Interview: Rianna Kounou & Nina Knaudt from Rianna + Nina

Sometimes you not only find treasures while browsing, but also your soulmate. This is how Nina Knaudt and Rianna Kounou describe their meeting in 2013, which ultimately led not only to a friendship but also to their joint label RIANNA + NINA, with which they design new clothes from vintage fabrics.

FACES: How did you two find each other?
Nina Knaudt: We met by chance at a vintage furniture fair and immediately shared a passion for vintage fabrics and strikingly colorful prints. Thanks to our similar, colorful and cheerful style, we spotted each other from afar and struck up a conversation. We were immediately on the same wavelength and somehow we knew that we could create great things together.
Rianna Kounou: It all started in 2014 with a small store called “Cabinet de Curiosities”, which quickly attracted customers from all over the world. In 2017, we debuted our first ready-to-wear collection at Paris Fashion Week. Since then, in addition to our one-of-a-kind creations, we have presented two annual collections with specially developed print patterns.

F: What was the first product you realized for RIANNA + NINA?
RK : RIANNA + NINA started out with our one-of-a-kind creations made from recycled vintage silk scarves, which we then transform into new luxurious couture designs. The Bonbon Bag, which has since become our iconic accessory, was also one of the first products we started with.

F: What moment changed everything?
RK & NK: It’s difficult to pin it down to a single moment, and sometimes we can hardly believe what we’ve been able to experience together. Important milestones were definitely our participation in the Vogue Salon at Berlin Fashion Week, our pop-up at Bergdorf Goodman in New York or Joyce in Hong Kong and when stars like Jared Leto or Rihanna wore our designs.

F: What do you mean by sustainable action?
RK & NK: In our case, this means appreciating beautiful things from the past. We work exclusively with vintage fabrics for our collections and also use mattress fabrics from the 1960s (which, by the way, were made of very fine silk back then) or tablecloths that are almost 100 years old. The only important thing is that the materials are of high quality and that we can tell a story with them.

F: How do you live sustainability?
RK & NK: We always try to be consciously sustainable in our everyday lives. We don’t buy plastic bottles, always take baskets or (colorful) bags with us when we go shopping, buy almost exclusively vintage and good food privately. It really is about respect for the environment, both in our business and in our private lives.

F: Do you know the hands through which your products pass?
NK: For RIANNA + NINA, it all started with using hand-picked vintage fabrics to create an individual story for each new piece. This sustainable basis has now become our identity and the starting point for every new creation process and every new idea. We therefore do not base our design process on seasons. Our pieces embody stories of several generations and live from colorful timelessness. In addition to reusing vintage materials, we focus on reducing our production by specializing in certain pieces and presenting a rather small, exclusive selection of styles.
RK : All our designs – both one-of-a-kind and ready-to-wear collections – are handmade by our small team of master seamstresses in our Berlin studio. Everything is produced made-to-order and the individual wishes of the customer can be taken into account. This turns the pieces into very personal treasures and collector’s items in your closet.

F: How hard is it to find good materials that match your ideas, and where and how do you finally find them?
RK : Of course it’s not easy, but we knew that from the start, and that’s what makes our pieces so special. I really see myself as a treasure hunter and love nothing more than tracking down special fabrics, whether on our travels, at flea markets or through my network. I’ve been in this business for over 30 years and fortunately have a lot of expertise to fall back on.

F: What are you like as bosses?
NK: We don’t see ourselves as bosses in the traditional sense. For many years there were only two or three of us with Claudia, who was responsible for production right from the start and now runs our studio. We are now a team of 15 people and are incredibly proud that we have found such great people who believe in RIANNA + NINA as much as we do and feel the same enthusiasm. Internally, we always talk about the RIANNA + NINA family, and that’s how we are: a colorful bunch of different minds and characters who all pull together. There are sometimes arguments, but we love each other with all our hearts and in the end it just works out very well.

F: How important is fashion, and what does it mean to you personally?
RK: In the end, it’s not about fashion in the classic sense, but about beautiful things. We simply enjoy special things so much, but that can also be a beautiful glass, a book, a landscape or a great meal. We like to be enthusiastic about things, and of course that includes fashion, because we wear it and it underlines who we are.

F: What lessons have you learned while working in the fashion industry?
NK: The most important lesson for us is independent of the industry. Namely, that you can do anything if you believe in it, are open-minded and do it with joy. And that everything feels much easier when you can share joy, but also sorrow. We are just incredibly happy to be able to walk this path together and to now have such a great team at our side.

F: Where does the fashion industry disappoint you, and in what ways does it surprise you?
NK: The past year has had a significant impact on the perspective and attitude of the fashion industry. One positive side effect of the coronavirus pandemic is that the fundamental structures of the fast-moving fashion industry have been called into question. We would simply like to see major labels in particular take on more responsibility and not always put profit first, but people and the environment instead. Great products and ideas can always generate sales, but simply not at any price. In addition, there used to be intense pressure, a rapid change between seasons and collections, where time was lost to accept feedback and implement changes. We believe that there is an opportunity to do this right now. We have always gone our own way, designing collections that are independent of seasons and trends, that appeal equally to women of different sizes and that are produced with a lot of passion.

F: Are there any styling sins?
RK: As long as you feel comfortable in your clothes and your look, there can be no sins. We like to style our looks expressively, combine different patterns and contrasting colors and complement them with opulent accessories. You shouldn’t be afraid of too many prints or colors, because more is more with us.

F: What are your favorite flea and vintage markets?
RK: There really are many, from the Porte de Clignancourt in Paris to the Strasse des 17. June in Berlin, but also smaller markets from Brussels to North Carolina or Boston – no flea market is safe from us, and there is always a treasure to be found.

F: How much work goes into one of your pieces?
RK: Each piece is created with great dedication and attention to detail. From the choice and composition of fabrics and prints to sewing on the last button. We see our creations as works of art, and the customer who wears RIANNA + NINA can be sure that there is nothing like it out there. And that is exactly what gives it a truly unique feeling.

F: The ultimate haggling tip?
NK: Just be pleasant, have a little chat and don’t just aim to get something cheap. If a price is fair, sometimes there is no need to haggle at all. As with everything in life, it’s about fairness, and of course it should also be fun.

F: What’s your best vintage find?
NK : The vintage jewelry that Rianna has been curating for many years is truly precious. Every time she shows us a new find in the studio, we are speechless. The small selection, which we also sell via our online store, includes original runway and haute couture pieces from Yves Saint Laurent to Valentino and Chanel – a veritable treasure trove.

“If a price is fair, sometimes there is no need to haggle at all.”

F: What do you buy new and what do you always buy second-hand?
NK: That’s hard to say in general terms. New definitely underwear, but otherwise we like to live, love, read and wear second-hand things.

F: What does your closet look like?
NK & RK: Colorful!

F: What is your favorite place in your home?
RK: I find it difficult to decide, as my entire home is my colorful world and I generally feel very comfortable there. Definitely my kitchen, as I love cooking for friends and family. But I also love my living room full of art, pictures of my son, my sofa with all the colorful cushions and my green rattan dining table.
NK: We’ve just moved into a beautiful old house with a garden and are letting it grow into our home. It’s not as colorful as Rianna’s, but it’s also a place full of memorabilia that we’ve collected on our travels.

Q: Why is our society failing?
NK : One of the most important qualities we share is being optimistic. We therefore do not want to see our society as failing. We have met so many great, different people on our journey so far who have shown us time and again how much we can achieve and that it works best when we work hand in hand.

F: What adventure do you dream of?
RK : Just about everything, as we’ve been stuck at home for far too long. Normally, traveling is part of our everyday life, and we miss that very much. Fortunately, this joint RIANNA + NINA journey is a great adventure in itself, and it is a comfort that we can send our clothes all over the world. We have just received photos from Hong Kong, New York, Dallas and Kuwait, and that makes us incredibly proud.

F: What do you treat yourselves to?
NK: Always good food. There’s very little like going to a restaurant with family and friends, evenings spent laughing, drinking and eating. We love that!

RIANNA + NINA
Rianna Kounou and Nina Knaudt met while doing what would later become their business model: rummaging for vintage treasures. In 2014, the two opened their joint boutique in Berlin – they now sell their finds and their own collection all over the world. RIANNA + NINA are Rianna, who used to work in theater and costume design, and Nina, who has earned her spurs from Paris to New York at brands such as Cartier, Etro and BMW. Together they search around the world for vintage fabrics and designs that they can bring back to life with their label.