Exploring Sunnei – A Digital Walkthrough of One of My Favorite Fashion Brands
Apr 18, 2025
By [stroem]
There are fashion brands you admire from a distance, and then there are those you live with season after season. For me, Sunnei belongs in the latter category. Based in Italy, Sunnei has built a distinct world of wearable art—playful yet minimal, bold yet refined. Their digital presence mirrors this beautifully.
In this article, I walk you through their online store experience, sharing insights from a user, a fan, and a digital strategist’s perspective. Whether you're a fellow Sunnei admirer, a UX designer, or a fashion e-commerce professional looking for best practice inspiration, this one’s for you.
sunnei.it
The Homepage: Quiet Drama and Seasonal Energy
From the moment you land on sunnei.it, it’s clear: this is not your average fashion site. Their homepage acts as a canvas—shades of grey serve as a neutral stage for seasonal storytelling. At the time of writing, the Spring–Summer collection is in full bloom, with soft seafoam tones, powdery pastels, and unexpected metallic accents.
Sunnei updates its homepage often, using it to highlight new drops, collaborations (like the ongoing one with Camper), and curated edits. This rhythm keeps the site feeling alive—like a flagship boutique you return to, not just a shop window.
The “View All” feature right up front? A dream. It lets you dive into the full offering without friction. You need to scroll down for a bit though.
Navigation: Structured Minimalism with a Twist
Sunnei’s site architecture balances simplicity with flexibility. The main navigation sits neatly—modern and uncluttered. Each major category includes a clearly labeled "All" button, allowing you to browse the full range at any time. It's intuitive and fast, especially for repeat users like myself.
The search bar is helpful but needs a little love: as I typed for "striped dress" I received two qualified suggestions alongside t-shirts and glasses (happens to the best of us!).
Brand Snapshot
Founded | Late 2014 |
Origin | Launched as a menswear brand; expanded to womenswear in 2018 |
Founders | Loris Messina (France) and Simone Rizzo (Italy), both with backgrounds in digital marketing |
Core identity | Sunnei blends the practicality of streetwear with the refinement of high fashion, creating collections defined by offbeat coolness, conceptual design, and clever cultural references. Rather than chasing trends or using heavy branding, Sunnei focuses on originality, wearability, and personal expression. |
Ideal customer | Independent creatives who don’t need to buy themselves an identity through clothes. |
Commercial trajectory & success | Rumour has it that Sunnei gained momentum through a smart, organic Instagram-first strategy, without spending on traditional marketing. The brand initially saw huge traction in South Korea, followed by success in Japan, China (via Lane Crawford), and later the US and Europe. Early retail support from stores like SSENSE and the launch of their own e-commerce platform helped fuel consistent growth. Vanguards Group owns (Nanushka, Aeron) owns a majority stake since 2020. |
Headquarters & flagship | Now: a store-cafe-gallery at Via Privata Pietro Cironi, 15, 20133 Milano MI, Italy. Originally at Via Vincenzo Vela in Milan– a hybrid space that served as studio, store, and creative hub. |
Tech stack (brief) | Sunnei.it is built on Shopify Plus, leveraging 20+ native features. It uses Shopify’s built-in analytics, alongside Google Analytics 4 (GA4), Google Tag Manager, Facebook Pixel, and TikTok Conversion Tracking. The site offers extensive payment options, and likely uses Klaviyo for email marketing and customer data analytics. |
Iconic pieces (in my humble opinion) | "Everyday I wear Sunnei" long-sleeves, Labauletto shoulder bag, rubberized earrings (and the earcuff for the multiples!). |
Surpring fact | Bigger in Seoul before Milan knew their name (sadly home is often where the recognition comes last). |
Product Listing
The Grid
Women’s section (All) takes you to a product grid that’s calm, clean, and quietly confident. The soft grey background continues, giving the spotlight to the clothing itself—rich textures, unexpected silhouettes, and signature Sunnei tones.
Speaking of the product grid—Sunnei does offer a variety: 3-4-column at the homepage (startpage), 3-column in the search results, 4-column in "All" for each product category and a 6-column grid for larger categoeris as "Women/Men". Did they run A/B tests to support this decision? - to me unknown.
As a user, I’d love a chance to choose: a grid layout toggle woudl be perfect—especially for desktop. A 4-column grid with larger thumbnails would make the experience more premium. That said, the grid is well spaced, the typography is consistent, and the product images shine.
There’s a filter and sort system in place, though not placed where you’d typically expect it, but once discovered, it functions well. You can filter by size and color, and sort products with ease.
Hover & Image Browsing
While some fashion e-commerce sites go all-in on flashy hover effects, Sunnei opts for a more measured approach. Hovering over a product doesn’t autoplay an image change, but you can browse alternate views using sleek arrows on the sides or dots at the bottom of the image frame. Some items have two or three angles, which is great for understanding texture and fit—might be a deal breaker for online fashion.
Product Pages: Function Meets Fashion
Sunnei’s product pages are simple, fast-loading, and rich in detail without feeling overwhelming. Here's what stands out:
Breadcrumbs make backtracking easy
Shipping info is visible upfront
Returns and policies open in a new tab—smart and considerate
Size guides include both cm and inch, with international conversions (US, EU, IT, JP, KR)
One note: some items only show product-flat images, without being worn by a model. This might be fine for returning customers who already know the fit—but new users might struggle with sizing confidence.
Also, scrolling through images can feel slightly tedious—thumbnails below the main image would solve this beautifully.
The Shopping Experience
What I really appreciate about shopping online is how intuitive and personal the process can feel, even without all the bells and whistles. During this visit, I explored one of Sunnei´s long sleeves—a staple piece I already own in another color, so I knew the quality and fit would meet expectations.
The product page gave me just enough information: the fabric looked familiar, the tone was just right, and while the model images were missing for this particular item, I didn’t mind because I already had a similar one in my wardrobe. That said, more styled shots on a model would definitely help new customers get a better sense of silhouette and fit.
Once I selected the shirt, I moved to checkout, where the process was quick and smooth. Here’s a nice detail: as soon as you enter your address, the site automatically updates the prices to your local currency. This small feature creates a more seamless and localized experience—but honestly, I’d love to see that adaptation happen earlier, ideally on product pages or even upon arrival to the site. It’s a subtle trust-builder, especially for international customers.
The checkout itself was minimal and user-friendly. You can choose PayPal for quick checkout, log in or provide your credentials manually. Shipping is standard, no express shipping is offered and for shipping to Sweden (and probably the rest of the EU) we are looking at a cost of approx. 20 EUR. Once you shop for 300 EUR+ the shipping is free of charge. There’s even the option to pick up your order in Sunnei’s flagship store in Milan—a cool perk for locals or travelers.
The cart is pretty standard. Nice feature with the upsells module, but I would love some Sunnei playfulness here. Everything you need is present and it is all very structured and clear. There are different payment solutions: card payments by most major providers, AliExpress and WeChat Pay (perfect for Asia), Klarna (essential in Sweden), Scalapay (new to me), and PayPal.
Great idea to put exactly all necessary links in the bottom: Refunds, Shipping policies, Terms, Privacy, Contact—good job!
In short, the shopping experience with Sunnei is deliberately minimal, but internationally aware. It’s not overloaded with content or upsells, and it respects your attention span—just enough nudging, but never too much.
What Could Be Improved
Missing model imagery for many products
Many products lack images showing the fit on a person—an extra shot or two could boost buyer confidence and reduce returns.
No image gallery grid on product pages
The current scroll-only image viewer slows comparison. A thumbnail grid would enhance browsing, especially for visually driven shoppers.
Filter placement
Filters are not where users expect (top left/center or right) and could be overlooked by first-time visitors.
Lack of layout options
Desktop users can't toggle between product listing (grid) views—offering 2- or 4-column toggles would improve UX for power browsers.
Minor UI quirks
Occasional scroll delays or slow-loading interactions (especially in the image gallery and filter modules) slightly disrupt the otherwise smooth experience.
Pricing in local currency comes late
Prices only adapt after entering a shipping address—earlier conversion (e.g. via IP recognition) would reduce friction and boost clarity.
Consistency in policies and some minor editing mistakes
Free shipping for orders over 300 EUR on product pages conflict with the offer of free shipping over 200 EUR in the header (this is dated April 8, 2025).
Some product texts could be aligned better.
Sunnei on Social Media: A Curated Identity With Room to Breathe
Sunnei doesn’t just design clothes—they design presence, too. In a digital space overflowing with noise, the brand has chosen a calm, curated, and deeply intentional approach to social media. Instead of trying to be everywhere all the time, Sunnei chooses to focus on just two key platforms: Instagram and Weibo.
On Instagram, they recently wiped and reshaped their feed into a minimalist visual archive—just 18 posts at the time of writing. It feels more like an art gallery than a content stream, allowing space for each image and moment to breathe. And unlike many fashion brands that post daily or even hourly, Sunnei posts only when they have something to say. Sometimes that means multiple posts in a week, other times a break for a month or more—and it works.
Their Weibo strategy follows a similar rhythm. On average, they share 1–2 posts a week, but occasionally skip entire weeks. Instead of shouting to be seen, Sunnei speaks thoughtfully—when it matters.
This refusal to play by the frequency game feels almost radical today. In the current climate of content hysteria, Sunnei is a fresh breath of air—reminding us that quiet confidence often speaks louder than the loudest voice in the room.
And with their 10-year anniversary recently marked, they showed again how to honor a milestone with restraint, beauty, and intent. No overblown campaigns, just meaningful moments.
Sunnei’s New Store in Milan: More Than Just Retail
If you’re planning a trip to Milan—or if you’re lucky enough to live there—you’ll definitely want to stop by the new Sunnei Store – Café – Gallery, which opened just a few weeks ago.
📍 Via Privata Pietro Cironi 15, 20133, Milano
🕒 Open daily from 10:30AM to 7:30PM
Located inside the brand’s headquarters, Palazzina Sunnei, this isn't just a boutique—it’s a multi-sensory retail experience. The space was designed in collaboration with the architecture studio @2050.plus, and it blends fashion, design, art, music, and culture in a way that feels refreshingly non-traditional.
Think: a café serving a curated menu of food and beverages, a gallery atmosphere showcasing exclusive collaborations, and unique design touches like mycelium-insulated sound systems and cc-tapis rugs. The result? A hybrid space that redefines what a fashion flagship can be—inviting, inspiring, and quietly radical.
Whether you’re there to shop, sip, or soak up the atmosphere, the store is a living extension of Sunnei’s philosophy: one that puts creativity, community, and cultural expression at the forefront.
Best Practices & Digital Inspiration from Sunnei
Minimalist but functional homepage
Regularly updated to reflect drops and collabs, it feels like a living extension of the brand—not a static storefront.
Checkout clarity
International-friendly, adapted for Asia, US and Europe, PayPal-ready, and straightforward—plus a subtle upsell module done with restraint.
Intentional social media strategy
Less is more. Posting when there's something to say (not just to stay visible) gives Sunnei a calm, confident voice in a noisy feed. Instagram- and Weibo-powered growth: Built on organic reach, collabs and digital-first intuition, their marketing is targeted, visual, and authentic.
Physical-meets-digital retail
Sunnei´s new concept space in Milan—a café-gallery-store hybrid—extends the brand IRL without losing its visual DNA online.
Final Thoughts
In a sea of fashion brands trying to find their voice, Sunnei knows exactly who it is—and that clarity extends into every pixel of their digital flagship. The site is understated but powerful, just like their clothing. With a few minor UX tweaks, it could become a masterclass in fashion e-commerce design.
But even now, it’s one of the best examples of how brand identity, UX, and visual storytelling can coexist seamlessly in an online space.
♡ Like this one? There’s more where that came from. Fashion UX, clever commerce moves, and brand storytelling magic—served fresh every week.
Disclaimer & Sources
This article is created for informational, educational, and editorial purposes only. It reflects the author's personal experience and professional analysis of Sunnei website, and digital presence. All opinions expressed are independent and do not imply any affiliation with, endorsement by, or sponsorship from the brand or its parent company.
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