7 Cypriot Clothing Brands Worth Knowing (2026)
Cyprus has given fashion one of its most experimental minds. Hussein Chalayan was born in Nicosia in 1970, and Erotokritos also grew up on the island. Both built their labels abroad, starting in 1994. At home, the scene stayed small for decades, shaped by boutiques selling imported brands. Timinis, for example, has sold luxury fashion in Limassol since 1933.
Today, a new generation is building labels on the island itself. Many of them focus on upcycling, bespoke tailoring and Mediterranean resortwear. Compared with Greece or Turkey, Cyprus has far fewer brands, but its designers punch well above the island’s size.
7 Cypriot Clothing Brands Overview
Here’s a quick look at the Cypriot labels in this guide, part of our wider overview of clothing brands by country.
- Chalayan – Experimental luxury label by Nicosia-born Hussein Chalayan.
- Erotokritos – Cypriot designer with his own stores in Paris since the 1990s.
- Joanna Economou Designs – Colourful resort and occasion wear shipped worldwide from Cyprus.
- Jacob Yiakoumi – Limassol atelier for wedding dresses and bespoke suits.
- Arcadia – Nicosia upcycling label that also repairs and tailors clothes.
- Art is Liberation – Illustrated T-shirts inspired by Mediterranean village life.
- μοτίβω (motivw) – Social enterprise turning military surplus and workwear into new clothes.
Cypriot Clothing Brands
These seven labels range from internationally famous designers to small studios in Nicosia and Limassol. Here is what makes each of them worth knowing.
Chalayan
Location: London, United Kingdom
Founded: 1994
Price level: Luxury
Product type: Womenswear, menswear, leather goods
Style: Conceptual, architectural
Website: chalayan.com
Instagram: @chalayanstudio
Born in Nicosia in 1970, Hussein Chalayan buried his 1993 Central Saint Martins graduate collection to see how the fabric would change. He launched his own label in 1994 and was named British Designer of the Year in 1999 and 2000. His Autumn/Winter 2000 show even turned a coffee table into a skirt.
As a result, Chalayan became the most influential designer Cyprus has produced. His work blurs the line between fashion, art and engineering.
Erotokritos
Location: Paris, France
Founded: 1994
Price level: Premium
Product type: Womenswear, menswear, knitwear, bags
Style: Relaxed, Parisian
Website: erotokritos.com
Instagram: @erotokritos_paris
Erotokritos was born in Cyprus and started his own label in Paris in 1994. He now runs two stores in the French capital. Even so, he still spends about four months a year on the island he calls his motherland.
That’s exactly why his collections feel Parisian with a Mediterranean accent. They cover everything from knitwear to scarves for both women and men.
Joanna Economou Designs
Location: Cyprus
Founded: 2022
Price level: Premium
Product type: Dresses, two-piece sets, resortwear
Style: Feminine, colourful
Website: joannaeconomoudesigns.com
Instagram: @joannaeconomoudesigns
Joanna Economou launched her label in 2022 with a resort collection of bold prints and elegant silhouettes. Recent pieces use mikado, lace and hand-sewn details such as beaded tassels and pearl centres. The brand ships worldwide directly from Cyprus.
As a result, the label captures what it calls “barefoot glamour.” Its dresses are made for long summer evenings by the sea.
Jacob Yiakoumi
Location: Limassol, Cyprus
Founded: Not disclosed
Price level: Premium
Product type: Wedding dresses, gowns, bespoke suits
Style: Romantic, tailored
Website: jacobyiakoumi.com
Larnaca-born Jacob Yiakoumi got his first sewing pattern at 12 from his mother, a former seamstress. He interned at a menswear tailor at 14 and later studied fashion design at Frederick University. Today, his Limassol atelier makes wedding dresses, gowns and suits for both women and men.
That’s exactly why every piece is cut for a single client. Yiakoumi names Christian Dior as his idol and prefers unique pieces over mass production.
Arcadia
Location: Nicosia, Cyprus
Founded: Not disclosed
Price level: Mid-range
Product type: Upcycled sweatshirts, bags, accessories, tailoring
Style: Circular, handmade
Website: arcadiacy.com
Instagram: @arcadiacy
Civil engineer turned designer Irene Panayi runs Arcadia from Pera Chorio, just outside Nicosia. The brand turns existing materials into sweatshirts, bags and accessories. It also offers repairs, alterations and custom tailoring, and Panayi took part in the zero-waste Tsemberi Project on Cypriot heritage.
As a result, Arcadia works as much like a repair studio as a label. Its workshops teach locals to give old clothes a second life.
Art is Liberation
Location: Nicosia, Cyprus
Founded: 2023
Price level: Affordable
Product type: T-shirts, posters, tote bags
Style: Illustrated, Mediterranean
Website: artisliberation.com
Instagram: @art_is_liberation
Froso Meliou launched Art is Liberation in 2023 as a solo project, splitting her time between Cyprus and Granada in Spain. Her illustrations mix Cypriot and Andalusian scenes, such as two tattooed grandmothers playing backgammon. The pieces sell online and at pop-ups in Nicosia.
That’s exactly why the label feels like an artistic sketchbook of Mediterranean life. Each T-shirt tells a small, local story.
μοτίβω (motivw)
Location: Nicosia, Cyprus
Founded: 2017
Price level: Mid-range
Product type: Upcycled jackets, trousers, workwear
Style: Utilitarian, upcycled
Website: motivw.com
George Kyrou founded μοτίβω in 2017 as both a clothing brand and a social enterprise. It reworks repurposed military surplus and old workwear into new garments. On top of that, the team runs upcycling workshops and clothes swaps in Nicosia.
As a result, motivw turns sturdy old uniforms into everyday, sustainable clothing. Its workshops spread that thinking across the city.
Other Notable Cypriot Clothing Brands
- Nicolas Petrou – Nicosia-born designer behind a luxury label in New York.
- Maria Aristidou – Ready-to-wear womenswear label founded in 2018.
- TOMMAZO – Larnaca label with interchangeable menswear and womenswear since 2017.
- Yiavri Mou – Upcycled patchwork pieces inspired by a Nicosia tailor’s legacy.
- Georgia Moditi – Nicosia label designed and made by women in Cyprus.
- Folkmona – Textiles hand-woven on the island from traditional Cypriot fabrics.
Frequently Asked Questions about Cypriot Clothing Brands
Hussein Chalayan is the most famous designer from Cyprus. He was born in Nicosia in 1970, founded his label in 1994 and was named British Designer of the Year twice.
Yes. Hussein Chalayan was born in Nicosia, Cyprus, and later studied at Central Saint Martins in London. His label, Chalayan, is based outside Cyprus.
Yes. Jacob Yiakoumi makes bespoke pieces in his Limassol atelier, while Arcadia and motivw upcycle clothing in Nicosia. Joanna Economou Designs also ships its collections worldwide from Cyprus.
Yes. Arcadia, motivw and Yiavri Mou all upcycle existing materials into new clothing. Arcadia and motivw also run repair and upcycling workshops in Nicosia.
In Nicosia, Art is Liberation holds pop-ups and Arcadia runs a studio in Pera Chorio. In Limassol, Jacob Yiakoumi works from his own atelier, and most of these brands also sell online.
