Izabela Gkagkanis - Gaganis

Izabella Gkagkanis was born and raised in communist Poland, in a family where making things by hand was simply a way of life. Both of her grandparents were bespoke tailors, so creativity and craftsmanship were stitched into her childhood. Izabella notes that in those days, if you wanted something new, you made it — and that resourcefulness became second nature to her. Izabella went on to graduate from the Academy of Fine Arts in the field of sculpture. 

When second-hand shops started appearing in Poland, Izabella was fascinated by the stories hidden in clothes from faraway places — Scandinavian knits, Bavarian jackets, fabrics with a past. She began collecting them, dreaming of one day opening a costume hire shop. That idea eventually evolved into something else: a passion for recycling and reimagining.

In the early ’90s, Izabella made her first bags; by 2005, her first creatures came to life. Since then, she has continued to create — transforming well-made, once-loved garments into new forms and characters. Making things still brings her the same joy it always has: giving old materials a new story, a second life, and a touch of imagination.

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