Maria Jahnkoy was born in Siberia and is an alumni of the BA (Hons) Fashion Design programme (2013). Following graduation she subsequently went on to study at both CSM on their Graduate Diploma and for her Postgraduate MFA Fashion, Design and Society at Parsons in New York.
Maria has progressed to international success and critical acclaim for her label JAHNKOY focusing on her work as an artist. Utilising the vocabulary of fashion design Maria explores her heritage, re-imagines traditions, cultural storytelling, community and sustainability through the mediums of craft, performance, art and collaboration.
In 2017 she was shortlisted for the prestigious
LVMH prize as well as establishing collaborations with Puma, FIFA World Cup and Bergdof Goodman. Maria's work has been featured in Vogue Italia, Vogue International, High Snobiety and WWD and she continues to explore her position as a global, creative citizen.
"Style is the reflection of who you are inwardly. You are a mash up of your interests, knowledge and spiritual awareness. You get exposed to certain things in life and receive tons of information daily, but inside we have that measuring tool, that tells us what to pick, what to trust, what to learn, where to go. That measuring tool is your core, your essence, your spirit, your identity. It is a skill that develops with time, you learn to trust it, with time you become certain of what you choose, you know exactly what resonates with you and then you let that information go inside you".