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Monthly archives: September 2011

Airing some dirty laundry…

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Whilst in Milan for Fashion Week, I went to a few shows, but the highlight for me has actually been the re-sees. The craftsmanship and actual handiwork in a lot of the pieces is simply not evident from the runway or the runway pictures. Seeing and touching the clothes in person, I could only marvel at the quality of materials and finishing here in Italy. And then I wondered about the dry cleaning bills that these clothes must accrue, which, rather unwittingly, is a trait that most Swedes apparently share.

Let me explain. In my last post, I spoke about the pragmatic nature of Swedes when it comes to fashion, mainly to do with comfort and style. But it also extends to the care of clothes – namely, if it can’t be machine-washed, Swedes ain’t gonna buy it. Which I’ve been told leads an overwhelming number of Swedish labels (high street to designer) to use washing machine-friendly materials when maybe they want to use, say silk for example, instead. And you can almost forget about any heavy beadwork.

But this (begrudgingly?) accepted wisdom on behalf of both consumers and designers could also stem from the fact that dry cleaning is outrageously expensive here. I took a single “fancy” (read: silk georgette by a New York designer) dress to my local dry cleaners in Stockholm and it cost me near 300 kronor. The cost to dry-clean a similar “fancy” dress in New York City? Nine bucks, or roughly 61 kronor, according to friends there right now. I saw a sign here in a Milanese shop advertising 5kg of dry cleaning for 14 euros, or roughly 129 kronor. Five kilograms!

Maybe the exorbitant dry-cleaning prices in Sweden are actually a subconscious act of protectionism? Forget about those extravagant Italian/French/New York/London labels! Buy locally instead! We’re machine-washable! Hurrah! The irony, of course, is that once again, Swedish pragmatism is winning over the world. I’ve seen people actually clap their hands in delight when they discover the coveted item of clothing from the latest Swedish label can be thrown into the wash. No joke, it’s the little victories like these that are winning more and more people over to Swedish fashion.

But selfishly, would it really hurt to try to bring down those dry-cleaning prices just a little bit? Pretty please?

 

Sabrina Shim - Fashion

September 27, 2011

It’s gotta be the shoes?

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Pistol Short boots by Acne

I’m in Milan right now for Fashion Week. And though I’m a bad (read: indecisive) packer at the best of times, I’m not going to lie – I really agonised for days over what to bring/wear/take-just-in-case. Milan is notoriously well-heeled, while Fashion Week normally produces the best show of heels. Which brings me to the heart of my packing dilemma. I didn’t want to wear high heels to Fashion Week. Hobbling about from place to place is not my thing, though judging from the glamorous street style snaps and by loitering about the venues, it seems that everyone else here is doing fine. (Somewhere someone is probably trying to rip the “Fashionista” Brownie badge off my jacket. Good thing I left it at home.)

Now I realise that the goings on at a Fashion Week are not particularly representative of real-world style, but my rather vain dilemma and the sheer quantity of street style photographers here got me thinking. Is it an overwhelming sense of pragmatism that makes Sweden a darling of the street style brigade? Big-name photographers like the Sartorialist and Facehunter often cite Sweden as one of their favourite places to shoot and have the multitude of photos to prove it. In them, you’ll often find ankle boots instead of 120mm stilettos, loose trenchcoats in place of restrictive pencil skirts, etc.

It’s easy to look fashion-y. But to look stylish with clothes made for everyday life?  Not so much. Hey, “pragmatic” may not be overtly sexy, but it’s just as intriguing because what you’ll see first is individual style and not a piece from so-and-so’s collection.

To bring it back to shoes, my point is perhaps best illustrated by Acne’s Pistol Short boot. Considered to be part of their permanent collection (they have at least one each season, and will often come in different colours) and clocking in at 75 mm-high, Pistol Short has been called the “best ankle boot on the planet” and copied so many times over I’ve lost count. As a result, hordes of people around the world own a pair of Pistol Short boots, or at least a similar approximation of it, and without fail the boots effortlessly blend into any outfit. Adaptable, pragmatic and egalitarian… the Pistol Short boot could be the archetype of Swedish fashion and Swedes in general, no? And how many other countries can claim that?

 

Sabrina Shim - Fashion

September 23, 2011

Ones to Watch: Altewai.Saome

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Altewai.Saome S/S 2012 (Photo by Kristian Löveborg)

For the uninitiated, though it isn’t even officially autumn yet, in the weird and wonderful world of fashion we’re in the midst of S/S 2012 fashion weeks – New York wrapped up last week, London is nearly over, next stop Milan and finally, Paris. Yes, that’s Spring and Summer. Two thousand and twelve. (How I wish I could just skip over winter just like that…) To confuse matters even further, Stockholm held their S/S 2012 shows over a month ago in August. I attended the shows and distinctly remember feeling weirded out then, too.

But I also remember having that giddy feeling, the one you get when you’ve just discovered something new, exciting and critical to your well-being. Or that’s what I’m telling my bank. In my opinion, there were a few standout shows at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Stockholm and I’ll be sharing them with you over the course of the next month or so.

First up, Altewai.Saome. If you blur your eyes together a little bit, I swear it looks like “Awesome”, which could just be my burgeoning Asperger’s or the honest truth. In any case, the design duo of Natalia Altewai and Randa Saome totally impressed me with their sport-inspired S/S 2012 collection, only their third since founding the label in 2009 in Malmö. Neoprene and perforated textiles were neatly juxtaposed against silk and crepe. Sporty, voluminous tops and jackets were paired with sophisticated pencil skirts.

Altewai.Saome S/S 2012 (Photo by Kristian Löveborg)

Altewai.Saome S/S 2012 (Photo by Kristian Löveborg)

Altewai.Saome S/S 2012 (Photo by Kristian Löveborg)

Altewai.Saome S/S 2012 (Photo by Kristian Löveborg)

The most striking element, however, was the level of craftsmanship involved in each outfit. Both designers have spent time working in Italy for some big fashion houses, which frankly shows with their use of intricate beading, textural play (rectangular sequins and waves of chiffon, for instance), colour choices and overall level of finishing. Arguably, Altewai and Saome’s Swedish roots do come through with the simple cuts and accessibility of the collection – though incredibly beautiful, it’s all still easy to wear.

If the after-show buzz was anything to go by, I wasn’t the only one impressed by the S/S 2012 Altewai.Saome outing. And with a concept store in their hometown (i.e., not Stockholm!) and an online shop already under their belt (the A/W 2011 collection is now available), I think it’s a safe bet we’ll be seeing much more of this mould-breaking label here in Sweden and eventually, further abroad.

(See the runway show in all its glory here.)

Sabrina Shim - Fashion

September 20, 2011

Knit Wit

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Hand-made copper crochet top by Sandra Backlund (photo by René Habermacher)

Fact: It’s already been several weeks since the weather got all autumnal on us here in Sweden. For many, this just signals the inevitable descent into winter darkness, but for me, it means I can happily bust out the knitwear. Being cocooned in soft wool or cashmere ranks highly on my list of life’s little pleasures. But for a few years now, there has been a Swedish designer defying the cosy conventions of knitting and creating something entirely her own.

Sandra Backlund graduated from Beckman’s College of Design in Stockholm in 2004 and promptly set up her own label thereafter. Hand-crafted (by her own hands), three-dimensional collage knitting became her hallmark, and all her pieces were special orders made-to-measure. Fêted as an “artist-designer,” Backlund’s works have therefore felt right at home in several museum exhibitions around the world.

Like many others, I marvelled at the intricacy and (wo)man hours involved in each piece. But what really struck me was the sheer innovation needed to create such sculptural clothing. The term ‘body-conscious’ took on completely new meaning – the human body was deliberately emphasised or contorted through the layers of built-up yarn. I was intrigued: What kind of mind comes up with such novel forms? Or is there perhaps some innovative spirit inherent in Swedes? The list of ground-breaking Swedish inventions is impressively long given the size of its population.

For her part, Backlund has not rested on her fashionable (and hard-earned) laurels, instead choosing to evolve. Over a year ago, she started working with an Italian producer of knitwear, challenging herself to add pieces to her collections that would only require a limited amount of manual work.

“It was, of course, a big step for me,” she says, “to go from working alone in my studio, inventing pieces while doing them myself by hand, to suddenly be working with a team of experts within a field of fashion that I never before have had the chance to get to know. I was overwhelmed by all the possibilities I saw and even though I will never give up doing my hand-knitted pieces, I now see how to develop my collections in ways that I never thought was possible.”

Backlund’s  A/W 2010 collection was the first time she started integrating other fabrics into her designs. She pushed herself to apply her iconic knitting techniques to cutting and tailoring, which resulted in familiar-looking yet more retail-friendly ribbed, angled and folded pieces. For S/S 2011, Backlund started experimenting with metal yarn made from 100% copper to stunning effect. So now that we are nearly in full-on autumn mode, I’m beginning to think that I need to innovate, too and start embracing the sculptural side of knitwear for myself.

Sabrina Shim - Fashion

September 16, 2011

Design o’ the Times

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The future of Swedish design? (Melonia by Naim Josefi and Souzan Youssouf)

A common theme running through my last few posts has been the spreading influence of Swedish fashion worldwide. Another is that perhaps the perception of Swedish fashion as a one-trick pony (“cool minimalism”) should start being revised. Both are especially the case when you view contemporary Swedish fashion alongside its other design cousins: textiles, furniture, product design, graphic design, etc.

Let’s look at some internationally renowned Swedish design: Orrefors produce exquisite glass, but they are not afraid to push the boat out a little and even recently landed Karl Lagerfeld as a collaborator. Multi-disciplinary design studio Claesson Koivisto Rune believe in entertaining through design, which comes shining through in their furniture, lighting, buildings and interiors. Meanwhile, Svenskt Tenn and 10-gruppen – predominantly known for their textiles – allow bold colours, prints and whimsy to run riot. Do you feel that façade of Swedish same-ness crumbling yet?

In fact, diversity in Swedish design is being championed during the Design Festival in London that starts this weekend. Featuring various exhibitions, seminars and talks, Hemma: Swedish Design Goes London will explore the varied landscape of Swedish design now. First up, some 50 designers and companies (a good mix of established and up-and-coming) will be exhibiting their works at the home of the Swedish Ambassador. Special Library Talks will shed lights on the trends within Swedish design and architecture, while there will be several chances to have fika (Swedish for an informal gathering of friends for coffee, sweet treats and a chat) with individual designers and companies.

Hemma will also celebrate emerging designers with ung8, a juried selection of Sweden’s best young talents. From industrial design and furniture to ceramics and new concepts, ung8 represents the future of Swedish design. And whilst they aren’t going anywhere soon, a retrospective of Claesson Koivisto Rune will be held at the Skandium shop in Knightsbridge.

So what can we learn about Swedish fashion from Swedish design? If Hemma: Swedish Design Goes London has anything to do with it, it’s that diversity whilst maintaining a strong identity is key to winning over the world.

These Whyred x Folkform candleholders are part of the exhibition at the Residence of the Swedish Ambassador in London.

Hemma: Swedish Design Goes London runs from the 17th to the 25th of September and is a collaboration between the Swedish Institute, the Swedish Trade Council, Svensk Form and the Embassy of Sweden in London. Visit the website for locations, dates and opening times.


Sabrina Shim - Fashion

September 14, 2011