Founded in 2006, the Hungarian brand Nanushka was one of the pioneering niche firms to firmly commit to responsible production, positioning itself in the segment of accessible luxury with timeless collections and vegan fabrics. 16 years later, the Budapest-based brand became one of the first to cancel its operations in Russia and dedicated the runway show of its latest collection at Paris Fashion Week to the Ukrainian people, with the colors of their flag as makeup and a string quartet playing their anthem. Starting this summer, the brand is betting on its innovative creative project "Sun Series". Functionality, elegance, and comfort are the defining elements with which Sandra Sandor defines Nanushka's identity. Trained at the London College of Fashion, the entrepreneur always had a passion for industrial design and the Arts and Crafts movement and returned to her native Hungary to launch her own brand under a local and artisanal concept. Emitting hints of modern minimalism, and an accessible luxury positioning, the brand soon seduced influencers and celebrities, such as Selena Gomez and Hailey Bieber, who catapulted it into the media spotlight. Today, the brand presents its collections in Paris and already has almost half a million followers on Instagram.
The evolution has not only been limited to social networks. "We've grown a lot in the last few years, it's been quite a journey," Peter Baldaszti, Sandra Sandor's husband and CEO of Nanushka, joined in 2017. At that time, sales amounted to €1 million. Five years later, the brand expects to close the current financial year with a turnover of €50 million. As the leader explains, Covid-19 was a "great challenge" for the brand in terms of "supply chain", but sales remained positive thanks to the online channel. Today, the brand's collections are sold in more than 140 physical points of sale internationally, such as Le Bon Marché, La Rinascente, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue or Neiman Marcus. In the online channel, the brand is present in a handful of luxury platforms, such as Farfetch, MyTheresa, Browns, Matchesfashion or Net-a-Porter.
Nanushka founder Sandra Sandor with CEO Peter Baldaszti Sustainability Advances Looking ahead, Nanushka's main challenges revolve around sustainability. "We are immersed in a progressive process, replacing materials with certified or recycled ones at each collection," argues Sandor. By 2025, the brand has committed to making all raw materials used sustainable. "Every season we keep improving, but it's still far from ideal. It's a long road and our big challenge for the future," states Baldaszti. Similarly, the Hungarian company is planning "significant team growth," which now totals 100 people, between the 50 workers at the Budapest facility and some 20 employees at the London offices, which have just doubled in size. Drawing its inspiration from nature, Nanushka develops beautifully crafted products with careful consideration to responsible production. Its cotton is certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), and its leather comes from tanneries that are certified by the Leather Working Group (LGW). It also uses responsibly cultivated wool certified by the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS).