Australian fashion brand Nagnata is preparing to capitalise on the US market after a successful pop-up run late last year in New York City.
Speaking with Ragtrader, Nagnata founder Laura May (pictured, right) said the next big step is opening up a permanent retail door in the country over the coming years, alongside more pop-ups and activations.
In Australia, the 10-year-old slow fashion brand currently has two stores, one of which opened late last year in Paddington, New South Wales, with the other in its home town of Byron Bay.
“The US is currently our second-largest market, accounting for 30 per cent of our overall revenue, and it continues to grow consistently,” May said. “Hosting the NYC pop-up gave us the chance to connect directly with our US community and showcase our collections in an intimate, curated space.
“The US audience resonates deeply with Nagnata’s balance of functionality, sustainable luxury, and movement-focused design.”
According to May, the success of the New York City pop-up was a collective effort.
“Our core operations and marketing teams played a pivotal role in planning, while four key members from the team flew to New York to oversee the setup and day-to-day operations,” she said.
To amplify the activation, Nagnata engaged a local press agency to generate relationships with media and the community.
“On the ground, we were fortunate to work with an incredible team of local retail assistants, who brought the Nagnata experience to life, connecting with our customers in meaningful ways.”
The 12-day pop-up contributed around a third of its total US revenue for the year, May said. The pop-up offered around 150 styles from its current and past collections and resulted in a 72 per cent increase in total monthly orders, alongside a 67 per cent spike in average order value.
“It was both a commercial success and an invaluable opportunity to deepen our relationships with our US audience,” May said.
May added that the US market has been on Nagnata’s radar since the brand’s early days.
“In the past year, we’ve made significant strides in improving our service to US customers, including opening an LA-based 3PL warehouse to streamline delivery times and eliminate customs and duties,” May said.
“These steps alone helped grow our US market by 70 per cent. We’ve also hosted wellness activations in Los Angeles and participated in NYFW market weeks, keeping the brand at the forefront of press, buyers, and customers alike.
“A key takeaway has been the need to stay consistently present in the US – whether through activations, retail pop-ups, or media engagement. Unlike the Australian market, where our community feels more organic, the US requires a sustained, multi-faceted approach to build trust and grow our audience.
“Authentic, community-led experiences will always remain at the core of Nagnata’s approach, whether in Australia, the US, or beyond.”