Twin designers Laura and Deanna Fanning merge utility and sci-fi to create clothing that feels simultaneously medieval and futuristic.
The signature aesthetic
A Kiko Kostadinov garment announces itself immediately. Unusual tailoring cuts geometric lines across the body, while references to distant eras—Renaissance courts or atomic-age 1940s—create what the house calls an unfamiliar fantasy layered with nostalgic familiarity. The fall/winter 2026 collection demonstrated this approach through pieces like a bomber jacket reimagined with triangular modernist epaulets and center paneling, and a V-neck cardigan maxi dress featuring detachable oversize sleeves and a bicolor hood.
The design partnership
Bulgarian designer Kiko Kostadinov established his namesake menswear label in London in 2016. The womenswear component arrived two years later when Australian twin sisters Laura and Deanna Fanning came aboard, bringing their own distinctive vision. The Central Saint Martins graduates had known Kostadinov from early on—Deanna is now his wife—and the twins have collaborated since childhood. "There was a moment where we tried to separate in our late teens, but it didn't work," Deanna recalls. "We tried it and hated it," Laura adds. Their natural communication, Laura suggests, allows authentic intentions to surface in the design process.
Kostadinov granted the sisters complete creative freedom for womenswear from the start, and they drew from their master's collections to establish the line's direction.
Craft and inspiration
Deanna specializes in knitwear; Laura focuses on silhouette. Both share deep interests in textiles, color, and accessories—elements they consider essential to conveying image and product. Their Australian school uniforms sparked a lasting fascination with footwear, now central to the brand's collaborations with ASICS and others. Laura remembers studying businessmen's shoes on Melbourne trains, noting which were "great," "generic," or "terribly good." Their Italian grandparents cultivated their appreciation for craftsmanship through packages of handmade clothing and shoes sent from abroad, precious commodities in Australia at that time.
The cult audience
Today, Kiko Kostadinov womenswear commands devoted followers among artists and intellectuals—wearers open to clothing that defies convention. The designers describe their uniform as niche trousers, flat shoes, and unexpected textural knits. The blend of utility and sci-fi elements, present since their master's work, distinguishes the label for this demographic. Fans grasp the aesthetic immediately; others occasionally misread it. The sisters laugh recalling how one technically complex piece—a lightweight nylon zip-up with sheer elastics and roughly 30 panels—was requested as Halloween costume material.
Looking ahead
The twins aim to transport wearers across universes. "I always think it's interesting to disorient someone because that means that someone's not so comfortable, so you're challenging their perception," Laura explains. For spring/summer 2027, shown October 5 at Paris Fashion Week, they're pursuing what Deanna calls "our version of minimalism, which won't be minimal for others"—a cleaner, more graphic direction following seasons exploring silhouette and transparency. They studied visual artist Nanda Vigo's ambient light works to reinterpret spatial delineation on the body, seeking to make the beautifully unfamiliar feel instinctive once more.