DISCOVER OUR HISTORY
The 1960s
As a young girl, Helga Okan (formerly Grünwoldt) - trained as a ladies' tailor in her home town of Warburg, which she completed with the journeyman's examination at the age of 19.
Even then she was enthusiastic about the fashion city of Düsseldorf and spent three exciting and instructive years as a journeyman in various fashion salons, including Düsseldorf's "fashion czar" Hanns Friedrichs.
She then attended the master school in Koblenz. The 22-year-old passed her master's examination with distinction and was not only the best but also the youngest master tailor in Germany at the time.
After an intermezzo of about two years in Berlin, Helga Okan returned to Düsseldorf and worked again as a director for the then already famous fashion designer Hanns Friedrichs until 1966.
1967
Start as an entrepreneur. With a lot of skill and diligence - "I worked every night and every weekend and taught sewing classes on the side," she recalls - she built up her own customer base and set up her own business with her first fashion studio and three employees in her Düsseldorf flat.
1970
After her marriage, she moved back to her home town of Warburg and opened a new fashion salon there under the name "Helga Kienel Couture" - together with many employees she dressed the ladies of society.
1972
This was followed by the grand opening of her exclusive fashion shop in Westerland on Sylt.
1974
Helga Okan returned to the German fashion capital Düsseldorf. She presented her first couture collection at the Parkhotel there. 50 women from Düsseldorf society were immediately enthusiastic - and many are still loyal customers today. The success enabled her to move into her studio on Königstraße in 1975.
1977 - 1985
The Atelier on Königsstraße quickly became too small as the customer base grew. Soon customers were not only coming from Düsseldorf, but regularly from Germany and abroad to choose their collection for the coming season.
Therefore, the next move to larger premises in Blumenstraße took place as early as 1977, where the Couture Salon was based until 1985.
The 1990s
After the 1980s were marked by private events such as the birth of her son Philippo in 1985, Helga Okan restarted in 1988 after a break of several years - initially with an exclusive men's shirt collection. That was the birth of the brand name PIO O'KAN.
Shortly afterwards, in 1990, a collection of the highest quality blouses followed, which were developed in their new Düsseldorf Atelier in the elegant Zooviertel and produced in Switzerland. The first employees had long since been hired.
And because the contact with her couture customers was never broken off, Helga Okan designed couture dresses again "on the side", so to speak - under the new name PIO O'KAN. The customers were happy because they had been waiting for a new collection from Helga Okan.
2009
Relocation to Königsallee - the Couture Salon was opened in the noble Girardet-Haus . The internationally renowned Italian designer Francesco Molon was won for the interior design. The exclusive Couture Salon and Atelier are still located here today.
2016
The company sets the course for the future and not only presents its first prêt-à-porter collection, but also opens its first own flagship store right next to the Haute Couture Salon.
At the same time, Philippo Okan joins his mother's company as managing director to further expand the family business together with studio manager Mirjam Zwick and designer Hawe Klein.
2020
The company is using the Corona crisis to give the exclusive premises on Königsallee a fresh, modern look.
2021...
We are proud of our heritage of master craftsmanship, since 1974.
