Get To Know Nounou, The Swimwear Brand For Your Radar

Forbes

5 days ago

Inspired by the 1970s and her her mother's love for cotton bikinis, Anouchka Houser got thinking. When she struggled to find swimwear that felt both flattering and fun, everything slotted into place, and her swimwear brand, nounou was born.
Expect a small but perfectly formed line of flirty cotton bikinis and bathing suits that call to the Mediterranean sun (talking of which, the label can be found at the super-chic Agora Ibiza). The chicness doesn't stop there as there's a seashell clasp, created with Jessica McCormack, of course the fellow London-based label who's famous for her fine jewels, which has become signature.
Anouchka and her mother nounou
Anouchka talks body positivity, retro inspiration, and the timeless appeal of nounou.
Anouchka Houser: I had the idea for nounou 20 years ago, after my first child was born. I had my mother's cotton bikini from the '70s and wanted to create something with the same nostalgic aesthetic. Through a lot of encouragement and support from dear girlfriends, particularly Karl Templer, after years of dreaming, I finally had the courage to give it a go!
AH: I couldn't find anything on the market made of cotton and felt this was missing. Also, as a mother of four I found it increasingly harder to find bikinis with coverage that felt flattering for post pregnancy. I wanted something that was minimal but still sexy, with shapes to fit most body types.
AH: My great friend Jessica McCormack has been a huge inspiration and champion of nounou. During Covid I talked her through my concept, and we came up with the idea to create a signature shell clasp together, based on one of her designs. FC: What are the cornerstones of the company?
AH: It's made in London; each piece is handcrafted from beautiful 100% cotton and a lingerie-like feel Italian jersey fabric. I have an incredible team of women with many years of experience between us in fashion and lingerie, they and friends are the heart of nounou. FC: How do you want someone to feel in nounou?
AH: No matter how we feel about ourselves, I want women to feel confident and good about their bodies when they wear nounou. FC: What was on your mood board for the debut collection?
AH: I had a crazy moodboard! A lot of references from the '60s and '70s and the photograph of my mother, which sits on our website which was the ultimate starting point. FC: What can we expect from the line?
AH: The collection is ever evolving. Building on our successes, this season we introduced printed checks to the jersey collection, with synergistic solid colors. Introducing our 'forever black collection' was a milestone. A team member reminded me 'it's always sunny somewhere' so we aim to always have black pieces in stock.
As we continue to grow, I've been humbled by the positive feedback from our customers, friends, and supporters of the brand. Realising we weren't catering to some women's needs, we will be introducing A and DD cups into our underwired styles for the new collection.
We've even gone one step further with our jersey collection, adding a supportive layer of fabric for the bust, whilst gently sculpting the body of the swimsuits. Next season alongside the woven's, the jersey collection sees a return to femininity with retro florals prints, styled with natural wood-inspired rings. Our signature seashell clasp has been given a soft matte brushed gold finish - our nod to the classic styles of the era. FC: What's your favorite piece right now and why?
AH: The Zoe swimsuit, named after my mother. I try to swim several times a week, so I like my swimsuit to be practical. It's super comfortable, hugs and supports my body. It's timeless, effortless but also a little cheeky. FC: What's the long-term plan for the brand?
AH: I'm looking forward to exploring new print ideas and colors but my wish is to introduce some staple beachwear pieces, that can carry you from the beach to evening and for my customer to treasure their nounou's for years to come.
See more on nounou.co.uk.