What can one think of someone who finishes the famous London College of Fashion and returns to their native, small country to run their brand there? Is such a designer a genius or a madman? Or maybe there is a method to this madness? Who is the extraordinary Hungarian fashion designer Sandra Sandor, creator of the brand Nanushka? Let us introduce you to her story.
Born and raised in Budapest, Sandra Sandor followed in the footsteps of her mother and entered the world of fashion. In 2005, she graduated from the prestigious London College of Fashion. Just one year later, she founded the Nanushka brand, a name that directly refers to her childhood nickname.
The brand sailed into wider waters in 2016 with the help of Sandra's business and life partner, Peter Baldaszti. Currently, it can be found in over 30 countries around the world, including renowned department stores such as Bergdorf Goodman, Selfridges, Liberty & Browns, as well as online platforms. The brand ships clothes to over 100 countries around the world. How did it all happen? We know.
Sandra Sandor and her creative Hungarian microcosm
The artist grew up in Budapest at the turn of the 80s and 90s, where Turkish and German cultures intertwined. The brutalism of buildings from the communist era was mixed with classic Parisian-style tenements, strongly influencing the aesthetics of Nanushka. This duality: a combination of beauty and functionality, modernity and a sentimental touch of vintage (especially in the style of the 70s and 90s) is the basis of the designer's aesthetics and Nanushka itself.
Sandra Sandor consciously chose a different path than most graduates of the London College of Fashion and after trying three directions: fashion photography, fashion illustration, and design, she finally chose the latter. Her first collection created after obtaining an LCoF diploma was centered around the Bauhaus idea that form follows function.
The other foundations of the collection were: comfort, play, and tradition. Functionality remains the guiding idea of the brand, although over time form has been replaced by beauty, and tradition has been complemented by modernity. Sandra Sandor skillfully combines a contemporary aesthetic with the lines of past years: including designs and cuts from the 70s, 90s, and the Bauhaus era (1920s).
Nanushka
Dress with cut-out
Nanushka
Blazer with notch lapels
Nanushka
‘Moon’ shoulder bag
Vintage-style designs and experimentation with materials (including pleats and ruffles) intriguingly combine with the clean, modern, and simple lines of individual projects, resulting in a minimalist base for your wardrobe. In the spring collection, there are added intertwined elements inspired by macrame, but Nanushka remains a declared minimalist.
Nanushka – what can you expect from this brand?
The brand perceives its clients as modern minimalists, but in a carefree bohemian spirit.
PERMANENT COLLECTION
Nanushka
Tie-up skirt
Nanushka
Jumpsuit with long legs
Nanushka
‘Adria’ shoulder bag
In an interview for the Farfetch portal, Sandra Sandor describes her typical recipient as confident, guided by values, but also possessing a "bohemian" outlook on life. A person who wears Nanushka clothes takes life by the horns and lives for pleasure. According to the designer, it is also someone who cares not only about themselves but also about protecting the Earth for future generations.
Sustainable development and an eco-friendly approach is something you will find in the brand. Knitwear and sweaters are made from recycled merino wool. Leather accessories and clothing from the collection are also made from recycled polyester. They are of such good quality and have such a similar texture to natural leather that it is hard to distinguish them by touch.
Nanushka
Dress with notch lapels
Nanushka
‘Leana’ high-waisted shorts
Nanushka
‘Zayra’ skirt
Nanushka also uses upcycling materials and ensures that workers are treated with dignity and respect for their labor rights. Consumers often think that sustainable development ends with the use of environmentally friendly materials, but on the manufacturers' side, it is equally important to ensure that factory workers are treated and paid fairly. 85% of the brand's products are locally made in Hungary, which reduces the carbon footprint and helps build a transparent, simplified supply chain.
Fans of unpretentious, functional, yet beautiful fashion without "oddities," in which the details and lines are of the greatest importance, will particularly like Sandra Sandor's brand. In her portfolio, there are clothes not only for women but also for men.
Nanushka clothing is a compromise between beauty and comfort – if you have thought so far that this is unattainable, the brand proves with its collections that you are wrong. It is good to be wrong from time to time and to be pleasantly surprised. The new wave of European designers has a lot to offer.
