There’s a certain Hungarian fashion label that has lately adorned the likes of Gigi Hadid, Uma Thurman, and Caroline de Maigret, as well as a number of influential fashion girls on Instagram. Nanushka, launched by Sandra Sandor in 2006, may have just made its stateside New York Fashion Week debut earlier this year, but it’s quickly becoming a crowd favorite for its easy-to-wear satin dresses, printed jackets, balloon-sleeve maxi dresses, and vegan leather croc-effect belt bags and mules. The Budapest-based brand, which produces everything in Hungary, is already planning its second presentation in New York come September, plus a permanent store opening in L.A. in the next year or so (an extension of the label’s pop-up shop currently open at Platform).
Up next? A permanent collection of ceramics designed by Sandor, which is gradually trickling into Nanushka’s Budapest boutique and will eventually be sold online in the coming months. Dubbed Nanoha, Sandor is collaborating with the Budapest ceramics studio, Noha Studio, to create unique pieces in a similar aesthetic to Nanushka—think: lots of pastel pink and earthy tones.
Sandor first began taking classes just a little over a year ago, working with the Hungarian artist and teacher Natalia Nemes to create each piece. And while it’s a relatively new hobby for the designer, it felt like just the right time to delve into launching a home extension of her cult-worthy brand.
“I really fell in love with it,” says Sandor, sitting at a table in one of her favorite subterranean ceramics studios in Budapest. “I think it’s such a special experience, and such a different experience than what I usually have designing—to actually work with ground and soil and clay.”While she’s new to the creation of it, Sandor has spent a lifetime collecting character-filled vintage and new ceramics, amassing pieces that range from 1960s-era plates to unusual Japanese ice buckets. “I buy a lot of ceramics from Etsy,” she admits. “Vintage ceramics, I love ‘60s ceramics.” She’s particularly drawn to objects from Japan, so it comes as no surprise that some of her Nanoha line pieces use Raku technique, which involves using specialized glazes and burying the piece before it’s completed. “Raku is definitely my favorite, at the moment. As we go along, and as I get to know more and more ceramic techniques, I just really love it. It’s a special technique. The ones that look the most earthy, having that kind of mud and all those earthy effects, those stand closest to my aesthetic.”
Here, the fashion designer turned ceramics collector shares some of her favorite places to find one-of-a-kind ceramics and other unique homewares in her native Budapest.
Falk Miksa Utca
Budapest, 1055 Hungary
There’s a street for art deco and vintage furniture in Budapest: the whole street is shops. There are shops where you can get a lot of ‘60s ceramics. I also think this is the only street in Budapest where you can get actual vintage furniture. If you don’t want so much mid-century, but more antiques, or more art deco, this is the place.
Repertory
Budapest, Alagút u. 4, 1013 Hungary
Voy Studio is a ceramics brand that can be found at Repertory in Budapest. Felicia, the founder and designer of Voy, worked at Nanushka for years. I love her sense of color.
Herend Porcelain
Budapest, Andrássy út 16, 1061 Hungary
Herend is the most famous ceramics house in Hungary. Their history goes back to 1826 and all of their items are hand-painted in Herend, Hungary.
Mobelkunst
Budapest, Hölgy u. 42, 1102 Hungary
This place has a German name, but it’s a big vintage furniture warehouse, mostly mid-century. We buy a lot of furniture there for our house and studio.
Julia Nema Studio
Julia’s work is one of my favorites in Hungary. I love everything about her stuff. Her style, her colors, shapes…just everything. Her studio is in Budapest but you can only order her pieces online through her website.
Zsolnay Porcelain
Budapest, József nádor tér 12, 1051 Hungary
Vilmos Zsolnay developed this very unique glazing technique called Eosin in the 1890s. I love the iridescent unique look of it.
Ecseri Piac
Budapest, Nagykőrösi út 156, 1194 Hungary
This is an antique market that I really, really love. It’s open every Saturday. They have new stuff too. They also have ceramics and all kinds of antiques.
Tünde Ruzicska
Tünde Ruzicska is a Hungarian ceramics brand sold at Mono Art & Design, Magma Gallery, Artushka and Fian Concept in Budapest. I love Tünde’s choice of shapes, and the texture of the clay she uses.
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