9 September 2025 |
Nanushka, Aeron, and Nubu were among the delights.
All eyes are on NYFW, as it unofficially kicked off yesterday but across the Atlantic, another fashion week made its mark. Budapest Central European Fashion Week, now in its third year as its current incarnation, celebrated the best and brightest of what the region has to offer over the weekend. And this year, it made good on that promise with familiar and new to the international market brands showcasing their talents for spring summer 2026. As always Nanushka anchored the weekend, as the Hungarian label has established itself as a global brand that puts this region on the fashion map. Aeron, another Budapest-based line, made an impressive runway showing while Nubu opted to add a modern dance performance to their presentation, making the case that their clothing is best viewed in motion. To close off the weekend? Kata Szzegedi staged an off-site show filled with cool kids and sexy energy. 10 USA was there to take it all in, so read on for our takeaways.
Nanushka Gets Metaphysical
Technically Nanushka is making their London fashion week debut, presenting their spring 2026 collection on September 22nd. But before then, the brand showcased pre-spring 2026 in Budapest. Inspired by the life and work of Austrian architect and Anthroposophy founder Rudolf Steiner, founder and creative director Sandra Sándor explores the connection between body, soul, and spirit. The results are fluid and rounded silhouettes in earthy shades like mocha, dark khaki, and oat in addition to pops of pastels, as if you were looking at an aura reading or a sunrise/sunset. But being Nanushka, tailoring is also a focus, with classic trenches, denim jackets, and slouchy trousers offering crisp polish juxtaposed against organic shapes. Accessories wise, there were plenty of sensible totes but new to the brand is the Takaró bag, named after the Hungarian word for cover. Practical yet stylish, it perfectly encapsulates the vibe of the collection. And given the rounds of cheering, it’s safe to say said vibes were happily embraced by the audience.
Aeron Gets Tactile
Founded in 2012 by Eszter Áron, Aeron has been making strides into the international market by staging dinners and events in New York and Paris alike. Minimal and cool, it’s easy to see why women have embraced the brand. And for spring 2026, Áron made a strong showing with a light as air collection. Per the show notes, the designer was inspired by intimate gatherings and sunlit moments in green spaces. That translated into a fantastic textured white dress as the opener before transitioning to linen, lace, and silk. Other standout looks include a shaggy white camp shirt worn over sheer trousers and black halter tucked into a see-through lacy skirt — cheeky and bold, it’s exactly the type of look their fashion forward clientele want going into summer. And of course, the closer, a filmy slip gown worn with a matching headscarf is sure to be a hit.
Nubu Makes Moves
Sustainable design has been a key focal point for Budapest Central European Fashion Week and Nubu is a brand that embraces those efforts wholeheartedly. Founded by Judit Garam, along with her eight person creative team, the label makes it a point to advocate slow fashion and utilizes recycled as well as dead stock materials to create their designs. For spring 2026, they looked to Anna Peter Breton, a Paris-based visual artist of Hungarian-Kyrgyz origin who portrays landscapes with a blurred watercolor-like technique. As such similar prints appear, both hand painted and digitally printed on garments while the shapes and volumes are reminiscent of mountains. To convey the organic shapes, halfway through the show a series of dancers clad in the looks ran across the runway, performing a modern dance. With every spin, lift, and extended limb the garments took on new shapes and silhouettes, making it a highlight of the evening.
Kata Szegedi Brings New York Flair to Budapest
With the likes of Nicki Minaj, Kelly Rowland, and Róisín Murphy among the famous faces who have worn Kata Szegedi, it’s inarguable that the brand is a go-to if you’re a hot girl in need of scene stealing look for a night out. So of course, they decided to stage their show off schedule at 9:30 p.m. on a Saturday. For spring 2026, the designer looked to the big city and how people in said cities dressed. And no city is bigger than New York, as the show notes cited time spent in the Big Apple as a source of inspiration. The result? A series of unisex looks alongside others that clashed masculine and feminine details. From boxy bombers layered over skimpy thongs to their signature woven trousers to gleaming silver minidresses, it was all very sexy and begging for a music video appearance.
An Exciting Name Out of Slovenia: Lan Krebs
Like its name implies, Budapest Central European Fashion Week is not just about Hungarian design but also uplifting labels in the surrounding area. One designer to keep an eye on? Slovenia’s Lan Krebs. Krebs graduated from the Swedish School of Textiles so it should come as no surprise that his work is an exploration of knitting, especially circular knit techniques in combination with printing, dyeing, and pleating. As such his pieces take a single jersey fabric and transform into fantastical shapes whether it’s a cocoon-like dress without armholes or a filmy off-the-shoulder sheer gown that would easily be at home on the red carpet for a sci-fi movie premiere. It’ll be exciting to see what else Krebs dreams up in the future.
Chokassy Reinvents Hungarian Heritage For the Modern Woman
Speaking of exciting emerging designers, Dorottya Csókási and her label Chokassy is another name to know. The Hungarian designer cut her teeth at Central Saint Martins and the rigorous nature of the program shows throughout her work. Centering her collections on reinterpreting cultural motifs by utilizing deadstock and objet trouvé garments, Csókási dedication to craftsmanship and technical know-how shine through. Spring 2026, dubbed “Earthly Delights” explores one’s connection to nature and utilizes traditional heavy linen towels as the key material. Per the show notes, the forms draw from traditional Hungarian womenswear elements like ‘vállfűs’ blouses, vests, and aprons in addition to menswear details. From the opening rounded sleeve blouse worn with black harem pants to a sporty bomber paired with a flared hem skirt, it’s evident that Chokassy is an ambitious (and successful!) effort by the designer to bring her heritage to the world at large.
