Out with the (c)OLD! and in with 30% off spring styles 🌷🌷 SHOP SPRING CLEANING
Blending big-city edge with seasonless California vibes, Neranese is a curated, streamlined collectsion of pieces meant to last and be loved indefinitely. We caught up with founder and designer Sonja Nesse to talk about what inspires her brand, dressing for everyday life, and creating a wardrobe you really love.
As a designer it’s always been a goal of mine to launch my own brand, but the turning point came after I had my daughter, Freyja. Suddenly all of the brands I used to love felt totally irrelevant to me. So, after a huge closet purge, I saw that what was left were my forever pieces—the ones that felt right no matter the season; were either vintage, timeless, or special due to the material or how it was made; and were wearable whatever state my body was in. This is what I set out to recreate with Neranese. To build a wardrobe to love forever, made in the best way possible, and that celebrates universal beauty in all of our lovely shapes.
More than anything, I learned how to make really beautiful clothing. It’s one thing to have a good idea, but another to be able to turn that into something. I’m also deeply into sustainability, and I saw firsthand how different companies work this into their practices (some genuinely and some not so much) and how their efforts either reward or set them back. Finally, simply treating people with kindness and respect. I feel like everyone in fashion has a horror story, but times are changing and, especially as a company of one, I see just how much my interactions with every single person along the way matter.
Normal day-to-day. I love seeing what people are wearing around my own neighborhood, the coffee shop, out at dinner, concerts, wherever—and for themselves. Then the forever favorites in my own closet. Vintage in particular. I have way too much! And travel. I’m always in discovery mode when I pull out my suitcase and start packing for a trip. Like, do I feel like I need to buy something new or am I reaching for what I already have? Why did I pack a dozen different things and ended up only wearing one on repeat? I think about this last one a lot as I want my collectsion to feel just as at home in LA as it would in New York, or other places.
Elevated for everyday, longevity, and effortless cool.
I have two. The Desert Dress was my number one all summer long and now even into winter. It’s made of the most incredible deadstock vintage silk I have ever laid eyes on—such a unique find. To stay cozy, I’ll wear it with an oversized cardigan and tall boots. The other is the Maxwell top. It’s perfectly oversized and is one of those throw-it-on-and-go pieces that will give anyone an air of effortless cool in two seconds flat.
