Moldovan Brands Runway F/W 2025

The reality of Moldovan fashion cannot be understood without considering the political, geographical, and social circumstances of the country. Much smaller in size and population than its neighbours, Moldova’s past has been shaped by Soviet influence and its relatively recent history of independence — meaning that only in the past thirty years has its creative scene begun to find its footing globally. This is precisely the mission pursued by Moldovan Brands Runway.

Just days before our arrival in Chișinău, the country held decisive general elections amid a delicate regional context following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The population had to choose between continuing along a pro-European path towards closer ties with the EU, or instead leaning towards Russia and strengthening relations there. The results were clear: the majority of the country looks towards Europe with hope — a vision rooted in progress, independence, and freedom. This same outlook is shared by the participating brands and by the project itself, which welcomes labels from nearby countries to join the platform. Collaboration lies at its core, joining forces with Ziphouse Fashion Innovation Hub — a fashion innovation platform for learning, ideation, co-working, networking, promotion, and product prototyping —, Apius and Nata Mitereva, and with Innovate Moldova to move the project forward.

Exploring the fashion of a country whose creative scene is still emerging is truly fascinating. History and heritage — from traditional techniques to sources of inspiration — are omnipresent, yet they merge with experimentation and forward thinking in unpredictable ways. This platform is the ideal place to discover new projects, some already boasting remarkably strong brand identities, which look to the present and future without abandoning their roots, traditions, or local culture. In most cases, that identity has been built independently and with limited resources, yet it could easily thrive internationally with the right support, blending a commercial vision with what makes these brands unique.

The latest edition of Moldovan Brands Runway also gave us the opportunity to rediscover Chișinău while enjoying the shows, which unfolded across various city landmarks — from monuments and theatres to even a metro tunnel — as backdrops for the designers’ collections. This was a clever move, immersing audiences in Moldovan essence and transforming the event from a mere showroom display into an experiential journey that connects visitors with the country’s layered history and its assertion of independence.

Perhaps the label that best champions Moldovan fashion at present — thanks to its strong DNA and technically exquisite, meaningful collections — is OK KINO. The brand presented its work a few months ago at Mercedes-Benz Bucharest Fashion Week — which we covered at the time — and we’ve been following it ever since. We were fortunate to meet again with the creative directors, Darya Golneva and Denis Caunov, who unveiled their 07 collection for the first time in their studio, offering an intimate, close-up look into their creative universe. “We continue to look for the new within the familiar. We’re drawn to forms shaped by necessity, daily life, and time — how garments are extended when outgrown, how they deform with wear, how a hem becomes a tool for gathering crops,” they said about their new project, in which white takes centre stage alongside neutral tones and notes of black. Drawing on documentation and history, it also explores the theme of relocation. “Migration remains part of life here. In this collection, some garments look as if they’ve spent a long time folded in a suitcase — with creases, stitched-in folds, softened edges.”

Another standout this season was Caravasili, a brand that champions uniqueness, sustainability, and elegance through its designs. It proved to be one of the most cohesive and distinctive projects. The collection, titled The Syntax of Her Strength, presented on 3 October at Mediacor, is an ode to self-confidence, female power, and the celebration of difference. “We draw inspiration from a fascination with womanhood’s essence — and from the essence of confidence itself. As a designer, I start with Her: her stance, her presence, the ways she owns her energy,” explained designer Corina Caravasili. A bright future undoubtedly lies ahead.

We also can’t overlook the Georgian brand God Era, a Tbilisi-based label making its debut at MBR this season. Having previously shown at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Tbilisi, the brand has established a highly recognisable aesthetic built on themes of ecofeminism, Georgian queer culture, and resilience. Founded by Nino Goderidze, God Era perfectly encapsulates the sentiment of a generation eager to express itself freely — to exist joyfully and authentically, unconcerned with convention. Redefining notions of good taste and embracing beauty and identity in their broadest sense, this label brings a breath of fresh air to a scene often dominated by muted palettes and technical perfectionism. Like a real-life election campaign, God Era created its own political party for the show, with models embodying the various characters of this fictional movement. This performative approach to fashion — grounded in storytelling and collective identity — felt both stimulating and necessary. The brand already has a presence at Radd Lounge and Chaos Concept Store, where it is available.

Moldovan label Julia Allert presented Timeless Frames, which explores the dialogue between structure and identity. “The collection reflects on timeless elegance through form, contrast, and presence,” said Allert, whose creative universe stands out for its coherence and balance between the commercial and the conceptual. Sold online and through select retail partners across Europe and the USA, this is one of the most substantial and mature projects within the local fashion scene.

One of the most anticipated moments of the week was the presentation by SANNÀT, founded by Natalia Sandu. Closing this edition of MBR, the designer had already hinted that her show would take place in a theatre and transcend the conventional runway format — and so it did. On the afternoon of 4 October, we gathered alongside key figures from the Moldovan creative community at the spectacular Teatrul Luceafărul to witness the unveiling of her new collection. Inspired by Eugène Ionesco’s Le Vicomte, the new proposal, V, is born from the concept of the absurd. “In V, garments are more than clothing — they are armour, masks, and mirrors of identity, revealing what is hidden within and beyond the surface,” explained the designer. The event began with a pre-show display of archival SANNÀT pieces before the main performance commenced.

As the audience took their seats, the staging of Le Vicomte, directed by Slava Sambriș, began. Though the play showcased clear talent among the cast, it occasionally felt disconnected from the designer’s work. The garments on stage were intriguing and conceptually rich, yet the fusion of theatre and fashion could have been distilled more sharply to better convey the designer’s message and immerse us in the collection’s underlying universe. Blending creative disciplines can produce extraordinary results, but doing so often requires paring back to the essential idea — keeping the audience engaged while staying true to the story being told.

Over these days we also discovered the emotive performance work of Vyaz, as well as the creations of Flori de Mai and Alexei Sorochin. We explored the visions of Alexandru Rotari, Levitchi Cristina, Anna Slobodeniuc, Anna Malygina, Nedelcev, Mihnea Covachi, Efros Marialina, Marta Brown, Daniel Radu, Casa Cristea, Pehova, Lilia Ceacovschi, Hmarnaya, Studio Misha, Barbara Collection, and Katea Gri.

Lastly, we visited Dofamin, Moldova’s first concept store, curated by Evghenia Gruzdeva. Featuring over forty-five independent and emerging designers, it’s an essential stop in Chișinău — with an excellent curation that ranges from Ruslan Baginskiy and Camper to Panconesi, Hugo Kreit, Alohas, and Litkovska, among many others.