We had a chit-chat with Israeli designers, Iris and Tali, the dynamic duo behind cult, fan favorite children’s brand NUNUNU. They built their unisex line from the ground up and consistently make their way into the closets of mini celebs with last names like Kardashian, Affleck and Kutcher. Here’s a look at their latest Fall-Winter 2017 collection and what’s behind their cool-kid aesthetic
How many kids do you have?
Iris: Two kids, Omer (12.5) and Rommy(10)
Tali: Max (9.5) and Uma (6.5)
How did you meet and create a partnership?
“We actually met through a mutual friend of ours, Israeli director - Guy Sagy. We were both at a point in life that we knew it was time for a change (Iris was a fashion stylist and Tali was an art director at an advertising agency). Guy had insisted that we meet, as he knew we both had some ideas regarding kids fashion.”
© Yaniv Edry
Why did you start NUNUNU and why?
"When we met, we knew one thing - that we wanted to do something in the children's fashion world, but were not quite sure exactly what. We thought that there was a gap between our world of aesthetics - which is very minimal and clean - and what was offered out there in stores and we had the beginning of an idea of creating something that would fill that gap. But it took us some time to nail it. For almost one year, we developed it, put it under a magnifying glass and discussed almost every possible aspect in creating this idea. At this point, NUNUNU (which started out under the moniker of ‘Blacksheep’) came to life. We had no experience and just started to learn everything – from production to choosing material, from exporting to presenting at shows. Everything.”
What inspired the name 'NUNUNU'?
"We started off as ‘Blacksheep,’ but realized after a while that there was a hunting company with the same name somewhere in North America. We were looking for a new name, when we ran into a long time friend who suggested NUNUNU, which is a Yiddish expression for scolding a naughty child... Which is kind of what we are.
© Yaniv Edry
You have a solid following from celebs abroad...How did that happen and what was your first reaction to American celebrities' kids wearing NUNUNU?
Like a lot of things that happened to our brand, this started in a very unplanned way. Our line had been sold in a few LA-based stores (like Kitson, Fred Segal) that back then, were major celeb magnets and we started getting feedback from them that our clothes were being bought by stars like Celine Dion, Orlando Bloom, Gwen Stefani and more... It was thrilling and a huge compliment, although for us – anyone who buys NUNUNU for their child is a major compliment by itself.
You also have a solid following on Instagram. How does social media play a part in your brand?
We love the fact that there is an ongoing relationship with our followers and customers... It broadens our conversation and, with out a doubt, plays a major role in our customer service experience. Plus, it is always exciting to get images of kids from all over the world wearing our clothes!
© Yaniv Edry
Unisex pieces are a staple in your designs. How do you feel about the hot topic right now regarding gender-fluid fashion and androgynous style?
As a brand that started out as a unisex brand, we find it only natural that this should happen...We are pleased that this is now a discussion topic, but again - it is very natural and clear to us.
How did you imbed your “signature scent” in the garments? What is the actual scent?
The scent is something we had started with from day one. We wanted the clothes to have a unique "finish" to them and looked for a certain something that would achieve that. We worked with a special scent lab and came up with what is now known as our secret NUNUNU scent.
Any plans for a brick-and-mortar shop?
We are always thinking about it...