their garments always fit into concepts inspired by the relation between elements like nature and emotions. The designer’s origins from a Black Sea-shore town have inspired a true love for the sea and its poetry, which can be persistently noticed in most of the brand’s stories.

While creating vulnerably, SCAPADONA constructs a certain feeling which comes with wearing their clothes. The brand believes in individuality and creates with the purpose of helping their customers feel self-assured, free, and powerful.

The brand’s founder and designer, Andreea Ivan, a Graduate of the National University of Arts in Bucharest, put her vision into work by approaching all the above and has instilled definite values into building the brand, such as: respect for heritage and history, responsibility, sustainability, and well-being. She believes in the dual quality of design – decoration and functionality, so the pieces she creates are made to satisfy both sides.

The aesthetic style approached is casual, natural, and eclectic. Regarding the succession of the collections in particular, the stylistic atmosphere remains true to the concept of each collection. Hence an unpredictable chromaticity, the use of mixes of prints and textures or spontaneous combinations of materials. The defining aesthetic style for the designer is based on the idea of challenge, unpredictability, and stylistic subtlety.

The collection which launched the brand was the designer’s graduation project. “Undersea River” had a concept built around the idea of duality and contradiction, metaphorically derived from this suggestive natural element: a river within the sea – a sweet, fast-flowing river in a salty and static water. The idea was born from the designer’s personal interests, closely related to the sea and water, both from an aesthetic and conceptual point of view. Stylistically, the direction of the collection was mature and precious, fine, subtly approaching the chromatic side, the textile factor, and fabric manipulation.

From here, the brand launched in a transitory process, towards the idea of Ready-to-Wear and towards collections that include both artistic pieces and the practical and functional side, all products being made in accordance with the needs which the brand aims to satisfy, of comfort and refinement, for a contemporary, yet nostalgic, sensitive lifestyle.

Irina Schrotter

Modern sophistication, refined elegance, avant-garde details, diverse silhouettes, versatile items, impeccable execution, all made out of respect for the numerous and exigent clientele – are some of the features of irina schrotter collections.

With an experience of over 30 years in the fashion and creative industries fields, Irina Schrotter, the founder of the eponymous label, has built a brand that is anchored in the Romanian fashion industry, with own shops and factories (of over 800 employees), but also with a constant, consistent presence in over 17 countries.

irina schrotter brand is official supplier for the Romanian Royal House.

irina schrotter creations were presented at the most important professional fairs in Paris, New York, Milan, Berlin. The press clippings with numerous reviews in prestigious publications like: Vogue Germany, Style, Das Modebuch, Berliner Zeitung, ELLE Germany, ELLE Romania, Harper’s BAZAAR Romania reveal the impact of the catwalk shows held at Romanian Fashion Week Iași (in all 12 editions), Mercedes-Benz Berlin Fashion Week (2011-2013), MQ Vienna Fashion Week (2013-2019), Romanian Pavilion from Shanghai 2010, in her own showroom from Milano, so on.

The creative universe is made possible through the involvement of the extraordinary team, many of its members being next to Irina Schrotter, for the past 30 years. Aurora Gongescu is Head of Design, having Ela Ancuța and Raul Lazăr as team members. The specialized Atelier of the brand has been constantly improving and has reached a high level of execution for complex items. Continuity, perseverance and constant specialization are key parts in this success story.

The most prolific and long-term stylistic collaboration and brand communication is with Ovidiu Buta. Through the years, Irina Schrotter has collaborated with talented designers such as: Răzvan Ciobanu, Andreea Tincu, Lucian Broscățean, accessories designers, stylists, make-up artist Alexandru Abagiu and the teams that he coordinates, hair stylists, communication experts, visual artists, architects, theater and film directors.

Andrea Tincu

Andreea Tincu is a Romanian fashion designer, who founded Andrea Tincu fashion house in 2007. Andreea Tincu` s vision in fashion is enriched by her artistic nature.
The designer had an early debut in fashion, in 1991, when she started to collaborate with fashion houses from Iassy. In time, Andreea has become the head designer for many important Romanian brands.

Andrea Tincu is a Romanian ready-to-wear brand, dedicated to women who appreciate complex patterns, unique prints, and exquisite finishes. The aesthetic of Andrea Tincu’s collections is recognizable by the fusion of Art with Fashion and the seamless blending of contemporary lines with feminine details. The prints, which are a trademark for the brand, are the result of the creative synthesis of art, literature, and fashion. Behind Andrea Tincu’ s prints there is a complex creative process – from graphic sketches to paintings, and ultimately to the final product, which is digitally processed.
Andrea Tincu is a brand that stands out through premium quality and creativity. Each product is carefully manufactured by a team of professionals. The production is sustainable and eco-friendly. The collections are manufactured from natural fabrics, that represent the guarantee of any high-quality ready-to-wear product.
Starting in 2007 and up until now, Andrea Tincu has been involved in many important fashion events. The first Andrea Tincu collection was inspired by Man Ray`s artwork, and it was presented at Romanian Fashion Week in 2007. Amsterdam, London, Vienna, Kyiv, Athens, or Bucharest are just a few of the places where Andrea Tincu’ s collections were displayed. Besides fashion shows, Andrea Tincu was involved in many fashion projects, such as Mode Fabrik-Amsterdam, Fashion Forward (TCBL 2019), or Romanian Textile Concept.
In 2015, the designer created the first Andrea Tincu silk scarves. Her motivation originated in the desire to offer the customers an artwork in the shape of a chic and fashionable accessory.

Thanks to the variety of patterns and colours, Andrea Tincu’ s scarves are the perfect gift for people who love Romanian design and who enjoy wearing them, even in travels all over the world. The motto of the brand, Painting Dreams, was inspired by the Surrealist artistic cannon. It also stands for an imaginary bridge between the first Andrea Tincu collection, inspired by Man Ray, and the more recent ones.

Given her 20 years of experience in fashion, Andreea Tincu is permanently preoccupied with innovation. She is directly involved in all aspects related to the brand, including marketing and styling. She is one of The One Hundred designers, like Dries Van Noten or Rei Kawakubo, because of her involvement in every department that assures the good running of the brand.

You can discover Andrea Tincu’s collections at www.andreatincu.com