The Interview: Jakke co-founder Nina Hopkins on leaving and launching new ready-to-wear label Samdi 

Nina Hopkins, formerly of women’s faux fur outerwear brand Jakke which she co-founded, has just launched a new label called Samdi for pre-spring 2026 – with a focus on ready-to-wear.

East London fashion designer Nina Hopkins co-founded faux fur women’s outerwear brand Jakke in 2015, and soon sold it into the likes of Selfridges and Harvey Nichols. Jakke launched its first full ready-to-wear collection for SS23, but Hopkins, who cut her design teeth for high street stores such as Topshop, New Look and H&M following graduating from The London College of Fashion, was soon to realise just how deep rooted Jakke was considered as an outerwear brand.

Parting ways with her previous partners at Jakke in 2024, she has been busy working on a new brand, under the name of Samdi, which has ready-to-wear very much at the heart of it from the start, with a pre-spring 2026 (PS26) collection launch this month. She tells us all about it.

Is it just you behind Samdi?

Samdi is co-founded by myself and a long-standing industry professional who brings deep commercial and wholesale expertise to the business. We’re a genuinely balanced partnership – both creative and commercial - and that combination has been integral to how we’re building Samdi.

How is Samdi different to Jakke?

Samdi is fundamentally different to Jakke because it begins from a completely new place, both creatively and culturally. While Jakke was rooted in a younger, trend-driven fashion space, Samdi is created from lived experience by its co-founders: two busy women with families who share the same values, and who bring complementary skills to the business. We design for women who are often overlooked by the industry - those beyond fast fashion, but not ready to disappear into ‘timeless basics’. These are women living full, busy lives who want clothes that make them feel confident and comfortable. Every decision starts with her in mind.

From a design perspective, Samdi is also far more detailed. Where Jakke was intentionally minimal in silhouette and finish, Samdi leans into considered details whether that’s distinctive buttons, trims or small design touches that give each piece character and depth.

Jakke was built as a category defining brand. In its inception we were pioneers in premium faux fur at a time when very few brands were doing it well. That early innovation was incredibly powerful and it allowed us to carve out a clear identity very quickly. However, we became best known for outerwear, and that created natural limitations. It was always more challenging to build and scale ready-to-wear when the brand was so strongly associated with one hero category, particularly outside of the autumn/winter season.

Samdi flips that model entirely, placing ready-to-wear at the heart of the brand. It’s about building a complete wardrobe for real life, pieces women instinctively reach for at the weekend; coffee after Pilates, a country walk or brunch that drifts into the afternoon, even a wedding that slips into the early hours. We create clothes that move effortlessly through every chapter of your Saturday. Samdi is a playful twist on samedi, the French word for Saturday.

Why did you walk away from Jakke?

Over time, the market evolved and what once felt disruptive became increasingly crowded, particularly in the faux fur and outerwear space. As more brands entered the faux fur category, it became harder to stand out in a meaningful way.

It also became clear as the business grew, that the leadership and decision making styles between myself and the other co-founders - a father-and-son partnership - were no longer aligned. Those differences were manageable early on, but harder to sustain as the company matured, and we mutually agreed it was time to part ways in 2024. Walking away wasn’t an easy decision, I had built Jakke from the ground up, shaped its visual identity, led the creative vision and was hands-on in every aspect of the business, but I’m incredibly proud of what I achieved and of the impact the brand had under my leadership.

Is Samdi just Direct-to-Consumer or are you wholesaling too?

It’s both. We’re selling direct to consumer through our own website, which is an incredibly important channel for telling the brand story in our own words and building a direct relationship with our customer. That said, from the very beginning we’ve always been clear that wholesale partners play a vital role in building a new brand properly.

Unless you already have a huge social media presence or a cult following from day one, wholesale is still one of the most powerful and credible ways to grow. The right retail partners give you visibility, validation and reach that’s very difficult to replicate online alone, and they introduce the brand to customers who may never discover it otherwise.

We’re approaching wholesale in a very considered way, focusing on alignment rather than volume. We want Samdi to sit in environments that reflect the brand’s values and aesthetic, where the product can really be understood.

What retailers have come on board so far?

We were delighted to launch the PS26 collection with several selected UK independents, including The Dressing Room, Pavement, Treen, The Mercantile London, Collen & Clare and Wild Swans – all offering a refined edit of outerwear, blouses and dresses.

What are the key pieces for the PS26 Samdi launch, and what are the retail prices?

PS26 focuses on a tightly curated edit of statement outerwear and ready-to-wear. Key pieces include the ‘Carrington’ coat (RRP £319) and the ‘Johanna’ reversible shearling jacket (RRP £279), which anchor the collection. On the ready-to-wear side, the dresses are central. There’s ‘Dasha’, in a striking leopard-print (RRP £259), ‘Delaney’, a playful polka-dot dress (RRP £269), and ‘Celeste’, a floor length ivory rose print dress (RRP £199), which has already sold out. Together, they set the tone for the brand.

Who is the real target market?

She’s typically in her late 20s through to her 50s, style aware and confident, with a life that moves between work, family, travel, social plans and weekends that are busy. She cares deeply about how she dresses, but she’s thoughtful about it, choosing pieces that feel right for her now, rather than following trends. She’s drawn to clothes that flatter, feel comfortable and have a point of view. Quality, fit and versatility matter, as does design that works across different moments of her life.

What else can be said about the PS26 collection?

True to my slower fashion philosophy, every garment in PS26 is crafted for longevity and comes with added yarn or a matching fabric swatch - a simple detail that allows for easy repairs and extends the life of the garment.

Following this launch, what are the plans for Samdi in 2026?

We’ve recently partnered with sales agents in Europe, the US and Japan for AW26, which is a huge step for us and reflects the international potential of the brand from an early stage. Moving forward, there will be two collections per year – autumn/winter and spring/summer. We just launched with a PS26 collection due to timing.

How do you plan to get the word out there that you’re back with a brand new brand?

We’re now working with AB Comms (PR agency) which feels like a natural fit as I’ve worked with Anna, the founder, previously and deeply respect her ability to reposition and grow brands in an authentic way. For me, it’s less about announcing that I’m back and more about letting the brand speak for itself and allowing Samdi to grow in a way that feels considered. Our priority is to start with meaningful conversations through trusted industry titles who have supported my journey so far.