Kostiantyn Leontiev is the founder of the KEKA brand, the initiator of Odessa Fashion Day and London Fashion Day, a fashion event organizer, brand director, and designer. For over ten years, he has worked at the intersection of creativity, fashion, and culture, promoting the ideas of self-expression, local identity, and international collaboration.
How has your perception of fashion and creativity changed after moving to London? Was there anything that surprised you in the British fashion industry?
Overall, my understanding of the essence of fashion has shifted. In Ukraine, I focused exclusively on local designers and tried to stay deeply immersed in the local industry. Here in London, I was struck by the freedom of self-expression, the diversity of tastes, and the lack of obsession with commercial success.
London is the capital of creative fashion. There is everything here, and for everyone. The competition is more open, and people are more like colleagues or participants in the same process rather than rivals. It’s hard to reach the top of the industry — without connections or someone to represent you, it’s nearly impossible. But there is room for everyone — each person can find their own niche, where they will be supported and recognized.
You organized Odessa Fashion Day and are now working on London Fashion Day. What has been the most difficult part of transferring your ideas from one country to another?
Intellectual work always lives inside you — only you know your own formula for success. It wasn’t about copying or transferring the project — that was never the goal.
It took me a year, under stress and forced emigration, to “switch my brain back on” and start living, not postponing everything. I went to events, jumped at any opportunity — to be an assistant, a volunteer, even just to attend a show. I was eager to understand the new terrain and figure out what I could offer.
I knocked on every door, looking for work, but eventually realized that in this new reality, I was still a nobody — my value wasn’t yet visible. So my partner and I decided to organize the first London Fashion Day. We already had experience — in 2022, we launched Paris Fashion Day, so we had some sense of the risks and challenges of starting something on a new, unfamiliar market.
What helped you most to integrate into British society?
Everything helped: fear and motivation combined into a sort of emotional cocktail. The fear of being unnecessary, of seeming weak — and at the same time, the desire to live again, to reignite the fire that used to drive me.
The beginning was tough. It felt like there was no path forward — no way home, no hope, limited language skills, no job, no money, and constant exhaustion from having to prove myself.
Friends supported me, as did advice from my sister, who has lived in Canada for many years. She told me: real integration isn’t about staying within your community — it’s about entering the local space, finding new ways to connect.
Three and a half months after arriving, I enrolled in college. A month later, we got our first clients at our branding agency. After that, things gradually began to fall into place — not without effort, but with a kind of internal logic.
How do you stay inspired and what motivates you even in difficult times? What’s your recipe for balancing work, creativity, and personal life?
Self-motivation helps me stay sharp and find balance between work, projects, study, and a sense of stability in the future.
I find inspiration directly in London. Walking its streets and parks brings me peace and joy. This city and its people are incredibly inspiring. I’ve even found places that remind me of my beloved Odesa.
For me, it’s important to live in reality, not escape it — to appreciate freedom, the city’s atmosphere, its respect for history, culture, diversity, and everyone’s right to be who they want to be.
How did the idea for KEKA come about, and what journey has the brand taken from concept to realization?
KEKA was born quite spontaneously. All my projects have always been supported by my family, especially my mother, Nataliya Leontieva. She became not only my partner but my main source of inspiration. Her years of experience in design and clothing construction, her attention to detail — all of it shaped the foundation of our brand.
In 2013, during a family discussion, the idea to create our own clothing brand emerged. The name KEKA has a very personal story for me: when my younger sister was a toddler — just one or two years old — she couldn’t pronounce my name properly and called me “Keka.” That warm, sincere sound felt like the perfect name for the brand.
I created dozens of sketches, which my mother and I reviewed, refined, and perfected. Our first collection was presented at Donetsk Fashion Day and later at Odessa Fashion Day.
From the very first show, KEKA positioned itself as a brand that speaks the language of inclusivity, natural expression, and respect for individuality. After the show, the first collection was completely sold out within three months — that was our sign: this was more than an experiment.
What is the concept behind KEKA Fashion and what message does it carry for its audience?
KEKA is a brand about freedom of self-expression, a conscious approach to fashion, and uncompromising quality.
Today, after 10 years, we’ve only grown more confident in our values. Last spring, for the brand’s tenth anniversary, we introduced a new menswear collection — it became the foundation of our renewed identity.
KEKA is about quality, freedom, gender neutrality, and choosing personal style over chasing trends. It’s a brand for those who are not afraid to be themselves.
