By women, for women: Hunza G is the swimwear brand that has changed the game. The woman behind it all? Georgiana Huddart.

Originally born in 1984 under the creative direction of Peter Meadows, then known only as Hunza, Georgiana Huddart re-launched the brand back in 2015. Since then? Hunza G has been dubbed “the swimwear world’s biggest success story” by WWD, receiving international acclaim and garnering a cult following, thanks in no small part to their signature crinkle material and size-less designs.

As part of our International Women’s Day celebrations, the co-founder and creative director sat down with us to talk nostalgia, creating for women, what she hopes will be her legacy and more. It’s time to get to know Georgiana Huddart.

Love and passion for women shines through Hunza G and its designs. How would you describe the brand’s ethos and the way you create?

We want to invite everyone to the party. It’s not meant to be exclusive and designed for a specific ‘type’ of woman. Wearing a bikini or one piece on the beach can be, for some, a really intimidating experience - I wanted to try and make women feel the best and most confident version of themselves in this situation. I care about the product fulfilling this function. It’s always front of mind in everything we do.

You famously revived Hunza, a formerly ‘80s fashion brand, and made it your own. Do you often look to the past for inspiration? What drew you to Hunza originally?

There is no future without the past. It’s key to nostalgia and evoking an emotion in people. I am a nostalgic person, whether its music or movies or clothes, I love taking references from the past. It’s how you keep things current. I loved Hunza’s heritage, the amazing fabric, the Pretty Woman moment, the fact it had been dormant and that I had a powerful connection to memory of the original brand as a child (my mum wore it when she was pregnant). But I also felt there was so much wide space to develop it into something exciting and new.

In an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, you told the magazine that “nostalgia is powerful in everything.” How do you think Hunza G’s heritage and history have helped to influence the brand’s success today?

Memories are individual but can unite groups of people who lived through the same times in pop culture and history. There is something very interesting about what someone in my position chooses to bring into the version of Hunza G today, compared to what another person would focus on. It will resonate with a group of women who aren’t all similar. That’s what I find interesting. For example, the amount of women who remember Julia Roberts in the Hunza G dress in Pretty Women – they are all different ages, different backgrounds. The world is consumed with ‘newness’ and brands dipping in and out, lasting a few years. People love the heritage of Hunza G. We are one of the oldest swimwear brands to exist globally, which feels like a huge achievement.

Hunza G designs come in all one size, and they fit everyone, which is such an empowering approach to creating clothes for women. What made you want to design in this way?

It’s the concept of eliminating size trauma when shopping online, which was so powerful. This isn’t about the shape of your body. Across brands sizing varies so much. It’s a nightmare. And then on top of that, with one’s body fluctuating due to hormones, life, etc - it felt like such a no brainer. It’s also fun to think that everyone’s wearing the same product, it means you aren’t ‘othering’ the different sizes. The one you are wearing is the same one Rhianna and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley wear.

What’s been the most important thing for you when designing for women?

It’s very simple: making women feel confident in swimwear.

Your designs are by women, for women, but you’re also a proudly carbon-neutral company. Can you tell us a bit about this; why it was important for you and how you’ve learned to create responsibly?

It was always a focus for us. There is no wastage because sizing means little stock inventory, and sell throughs are high. Being carbon neutral just felt like a good extension of our responsibility ethos.

First there was the iconic Pretty Woman moment, and now everyone from Rihanna to Cardi B has been spotted wearing Hunza G… What’s it been like to see the brand become so embedded in pop culture? How does this feel?

Amazing. Sometimes I am so busy with the day to day that I forget, until someone reminds me that last week someone wore it or said it was the best brand or their favourite thing to take on holiday. It’s amazing. It’s surreal; everyone has imposter syndrome.

What makes a Hunza G woman?

There isn’t a Hunza G woman; it’s for all women.

What does fashion mean to you?

Nothing. Fashion should be relative to the person. I like clothes, I have no interest in trends. I love the creativity of fashion and there are so many amazing brands out there. I feel we are heading back to a better curation of smaller brands doing amazing things. I think we should all buy less and spend slightly more in whatever capacity we are capable of. I still have clothes I wore at university, that was a long time ago…

2025 will mark ten years since you revived Hunza G… what have been the highlights for you to date and what would you like to see in the next ten years, both at Hunza G and in the wider fashion industry?

There’s been so many highlights. Rosie Huntington-Whitey wearing us and crashing our internet. The Rosie Huntington-Whitely collaboration. The Helena Christensen collaboration. Opening our temporary stores. Kim Kardashian wearing it. There are exciting things to come, and we are launching a few new categories which you will see this year.

From the fashion industry in general, I think everyone’s become more conscious in general about what they make and how they make it, so that’s positive. I think story telling is coming back. I thought Paris and London Fashion Week were amazing this season. There’s really exciting, inspiring work.

As a woman working in fashion and business, what advice would you give to young female creatives starting out in the industry today?

Work hard. Forget about Instagram and being at the right things and the right events. Anyone I know who has done well dipped out of the social stuff and worked incredibly hard to get to where they are. Instant success can be helped by followers and social media, but it has no longevity. Make sure what you are doing and making is good.

What women have inspired you most in your life?

My mother, my sisters, and my team at work.

What do you hope will be your legacy with Hunza G?

That we stay the course, making a product that serves a purpose, that women really want and is positive all at the same time.