Croatian fashion carries an unusually long history for such a small country. Croata makes silk ties in Zagreb while claiming a direct link to the 17th-century Croatian soldiers whose neck scarves gave the world the word cravat. Borovo has manufactured shoes in Vukovar since 1931, surviving war, nationalization, and bankruptcy scares to keep producing today. Newer names built very different reputations. Damir Doma left Croatia as a teenager and became one of Paris and Milan’s most respected minimalist designers, dressing Rihanna and Kanye West. Zagreb-based labels like Blackpearl and STAŠA Design took a quieter path, building careful, sustainable collections one season at a time.
Zagreb anchors most of the country’s design activity, though heritage manufacturing still runs through towns like Vukovar and Pula. Compared with Serbia or Hungary, Croatia’s fashion identity leans harder on craftsmanship tied to specific regional histories rather than a single dominant design scene.
Brand Overview
- Damir Doma – Milan-based minimalist luxury worn by Rihanna and Kanye West.
- Croata – Heritage silk ties tied to the origin of the necktie itself.
- Borovo – Croatia’s oldest shoe manufacturer since 1931.
- Boris Banović – Zagreb luxury tailoring by Croatia’s Fashion Guru.
- Blackpearl – French-style, timeless ready-to-wear from Zagreb.
- STAŠA Design – Minimalist, geometric womenswear from Pula.
- IZAKOVA – Sustainable, old-money womenswear from Zagreb.
- Chicks on Chic – Slow fashion womenswear made in small batches in Split.
Croatian Clothing Brands to Know
These labels capture the range of Croatian fashion today, from Milan runway minimalism to Zagreb slow fashion studios. Each has built real recognition beyond Croatia, not just domestic followings. Here is what makes them worth knowing.
Damir Doma
Location: Milan, Italy
Founded: 2006
Price level: Luxury
Product type: Menswear, womenswear
Style: Poetic minimalism
Website: damirdoma.com
Instagram: @damirdoma
Damir Doma grew up in his mother’s German atelier before studying fashion in Munich and Berlin. He worked under Raf Simons in Antwerp before launching his own label in Paris.
Rihanna, Kanye West, and Bruce Springsteen have all worn Damir Doma. The brand moved its headquarters to Milan in 2015 to work closer with Italian manufacturers.
Croata
Location: Zagreb, Croatia
Founded: 1990
Price level: Luxury
Product type: Ties, scarves, pocket squares
Style: Heritage, artisanal silk
Website: croata.com
Instagram: @croata_official
Croata builds its identity around the Croatian origin of the necktie itself. Every tie uses motifs drawn from Glagolitic script and traditional checkerboard patterns.
The family-owned house founded Academia Cravatica in 1997 to research necktie history worldwide. Croata now employs more than one hundred people across its artisan workshops.
Borovo
Location: Vukovar, Croatia
Founded: 1931
Price level: Mid-range
Product type: Footwear, sneakers
Style: Utilitarian, sport-heritage
Website: borovo.hr
Instagram: @borovo_official
Czech industrialist Tomáš Baťa founded Borovo, building an entire factory town around it. The company once employed 22,000 people and produced over 20 million pairs of shoes a year.
Borovo’s Startas sneaker, originally designed for table tennis players, has since drawn attention from Vogue and the New York Times. The brand survived the 1991 siege of Vukovar and continues manufacturing today.
Boris Banović
Location: Zagreb, Croatia
Founded: 2010
Price level: Luxury
Product type: Tailored menswear, womenswear
Style: Urban business elegance
Website: borisbanovic.com
Instagram: @borisbanovic
Boris Banović studied textile technology in Zagreb before training further in London. Croatian audiences knew him first as a TV fashion critic nicknamed Fashion Guru.
Banović eventually opened his own tailor-made clothing brand. It focuses on high-end, urban business style for both men and women.
Blackpearl
Location: Zagreb, Croatia
Founded: 2015
Price level: Premium
Product type: Ready-to-wear
Style: French-inspired, timeless
Website: saraloncaric.com
Instagram: @blackpearlbysara
Sara Lončarić built Blackpearl around small collections and careful detail work. She calls her aesthetic the so-called French style, favoring pieces that never go out of fashion.
Lončarić competed at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Budapest in 2017. Her collections lean on cotton, viscose, and luxurious jacquard in soft, pastel tones.
STAŠA Design
Location: Pula, Croatia
Founded: 2015
Price level: Premium
Product type: Womenswear
Style: Minimalist, geometric
Website: stasadesign.com
Instagram: @stasadesign
Staša Randall draws her clean, geometric cuts from modern architecture and 1970s Asian fashion. Every fabric she uses carries Oeko-Tex certification for eco-friendliness.
Randall’s collections have sold out at London Fashion Week showcases. She handles design, tailoring, and production largely on her own.
IZAKOVA
Location: Zagreb, Croatia
Founded: 2021
Price level: Premium
Product type: Womenswear
Style: Sustainable, old-money elegance
Website: izakova.com
Instagram: @izakova
Izabel Kovačić built IZAKOVA around quality over fleeting trends. The brand favors sustainable materials and timeless silhouettes over seasonal drops.
Kovačić runs a Zagreb showroom on Ilica, the city’s main shopping street. IZAKOVA has grown a following of nearly 400,000 people online.
Chicks on Chic
Location: Split, Croatia
Founded: 2018
Price level: Premium
Product type: Womenswear
Style: Elegant, detail-focused
Website: instagram.com/chicksonchic
Instagram: @chicksonchic
Designer Emina Štrkljević hand-selects natural materials from local Croatian stores. Every piece is made in small batches rather than mass produced.
Chicks on Chic focuses on custom fit alongside its ready-to-wear line. The label keeps its aesthetic elegant, timeless, and rooted in fine detail work.
Other Notable Croatian Clothing Brands
- ROBA – Zagreb label blending graphic design with streetwear since 2007.
- Fasada – Made-to-order handmade womenswear with structural detail.
- New Love Story – Upcycled, one-of-a-kind eco fashion from Zagreb.
- Lokomotiva – Bold, gender-neutral statement pieces from Zagreb.
- Maestro Sylvio – New York-based couture by Croatian designer Sylvio Kovačić.
- MO Design – Experimental construction by award-winning designer Morana Krklec.
Frequently Asked Questions about Croatian Clothing Brands
Croatian fashion often ties directly into regional history, from Croata’s link to the origin of the necktie to Borovo’s near century of shoe manufacturing in Vukovar.
Damir Doma is the most recognized internationally, based in Milan and worn by celebrities including Rihanna, Kanye West, and Bruce Springsteen.
The necktie traces back to 17th-century Croatian soldiers whose neck scarves inspired the French term à la croate, which evolved into cravat and eventually necktie.
Yes. IZAKOVA focuses on sustainable materials and timeless design, while New Love Story builds one-of-a-kind pieces from upcycled fabric.
Zagreb hosts most independent design studios and showrooms, though heritage manufacturing still runs through towns like Vukovar and Pula.
