How Danish Nynne Kunde built a fashion brand from scratch

Founded by Danish-born Nynne Kunde, fashion house Nynne is on a carefully planned trajectory. A modern luxury brand focused on craftsmanship and exaggerated silhouettes, ready to explore the American market in 2023.

Kunde graduated from London’s Istituto Marangoni in 2018 and a year later was selling his eponymous brand in Japan through luxury retailer Ron Herman. The brand was featured in Paris and to this day is Nynne’s main point of sale, exhibiting about four times a year.

In the early days, 29-year-old Nynne expanded her online channel remotely through wholesale because of practical issues such as inventory levels and the cost of returns.

“Now that we’re expanding, we’ve been pre-ordering online as well as through regular e-commerce shops since 2020, just before the pandemic started,” said Kunde. , customers can prepay for titles not yet released to ensure availability before they are sold out. Fans of the brand can also get their hands on the latest creations as soon as the collection arrives at retailers, so they can wear the latest creations before anyone else.

“Pre-ordering is a good way to determine what consumers want each season and how much they need to produce. No,” says Kunde. “It’s also a more conscious buying method.”

There’s a worthwhile sustainability angle there. Zero waste. The fashion industry has been heavily criticized for its wasteful processes, and Scandinavian designers in particular have spearheaded change.Copenhagen Fashion Week and its associated trade fair CIFF (Copenhagen International Fashion Fair) It is a strategic driver and is increasingly seen as the place to find truly sustainable apparel.

environmental awareness

Although still a young label, Nynne sources long-wearing, high-quality fabrics, with 60% of all fabrics used for its Fall/Winter 2021 collection either recycled or certified sustainable. Brands are gradually moving to fully sustainable sourcing. From technical fabrics to wool.

Nynne’s signature line, the Diana dress (elastic waist and full shoulders) fits many body types, but it’s also a lesson in sustainable design. The company creates pieces that can be worn in a variety of ways, dressed up or down for casual or formal occasions. This means customers can buy less and have a smaller wardrobe if they so choose.

The way the company goes to market via B2B and then sells online is what she recommends for startup high-end labels, but it depends on what’s being produced. “Some brands are online only, but for us, buyers need to see and feel the texture of the fabric, especially retail buyers who want a physical experience before ordering,” said Kunde. rice field.

These partners include department stores, fashion websites, high concept stores and niche independent shops. Nynne is listed alongside gorgeous big hitters like his LVMH Le Bon Marché in Paris. Forecourt in Zurich, Switzerland. Bella Donna in Regensburg, Germany. Fraenschuh in Kitzbuhel, Austria. She also has an online presence with Milan’s luxury department store Rinascente. LuisaViaRoma, based in Florence.benica in england

“These stores gave us good exposure,” says Kunde. “You have to get into bigger, more prestigious stores as smaller stores will follow. is always good.”

move at the right pace

Also, the Kunde is more comfortable with its soft-soft approach. Instead of going big and bold, build your brand bit by bit on a strong foundation, but don’t hold onto it after that. During Covid, many of our retail partners have stuck to their brands. This is a sure sign that it’s doing the right thing.

“Today’s consumers are not as loyal to fashion brands. Given how accessible brands are through social media and online, they are rummaging through their wardrobes,” said Kunde. Loyalty is so low that building a strong reputation that can survive all the marketing hype pays off, and Nynne does it pretty well.

The brand is fairly widely distributed in Japan, in addition to the eight European markets. The next step is the United States, where Nynne has so far sold to individual customers in New York City and online interest is steadily growing. Kunde believes there are enough email requests and clients to justify a foray into retail. “This is a big step for us because it’s safer to stay here in Europe, but when we talk to people in the US, they know us, so it’s a market that we need to explore. I just realized something.”

When Kunde returned to Copenhagen from London in the summer of 2020, she adapted accordingly. Nordic fashion has practical elements such as the layered look. What’s on the catwalk usually goes straight into the consumer’s wardrobe. However, Danish fashion is also evolving in its colors and textures.

The business’s current sales ratio is 70:30 in favor of bricks and mortar versus e-commerce, with a goal of 50:50. According to Kunde, the purpose is purely from a revenue perspective, as her company doesn’t have to share any revenue from its site, and it also gets the benefit of full data access to help drive its geographic expansion strategy. Thing. As her self-professed geek, Kunde spends a lot of time looking at data as a basis for planning for the future.

“Many fashion designers today think they can launch a brand and people will come to them, but that’s not the case.” But you still need to sell, data is useful because you can see exactly what’s selling and what colors and styles are selling to which markets. It’s a great resource.”