Reina Olga, the swimwear label founded by Guia Cleps. Laid off, she flew to Rio with $10,000 and returned with an idea: a bikini with crinkled sides like a scrunchie, hugging the body without marking. Named after her grandmothers Reina and Olga, it is handmade in Milan—1980s glamour with leopard print as its signature.
The story is as beautiful as the swimwear itself. After a career in luxury (Giambattista Valli, Charlotte Olympia) followed by a sudden layoff, Guia Cleps left for Rio de Janeiro with $10,000 and a dream: to turn her obsession with Brazilian micro-bikinis into a brand. On the beach, she watched a girl adjust her bikini straps with a hair scrunchie—and in that moment, it clicked. Her very first design, the “Scrunchie,” featured soft, gathered sides that hug the body without ever grazing or marking the skin.
Named in honor of her two grandmothers, Reina and Olga, and fueled by a love for leopard print, the brand soon relocated its production to the place Guia calls home: Italy. For over a decade, every single piece has been crafted in an all-female Milanese moda mare atelier: handmade, custom-dyed colors, in-house designed prints, recycled fabrics, and made-to-order production.
The spirit remains delightfully playful: pure 80s coastal glamour, with a touch of whimsy.
