Hunza, the queen of ’80s body-con designs, returns as Hunza G.
Hunza, the queen of ’80s body-con designs, returns as Hunza G.
Up until two years ago, British label Hunza appeared to be on the brink of extinction. The ’80s brand – with its distinctive, stretchy, seersucker- textured, one-size-fits-all bodysuits, maillots, mini tank dresses and band-aid skirts – was among the defining labels of the decade where everything was bold. Then in 1990, one of its dresses – a two-tone minidress with a midriff cut-out – became one of the most memorable dresses in cinema history when it was worn by Julia Roberts’ streetwalker character, Vivian Ward, in Pretty Woman.
Hunza’s iconic appeal and signature material weren’t lost on Brit designer Georgiana Huddart. “I was always obsessed with the fabric, even from a very young age,” says Huddart. She tried to reboot the essence of Hunza on her own, but struggled for years to find a good-quality version of the fabric.
“Then someone put me in touch with Peter (Peter Meadows is the founder of Hunza) and it all made sense! The fabric is so nostalgic, so tactile, so flattering and just so easy to wear.”
The two are now partners, with Huddart holding the creative reins. She rebranded Hunza as Hunza G in 2015 and kept some of the essence of the original brand along with its signature crinkle- stretch fabric. But she also gave the brand’s aesthetic a 21st-century update.
“I want it to be wearable across a varied clientele – from the South of France to Ibiza,” says Huddart. “Think less beachy Barbie doll Miami, more contemporary.”
The now swimwear- focused label stocks bikinis, one-pieces, and body-con dresses and tops with all the effortless fun of its ’80s persona, without the cheesiness. And all the pieces are still made in London. From http://www.net-a-porter.com, US$132-US$198 (S$183-S$274).
