When you first see a Nenko piece, it feels like meeting someone with a story. The tailoring and the quiet drama suggest a past life. And that’s exactly the point. Nenko was born out of loss, and what followed was an act of rebuilding.
When she left Ukraine for the UK during the war, the founder of Nenko lost almost everything she owned. Fashion became her way back, a way to piece things together, emotionally and materially. She started collecting forgotten blazers and garments, pulling them apart, studying their structure, and giving them new life. What began as an instinct to heal grew into a creative process, and eventually into a brand rooted in resilience.
For her, upcycling is something deeply personal. She spends hours searching through vintage fairs, charity shops, even old theatre wardrobes — for garments that have stories to tell. Every piece arrives with its own imperfections, which she doesn’t hide but highlights. Once she finds something that speaks to her, she deconstructs it completely, then rebuilds it with new details: hand-stitched lace, antique buttons, or subtle adjustments that shift the silhouette. It’s technical work, but it’s also emotional, a way of honouring what a garment once was, while shaping what it could become.
Sustainability, for Nenko, isn’t just about avoiding waste. It’s about showing that beauty can be reborn. “Instead of creating something new, I reimagine what already exists,” she explains. In every design, there’s a sense of responsibility mixed with creativity, a belief that imperfection is part of what makes something special.
That idea of renewal runs through everything she does. When she moved to Cardiff, it was her starting over completely. “Resilience became the foundation of my work,” she says. “Just as I rebuilt my life, I reimagine forgotten clothes into something new.” Cardiff, for her, isn’t just a backdrop. It’s the city where Nenko was born, where the first pieces came to life.
Building Nenko hasn’t been easy. As an independent designer, breaking into the fashion world takes persistence. But for her, recognition isn’t the only reward. “Every time someone tells me they feel transformed wearing Nenko, that’s what matters,” she says. Small moments of connection — those are the milestones.
Looking ahead, she imagines Nenko growing beyond the UK, reaching back to her roots in Ukraine. She sees the brand as a bridge between both places — a reflection of her journey, her loss, and her rediscovery. Nenko will always remain personal, hand-crafted, and true to its origins, but she wants its story to travel — from London to Kyiv and beyond.
Because in the end, Nenko isn’t just about fashion. It’s about resilience. It’s about giving old things new meaning. And it’s about finding beauty again, even after everything has changed.
See the Beauty of Nenko
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Written by Angel Joanne Okonkwo
