The plot at Nehera, as owner Ladislav Zdut puts it, centers on a cottage in the countryside of Slovakia on an early winter morning, where a young Patti Smith is just waking up.
Having packed nothing, her sartorial save is grandpa’s sweaters, or she might cut up one of his shirts, or simply pick up a piece of fabric and feminize oversized trousers with a makeshift belt. The throughline is menswear suiting—in herringbone wool, for example—with unexpected details, like slit sleeves, and other touches that are meant to invite (as opposed to demand) a second look.
The Nehera woman prefers it that way, and the brand’s base will probably latch right onto a parka, in brown or orange with herringbone quilting, as well as hourglass-cut jackets and overcoats. A military-inspired trench and a muted teal overcoat looked like they could march through the years, but grandpa’s pajama stripes skewed a tad drab on dresses and blouses.
Nehera has a strong following in Asia—its leading markets are Korea, China, and Japan—with the U.S. and Europe coming in close behind. To that end, the brand is expanding its lifestyle footprint. Come spring, it will open a first boutique in the prime Stephansplatz neighborhood of Vienna, complete with natural oil-based candles for the home. Those will probably catch on, too.
