The Tamesis
HunzaG is preparing for summer in the city.
Relaunched in 2015 by founder and creative director Georgiana Huddart, the ’80s swimwear brand has long established itself through cult favorites and summer hot spots. Hunza was founded in 1984. The original Hunza was discovered by Julia Roberts. pretty Womanand Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” video, which quickly became ubiquitous on the beaches of Ibiza and the south of France. Since 2015, it’s caused similar buzz on the likes of Rihanna and Dua Lipa. Now, Huddart is looking to grow the brand beyond its iconic Original Crinkle line while maintaining its cult aesthetic and feel.
To get things rolling, she will be setting up shop in London’s Marylebone for a two-month pop-up, starting on Saturday 6 June.
The store’s opening follows Hunza G’s popular collaboration with Burberry. Currently sold out in select colours, the Tyler bikini features the heritage brand’s signature plaid and will be available exclusively within Marylebone. “I think for customers, when the product comes out it feels unexpected, but it also makes total sense,” Heddat said of the partnership. She believes the bikini will stand the test of time once the hype dies down.
She shares the same belief in Hunza G’s other product lines, which she is currently working on developing. The brand is best known for its Original Crinkle swimsuits, made from Hunza G super-stretch tubular fabric, produced exclusively on circular knitting machines, and attracted Huddart to revive the brand. Current best-sellers include the square-neck one-piece bikini ($255) and the Jean and Patricia bikinis ($255 and $270, respectively).
The Marleybone pop-up is the brand’s third in the UK capital. It comes after Hunza G popped up on Monmouth Street in Covent Garden and was greeted by hordes of happy shoppers. “This is really us testing the needs of urban stores,” Huddat said. “I think you never know until you try it — and that really surprised us. Not that it did well, but how well it did.” This time, the pop-up was less about testing the waters and more about building the Hunza G world. Still, the challenge is reaching an audience that typically buys swimwear from beachside boutiques and the swim section of department stores.
