Dualities: Nanushka by Sandra Sandor

Budapest has a way of existing in two times at once. The city’s skyline is a palimpsest of histories - faded Art Nouveau facades beside new glass structures, grandeur softened by wear. Between the bridges and the riverbanks, A Quiet Balance hums: the pull of the old world meeting the new. It’s a city that doesn’t rush to resolve its contradictions, and that might be why it continues to inspire designer Sandra Sandor.

“I was born and raised here,” she tells me, her voice steady and thoughtful. “I’ve always been inspired by Hungarian culture, architecture, textile history, and craftsmanship.” It’s clear the city is stitched into her way of seeing. “Budapest is defined by harmony and contrasts,” she says.

Since starting her fashion brand Nanushka twenty years ago, Sandor has built a world that moves at its own pace - relaxed tailoring, soft structure, vegan leather that walks the line between minimal and tactile. The brand speaks quietly, with an ease that can feel rare in the industry. I pondered on the concept of balance and tension - it feels so present in everything she does. The clothing oozes grace and beauty, with a quiet, yet strong, spirit of discipline and ambition hiding in plain sight. Anywho, I bring it up. She takes a moment before answering. “I don’t really see it as tension,” she says. “It’s more so creating harmony from opposites. The idea that something can be both soft and strong has always appealed to me. Like how femininity to me isn’t about delicacy, but confidence and self-expression.”

That word - confidence - feels key. Sandor doesn’t talk about fashion like someone chasing trends. “The way I design reflects the way I live,” she goes on. “It’s driven by intuition and by celebrating beauty in imperfection. I don’t rush things for the sake of following trends.” I think of the Nanushka pieces I’ve seen - how they slow time a little, inviting you to move more lightly through the day.

She tells me the balance between intuition and logic is something she’s had to grow into. “We’re a small team,” she says. “When design and merchandising speak together, the collections feel more balanced and secure - but still with creative control.” That practicality feels deeply Hungarian somehow - a kind of pragmatic romanticism. Perhaps that’s what’s allowed Nanushka to grow from a local label to an international one… indeed without losing its soul.

Budapest, of course, is never far from her mind. “Much of my inspiration comes from the city,” she says. “Its blend of history, culture, and art continuously influences my work. I like mixing unexpected cultural references and traditional craft techniques.” As she talks, I picture the city’s layered skyline from a time I visited myself a few years back - the bridges, the baths, the faded rooftops. So softly assured, no need to self enunciate. “Budapest is a melting pot of so many different cultural elements, especially when it comes through architecture. It’s a constant inspiration for me.”

Opposites seem to tie Nanushka together. Natural materials meet modern forms; local roots speak in a global language. The brand’s approach to sustainability feels grounded and sensitive, more philosophy than marketing. “For me, it’s about responsibility,” she says. “We try to create in a way that’s respectful - of people, of materials, of the process itself. Design is a dialogue, and we want that dialogue to feel honest.”

Talking to Sandor feels exactly like that: an exchange of quiet clarity. As Nanushka marks its twentieth anniversary, she imagines what the future may hold. “What feels most important now,” she says, “is to build out our brand universe. Nanushka has always been about more than clothes. I’d love to go further into the lifestyle side of the brand - to share our wider vision with our community.” When she speaks about this future, there’s the same calm intention that runs through everything she does. No rush, no noise - just humble conviction. The first tThe first twenty years were about finding the language; now, it’s about seeing how far that language can grow.

After speaking with Sandra, my mind hovers on the value of authenticity. “My Hungarian heritage grounds me, it gives me a sense of history and authenticity."

The way in which she and her brand seemingly exist untouched by the industry’s trends, its harshness, its judgement… there's something radical in that. It made me want to slow down too, to unlearn the urgency the fashion world so often rewards. To pause, to receive, to hold still - to be confident to stay in between.

All clothing by Nanushka