Rianna Nektaria Kounou and Nina Knaudt met by chance at a vintage furniture fair. For twenty years Rianna had been the face of high quality and rare vintage pieces in Greece, collaborating with magazines and celebrities and consistently surprising clients with an amazingly detailed knowledge of fashion through the decades.
She had spearheaded two wildly successful vintage storefronts, “Berlin” in Athens and “Rianna in Berlin” in Berlin. Meanwhile, Nina had been nurturing her dreams of working in the fashion industry through working in PR and studying Fashion and Design Management in Milan. Their meeting was instantaneously vibrant and they quickly realized how many of their passions overlapped.
In 2014 the duo opened their first shop together: “Cabinet de Curiosities- RIANNA + NINA” in Berlin Mitte. It was the beginning of a colorful journey that has since grown larger than the pair had ever dreamed. To this day Rianna’s designs for their eponymous label, RIANNA + NINA, are influenced by her family and cultural background. Originally from Athens, Greece, she was raised by parents with a deep understanding of fine fabrics in the most creative and colorful means. Nina’s similar value for color and classical training in fashion and marketing has been invaluable in injecting their vintage flavor with an extra dose of intellectualism. Together their one-of-a-kind pieces transcend time and style.
Our connection to RIANNA + NINA has been as colorful as their clothing. We spotted Nina on the streets of Paris looking absolutely incredible… while pushing a baby stroller.
We followed after her and climbed the stairs of their showroom only to be greeted with the warmest of Greek embraces from Rianna. Within five minutes we were competing with Vogue France to buy their collection of six kimonos; the official vintage offering for the season. We jumped at the chance to claim them for Santa Fe Dry Goods.
Their clothes speak of a dream uninhibited and are full of laughter and joy. Is it any wonder Rianna and Nina find themselves the darlings of WWD, Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar? We have found them welcoming, open-minded, eclectic, and the loveliest of creators to represent.