Florentina Leitner is a designer who crafts beautifully constructed clothing that also crafts emotions in all who wear and view her creations. Emotions that emanate from the rich reservoir of literary and cinematic sources that inspire her and provide the creative touchstone for that storied sensibility.
Finding her own unique fashion language from this eclectic and often eerie array of influences, hers is a visual vocabulary that manifests itself in fantastical, feminine designs. Taking inspiration from otherworldly narratives, Florentina transposes them into designs that are very much of this world and that have regard for its fragility. Focusing on deadstock materials, the brand marries an environmental empathy with a meticulous attention to craftsmanship.
The development of that craft began at Vienna’s Fashion High School, an interdisciplinary incubator she attended from the age of thirteen. From there she left Austria to study at the internationally renowned Royal Academy in Antwerp and on graduating worked at the fashion house of iconic Academy alumnus Dries Van Noten.
Following that impressive fashion education, it’s no surprise that Florentina took those lessons learned into the founding of her eponymous brand. A label defined by a distinctive design DNA that’s seen it worn by such as Gaga, each new collection acquires must-see status when it shows on the Paris Fashion Week schedule, her fashion month destination of choice.
Knuckle caught up with Florentina to ask about her latest collection “2 cool 4 school”, the cinematic influences that inform her own storytelling and the vision and values which underpin all she does.
1. For those who might be new to the Florentina Leitner brand aesthetic, how would you describe it?
Florentina Leitner stands for fantasy, floral, fun, feminine designs. We always try to tell a new chapter with each collection with one big tale of one big book and the stories we tell are often a bit eerie and inspired by several movies and we’re always trying to reinterpret our own story into the collection.
2. Congratulations on your F/W 25 collection “2 cool 4 school” which showed at PFW. What were the inspirations behind it and how did you interpret them into the pieces we saw at the presentation?
The inspiration came from when I was travelling in Korea and Japan and it’s also inspired by an anime my boyfriend and I started watching called “Dandadan”. It’s about a girl who’s in High School who believes in ghosts and she meets a boy who believes in aliens so I wanted to really capture this High School vibe and get those girls abducted by aliens and UFOs.
We interpreted this in the garments through showing pleated skirts from High School uniforms. We also developed prints that use UFOs and different little scribbles that you do in class when you’re in High School. We were also influenced by cheerleading so there are some cheerleader pom pom references which we’ve turned into handbags and also some typical cheerleader skirts which were inspired by girls’ cheerleading uniforms.
3. Did fashion play a significant role in your growing up and what part did studying at Vienna’s Fashion High School lead to where you are now?
Fashion was an important part of my life from a young age and I decided to study at a Fashion High School from the age of thirteen and from there I just fell more and more in love with the craftsmanship. I was focused there on knitwear design and really learned how to use those specific knitting machines and to programme knitwear with the machinery. How from a yarn you can make a garment but also how you can tell a story with fashion and I wanted to continue learning and studying at the Royal Academy in Antwerp as I was always a big fan of the Antwerp Six. Walter Van Beirendonck was one of the teachers there so I really wanted to move to Antwerp and continue my fashion studies.
4. You subsequently studied at Antwerp’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts under Walter Van Beirendonck and after graduating worked at Dries Van Noten. What did you learn from those experiences and what have you taken from them into running your own brand?
Learning from teachers like Walter who run their own brand was super interesting for me, it shows a lot of dedication to do both and to share your knowledge with the new generation. I learned to stick true to my style and to create my own world in the Academy. At Dries I saw and learned how important it is to have a team and work together as a collective and work together with other creatives. It really does take a village to make a collection.
5. You’ve chosen to show at Paris on a number of occasions. What is it about the city and PFW that draws you to show there?
I’m based in Antwerp so location-wise Paris was the most logical for me. It’s also the biggest and busiest Fashion Week there is. It’s good for networking and connecting with new stores.
6. Your work’s hugely influenced by films including Wes Anderson’s “The Royal Tenenbaums”, “Picnic at Hanging Rock” while “The Last Unicorn” influenced SS25. What is it about the medium that resonates so powerfully with you and provides so much inspiration?
From a young age I wanted to be a movie director but discovered fashion when I was fourteen. So naturally as a movie lover I got inspired by worlds I discovered in different movies. The movies gave me a base for telling my own stories and bringing them into my world. Jens Burez, my boyfriend, and I always film during photoshoots and make short fashion films, so it’s a full circle moment.
7. For SS25 we understand you worked directly with author Peter S. Beagle who wrote “The Last Unicorn”. How did that inform both your understanding of the story and the collection?
We worked closely with his team but sadly didn’t have the chance to talk to him in person. The movie influenced me a lot as a child and was the first “anime” style movie I watched. It always has a special spot in my heart.
8. Sustainability is a key part of the brand’s identity. What sustainable and ethical practices have you followed in the creation of “2 cool 4 school” and previous collections?
We work with deadstock materials and try to reduce our fabric waste by producing less and using fabric leftovers. But I also want to make long-lasting designs and see my clothes in museums and fashion archives and for them to live a long life. We are not the most sustainable brand out there and we don’t work with any sustainable certificates as it’s difficult to do so as a young brand. We focus on our deadstock material and this allows us to be sustainable but it’s not always easy.
9. The iconic Gaga and many other public figures have worn your creations. How rewarding is that celebrity endorsement and who else would you love to see in Florentina Leitner?
I’m not a big fan of any particular celebrity and after a while it can seem very normal to see celebs wearing your clothes but of course I still very much appreciate everyone who supports the brand. It would be very nice to see people like Tilda Swinton or Rosalia wearing my garments.
10. What are your ambitions and aspirations for the rest of 2025?
At the time of speaking, we have two pop-ups coming up, actually one is right now in Paris so this was one of our ambitions and we have one in May in Antwerp and in September we’re back at Paris Fashion Week and we’re preparing our new collection and new show so these are our goals for this year and we’re very much looking forward to it.
Florentina Leitner’s designs are resonating with an ever-increasing audience who are enthralled by exceptional designs made with an artisanal attention to detail and an ethical ethos. A consummate storyteller, Florentina rewrites the narratives of the books and movies she loves, reimagining them as garments where every stitch and seam tells its own story.
Following in the footsteps of the Antwerp Six would be a daunting task for any emerging designer, however Antwerp-based Florentina’s talent and upward trajectory suggests to us that her pivotal place as part of a new generation of Royal Academy graduates is assured. Already one of Knuckle’s fashion favourites, we’re excited to see what comes next.
