The British (Fashion Brands) Are Coming!

Looks, left to right, from Rixo, Hunza G and Me+Em, three British brands that are coming to the United States.Credit…RIXO, Hunza G, Me + Em

Britain’s fashion brands have long looked to the United States for a chance to supersize sales — with varying degrees of success. For every Boden, there is a Topshop, Ted Baker or Hunter Boots that failed to successfully crack the market. After all, the United States is much larger, more diverse and already has plenty of fashion labels to choose from. Garments with an appealing English eccentricity or appeal in their home market may feel out of touch in major American shopping hubs.

But the pandemic led many Americans to spend more time online seeking out new brands, including ones from across the Atlantic. Now, three cultish London brands that experienced new popularity during that time have decided to set up shop on the East and West Coasts.

What can they bring to the market that no one else has? The founders of Hunza G, Rixo and Me+Em explain their rationale for planting their flags on American soil.

Hunza swimwear is made in a knitted seersucker fabric that molds to fit women who are different sizes on top and bottom.Credit…Sydney Krantz

Hunza G

You may not have heard of Hunza G, but chances are you’ve seen the label’s signature wrinkly-crinkly, super-stretchy Lycra swimsuits on the likes of Rihanna or Hailey Bieber or Kim Kardashian.

Established in 1984 by the designer Peter Meadows, Hunza was known for tight and bright dresses that were a fixture on the 1980s club scene. Whitney Houston wore a lilac tank style for the “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” video, and Julia Roberts wore a blue and white cutout version for her first scenes in “Pretty Woman.” Almost 30 years later, in 2015, and after a period out of fashion favor, the label was revived under a new co-founder and creative director, Georgiana Huddart.