DISCOVER OUR HISTORY
The 1960s
As a young girl, Helga Okan (formerly Grünwoldt) completed an apprenticeship as a ladies' tailor in her hometown of Warburg, which she completed with her 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 with Düsseldorf's "fashion czar" Hanns Friedrichs.
This was followed by attending the master tailor school in Koblenz. The 22-year-old passed her master tailor examination with distinction and was not only the best but also the youngest master tailor in Germany at the time.
After an interlude 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
She started as an entrepreneur. With a lot of skill and hard work—"I worked every night and every weekend and taught sewing classes on the side," she recalls—she built her own client base and started her own business with her first fashion studio and three employees in her Düsseldorf apartment.
1970
After her wedding, she moved back to her hometown 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 ceremonial opening of her exclusive fashion store in Westerland on Sylt.
1974
Helga Okan returned to Düsseldorf, Germany's fashion capital. She presented her first couture collection at the Parkhotel there. Fifty women from Düsseldorf's society were immediately captivated – and many remain loyal customers today. This success enabled her to move into her studio on Königstraße in 1975.
1977 - 1985
The studio on Königsstraße quickly became too small as the customer base grew. Soon, customers were coming not only from Düsseldorf, but also regularly from Germany and abroad to select their collections for the coming season.
Therefore, in 1977 the next move to larger premises in Blumenstraße took place, where the Couture Salon was located until 1985.
The 1990s
After the 1980s were marked by personal events such as the birth of her son Philippo in 1985, Helga Okan relaunched her business in 1988 after a break of several years – initially with an exclusive men's shirt collection. This marked the birth of the brand name PIO O'KAN.
Shortly after, in 1990, a collection of high-quality blouses followed, developed in her new Düsseldorf studio in the elegant Zooviertel district and produced in Switzerland. The first employees had long since been hired.
And because contact with her couture clients had never been lost, Helga Okan began designing couture dresses again, so to speak, "on the side" – under the new name PIO O'KAN. Her clients were delighted, as they had been waiting for a new collection from Helga Okan.
2009
The move to Königsallee – the Couture Salon in the prestigious Girardet House opened. Internationally renowned Italian designer Francesco Molon was commissioned to design the interior. The exclusive Couture Salon and Atelier are still located here today.
2016
The company is setting the course for the future and is not only presenting its first prêt-à-porter collection, but is also opening its first flagship store right next to the Haute Couture Salon.
At the same time, Philippo Okan joins his mother's company as managing director in order 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 its exclusive premises on Königsallee a fresh, modern look.
2021...
We are proud of our heritage of master craftsmanship since 1974.
