Hunza G first came to life in 1984, when it was known as simply Hunza. Born under the direction of Peter Meadows, who created its signature, unique crinkle-stretch fabrication, and high-cut design, Hunza became instantly recognisable thanks to its unique aesthetic.
Before long, Hunza was a household name after being worn by Julia Roberts in the 1990 film “Pretty Woman”. The actress was seen wearing a cut-out dress by the brand, which became an iconic image throughout the nineties. During the following two decades, the brand became a little silent, often remembered for its nineties nostalgia but seen as slightly irrelevant in modern times.
Enter Georgina Huddart. After discovering a vintage Hunza piece in a charity shop, Georgina became fascinated by the brand and its unique material during her university years. As she embarked on a career in fashion, she would use Hunza’s fabric, transforming it into new styles. After meeting Peter Meadows through a friend, Georgina Huddart took on the brand in 2015, adding the ‘G’ in Hunza and giving it new life.
Over the past 8 years, Hunza G has grown rapidly across the globe and has quickly gained a cult following of both vintage lovers and a young, cool audience who appreciate its uniqueness. The brand continues to create swimwear and ready-to-wear pieces in the brand’s signature fabric, which is incidentally made from deadstock fabric or waste as part of the brand’s efforts to a carbon-neutral company. The brand has a One Size Fit mantra, aiming to offer figure-flattering pieces that flex to sculpt and support all shapes. Here, we find out more about the journey so far and what’s to come.
Tell us about the universe of Hunza G today.
We have a strong, loyal customer base of women who, I think, enjoy buying from a brand with a positive tone of voice but also make a product that they feel amazing in. We are developing some new categories, which is exciting, and we have some amazing collaborations coming up.
The brand has become a go-to swimwear brand over the last few years. Tell us how you have ramped up the brand’s presence and awareness globally over the last few seasons.
It’s all been organic; we haven’t had a marketing team until recently… and even then, we are trying to keep the ‘essence’ of Hunza G, which is to not chase people around the internet but let them choose products that they think suit them best. We had a couple of amazing collaborations this year with celebrities such as Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Helena Christensen, which were so fun to work on, and the products turned out beautifully – both sold amazingly well, too.
How does the Hunza G of 2023 compare with the original 1984 brand?
It’s definitely more diverse and inclusive, but we try to keep the brand’s heritage referenced throughout all collections today. I would say we make a wider range of styles that traverse one aesthetic. It can be very bright, 80s, Ibiza style, but you can also find pieces from the chocolate/cocoa/moss world with more editorial styles and shapes. I hope that most women feel like they can find something that speaks to them on our website.
Are your pieces truly’ one size fits all’, and how do you ensure this?
We don’t say one size fits all – we say it’s a One Size Fit. It definitely fits a lot of women, and I think that everyone would be able to find something to suit their body shape. We have a Coverage Collection that actually is extended sizing but also might be perfect for someone who’s super tall who wants more length in the body or more coverage on the bust.
What can you tell us about Hunza G in the Middle East?
Our Middle East presence is steadily growing – we just started retailing in Rubaiyat, Jeddah and already have a presence in a few other department stores across the GCC. As I mentioned previously, we recently launched our Coverage Collection, too, which offers a more ‘modest’ approach to some of our signature styles…with beach season being almost 365 days of the year in the Middle East, great swimwear is always a necessity. We hopefully have a few exciting things coming up in the region next year, too!
Your design style is so distinctive – how do you continue to surprise your clients but not go too off-brand?
Because we have a very clear goal: to make great products that enable women to feel confident about their bodies. Many colours, for example, are great for ready-to-wear but aren’t the most flattering for swim or lingerie. We are mindful of this and tend not to follow trends too much.
Your colour palette is key to the brand – what do you consider when adding a new hue to the collections?
We look at our colours, and we ask: do they make women with different skin tones and body shapes feel absolutely incredible? That’s our number one goal – if the answer to this question is yes, then we consider adding a new hue to our collection.
What are the biggest challenges you face with the brand today?
Keeping it fresh and exciting while staying true to our brand ethos without losing our identity. So far, we have done this really well, but it’s always a concern and takes a lot of work to make sure we’re always adhering to our core values.
Tell us about your collaboration with Helena Christensen – why is she a face that you feel aligns with the brand?
She is a customer who has supported us for several years, actually buying our products, so it felt really natural and not forced to work with her. She is a true icon in my eyes for many reasons: I love her aesthetic, I love the charity work she does, and I love how humble but also how energetic she is when working on projects. Plus, she looks incredible in the swimwear – so it was a no-brainer.
Do you plan to explore ready-to-wear further or expand your current range?
Yes, we have just done a new campaign focusing on our ready-to-wear, including a pregnant model – it’s styled amazingly, and I can’t wait to show the world these images; they are truly stunning. Our ready-to-wear adopts the same policies as our swimwear, so it’s always exciting working on these collections, too. We have some new pieces coming out next year, so you’ll have to keep an eye out.
What else is in the pipeline for 2024?
It’s our 40th birthday! So 2024 is a huge moment for us – we have a few new products, two new fabrics for swimwear in our signature one size, a couple of mega collaborations, and some pop-ups globally… it’s a BIG year for us!
