Odd Molly A/W 2012 (photo by Kristian Löveborg, courtesy of the ASFB)
For all the talk about “Scandinavian cool” in the fashion circles (and of course, on this blog, too) – minimalist, utilitarian, limited colour palette, not-trying-too-hard – and the international success of labels that champion said looks, such as Acne, Cheap Monday and COS, there is a flipside. Read more » >>
Over a hectic three days earlier this week, the A/W 2012 edition of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week took place in Stockholm. We scampered from one show to the next and scrounged for food when we had a few spare minutes, but once we settled into the venue and the lights were dimmed, the excitement of what’s to come on the runway made it all worthwhile.
With more and more international eyes turning towards Sweden for the latest in nonchalant style and clothes people will actually wear out of the house, the shows provide a glimpse of the next big (wearable) trends in fashion. Here’s a run-down of the top five in womenswear:
1. Grey
Every conceivable shade of grey was represented in nearly all the women’s collections. Whether this is a reflection of the gloomy times or merely a small side-step from that retail favourite black, the trick for it to read as “A/W 2012” is to wear grey head to toe. Altewai.Saome, Hernández-Cornet and Busnel are the perfect examples.
Altewai.Saome A/W 2012
2. Flatforms
Love ‘em or leave ‘em (I love ‘em), but I believe “flatforms” (flat platform shoes) pretty much personify Swedish fashion – they provide height without the hurt, and thereby stylishness without the vanity. While Whyred went British creepers-crazy, Cheap Monday, Minimarket and V Ave Shoe Repair all showed fantastic versions of their own.
V Ave Shoe Repair A/W 2012
3. Peplums
The dictionary calls it “a short overskirt or ruffle attached at the waistline of a jacket, blouse, or dress,” but I think of it as a curious flourish about the hips. Either way, I counted several collections with peplums, Carin Wester and Altewai.Saome being the main proponents. I can see its appeal: peplums visually narrow the waist and accentuate a woman’s curves.
Carin Wester A/W 2012
4. Floor-length skirts/dresses
It’s been awhile that we’ve seen skirts and dresses this long. But to keep it interesting (and sexy), most had thigh-high slits – Filippa K, Dagmar and newcomer Maria Nordström, especially. What I really like about this trend is that you can go glam with heels or comfy with flats. Maybe even the aforementioned flatforms?
Dagmar A/W 2012
5. Loose trousers/jeans
Could it be? Are we really moving away from skinny jeans and trousers? Judging by the A/W 2012 shows, the answer is a resounding “Yes!” Even Cheap Monday, the fervent purveyor of skin-tight denim switched things up and gave us the baggiest jeans possible, cinched high at the waist. Elsewhere, Rodebjer and Filippa K favoured fluid wide-leg trousers.
Cheap Monday A/W 2012
Other wonderful and weird things from Fashion Week:
All photos by Kristian Löveborg, courtesy of the ASFB.
A year is a long time in fashion. Designers can show up to four ready-to-wear collections (spring/summer, pre-autumn, autumn/winter, resort), the turnover of trends occurs at an alarming rate, and new names constantly crop up as older ones fade away (or become “establishment”). While I wouldn’t describe Swedish fashion itself as happening at breakneck speed, it’s certainly been caught up in a whirlwind this year that now has several labels, names and styles on the lips (and backs!) of many around the world. Read more » >>
The computer-generated bodies on H&M's website.
Last week, a newspiece about H&M using models with computer-generated bodies made the rounds on the good ol’ World Wide Web. In case you missed it, the Swedish retail giant admitted that models used for the virtual try-on feature on their site are digitally fabricated and completed with the heads of real models in post-production. To their credit, H&M were quite open about the matter when contacted by news outlets. Read more » >>
A campaign image from the upcoming Versace for H&M collaboration.
Let me count the ways… Read more » >>
… is an editor at Bon Magazine. Born and raised in Toronto, after stints in New York and London she moved to Stockholm in 2007. When not preoccupied with fashion, art and design, Sabrina is known to bake too many cakes and obsess over football and cricket.
…has been writing about fashion since the late 1990s. He’s the editorial director at Bon Magazine and writes a recurring column for Swedish daily Svenska Dagbladet. He thinks the strength of Swedish fashion lies in it being accessible without becoming boring.