In her current role as lead art director at C&A, she brings all of this experience and her passion for sustainable fashion into her creative work. Sustainability is a theme that is deeply embedded in both her career and daily practice. C&A has been committed to sustainable processes for many years, pursuing ambitious goals such as reducing CO₂ emissions and increasing the use of sustainable materials. Another important step in C&A's sustainable approach is the decision to remove leather and newly plucked down from its range.

In addition to her creative work at C&A, Nicole stays engaged with the latest trends and challenges in the fashion world, working on projects that blend fashion with sustainability. Tenerife was chosen as the production location for the upcoming swimwear collection due to the island's unique location and diverse natural environment, which provide ideal conditions for the shoot.

The swimwear photographed in Tenerife by Jana GERBERDING c/o BIRD was crafted with LYCRA® XTRA LIFE™, making these pieces particularly durable – they withstand sun, heat, chlorine, and lotions and retain their shape up to 10 times longer. By using 20% recycled LYCRA® EcoMade fibers, we also contribute to a lower environmental impact without compromising on performance. For five years, C&A has been committed to raising awareness of breast cancer. Last year, it introduced post-operative bras, and now it’s taking this initiative a step further with the launch of two swimwear styles specifically designed for post-mastectomy needs. It’s more than just a collection – it’s a step forward in thoughtful fashion.

Sustainability is a central theme in your work at C&A. How do you integrate this theme into your creative process, and what role does it play in your daily work? Nicole: For me, sustainability is inextricably linked to the topic of quality—both professionally and personally. High-quality standards automatically mean a conscious and responsible use of resources, the promotion of ethical production conditions, recyclability, longevity, and, ultimately, the reduction of consumption. I try not to view sustainability as a rigid set of rules, but rather as an attitude that is organically integrated into the creative process, with the goal of creating products and content that are valuable, relevant, and sustainable.
Striving for quality is an extremely creative process that continually leads me to question existing standards, seek new solutions, and combine design with meaning. For me, it means balancing aesthetics and responsibility – whether through the choice of high-quality materials or timeless concepts that transcend fleeting trends.

What makes Tenerife so special for C&A as a production location, and what creative advantages does it offer you as an art director? Nicole: Tenerife offers ideal conditions as a production location. In addition to the year-round stable climate and easy accessibility from Germany, it’s above all the impressive variety of locations that make the island so special. From white and black sand beaches, volcanic landscapes, to urban settings – the range is extraordinary and allows for the creation of a wide variety of moods and visual worlds in one place. For me as an art director, this means maximum creative freedom: I can switch between nature, architecture, and urban backdrops in a very short space of time, without major logistical overhead.

Is there talent available locally, or did the entire team have to be flown in? Nicole: For this swimwear shoot, we worked together with a team from C&A, creatives from Berlin, and Tenerife. So, it’s all about the good mix.

We’re very excited to welcome Nicole and the C&A Creative Department in person again this year at UPDATE.

www.nicolehardt.com
www.canda.com
www.update.salon


 
06.05.2025 show complete article

CREDITS
CLIENT C&A
PRODUCTION Kurve Entertainment GmbH
HAIR & MAKEUP Saskia Krause c/o Basics.Berlin
PHOTOGRAPHER Ender Suenni c/o BOSCHtoBANRAP
16.07.2024 show complete article

Doing good is and always has been at the core of C&A’s purpose. With a clear objective : We aim to contribute to a better world by supporting good causes, while doing what is right – not only in C&A’s own operations but also along the company’s supply chain.

Which is why C&A is constantly exploring new ways of supporting social suppliers – like Rangsutra – to scale their production and, by doing so, increase their impact to improve livelihoods for people in disadvantaged situations.

Rangsutra x C&A collection – Stronger together. Supporting women. Supporting artisans. Labor of love for sustainability activist and C&A Art Director Nicole Hardt.

Rangsutra : A social enterprise in India fights for gender equity. As most garment workers are women, C&A aims to support equal rights along the supply chain. Which is why we decided to partner with a social supplier who focuses on women’s empowerment.

Founded by Sumita Ghose, Rangsutra’s goal is to create opportunities for inclusive growth and act as a bridge to international markets. C&A decided to partner with Rangsutra by offering a unique Rangsutra x C&A collection of high-quality hand-embroidered pieces to our customers in stores and online to support Rangsutra in their vision of positively impacting Indian communities.

Because it matters what you wear – Together with Rangsutra, C&A has developed a contemporary and finest-quality collection of exclusive hand-embroidered pieces celebrating traditional Indian craftsmanship. The Rangsutra x C&A collection is made up of unique pieces embroidered by artisans from rural India, combining traditional techniques with contemporary design. Each and every piece documents India’s rich craft heritage with handmade embroidery.

Rangsutra empowers artisans in rural areas in India by providing them with the skills and the network to offer unique hand-embroidered garments to customers across the globe. The artisan shareholders are producers as well as decision-makers who participate actively in the supply chain.

Building upon their traditional heritage and skills, Rangsutra allows the 2,000 artisans – 80% of which are women – to thrive and improve their livelihoods. Each product Rangsutra makes follows a fair trade process which means, among other things, equal opportunity for artisans, fair wages, flexible work hours, knowledge transfer and training.

Sumita Ghose is an Indian entrepreneur who started the Rangsutra collective, for which she received the Nari Shakti Puraskar award from the President of India. Today, hundreds of artisans are shareholders of Rangsutra. They sell their goods through the company and thus bridge the gap to global customers such as C&A.

The limited collection was available on 16 May 2024 in 48 selected stores across Europe and in the C&A online shop.
 
10.06.2024 show complete article