Swedish designers are sharpening their scissors, and the result can be seen at Stockholm Fashion Week. Sweden.se was on the scene to chat with four up-and-coming talents about their latest collections.
The Dagmar collection is characterized by a lot of feminine and knitted garments. Photo: Dagmar
Dagmar
Fashion by Dagmar is a family affair. Sisters Karin Söderlind, Sofia Malm and Kristina Tjäder established their women’s clothing brand, named after their late grandmother, in 2005. Their art deco-inspired garments are elegant and simple with a feminine twist. Tjäder gives us a glimpse of what’s to come.
> How would you describe your latest collection?
“We call our spring 2008 collection ‘Work in Progress’ and we have taken inspiration from an art studio. We have a lot of details like black stretch bands that show the direction of the thread. We also work a lot with toile colors such as off-white, and then we have a contrast with the white and the black.
“We have looked a lot at Peggy Guggenheim and Jackson Pollock and their stories. She’s like a style icon for this collection. And he is too, actually. We like to combine a very thin and feather-light cotton fabric or very thin, knitted dresses with something heavy like canvas or a knitted cardigan. Jackson Pollock made fantastic paintings with splashes of color, which was also the inspiration for the prints that we made.”
Karin Söderlind, Sofia Malm and Kristina Tjäder are the Swedish sisters behind the brand Dagmar. Photo: Katja K
> Describe the Dagmar style.
“We want it to be feminine, but not sexy. What you don’t see is actually more interesting that what you see.”
> Name your favorite garment from the new collection?
“A knitted dress that’s like a cocktail dress.”
> What are the up-and-coming trends in Swedish fashion design?
“I think a lot of Swedish brands are inspired by work wear. They also focus on quality.”
> What will people be wearing next spring?
“I think it will be more feminine clothes.“
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The sisters Sofie, Jennifer and Pernilla Elvestedt constitute the new Swedish brand Minimarket. Photo: Minimarket
Minimarket
The Elvestedt sisters, Sofie and twins Jennifer and Pernilla, keep their design in the family. Minimarket, founded in 2006, offers tailored women’s wear. The spring/summer 2008 collection introduces a series called “Box,” where pleats and folds give dresses, skirts and pants a square-like dimension. You’ll see lots of pockets and surprising splashes of color. Sofie talks about the trio’s latest creations.
> How would you describe your latest collection?
“This is our fourth season and we have expanded quite fast. This collection is the largest we’ve made so far. It’s based on black and white striped patterns and we have the accent color in this python green. It’s a bit more wearable than our previous collections. But we still do the typical Minimarket cuts and details, such as adding a bow.”
Minimarket wants python green for all. Photo: Minimarket
> Where do you get inspiration for your designs?
“From each other. One of us has an idea and we evolve that to something we all like. When we’re working on a piece, it inspires another piece, and this has a snowball effect.”
> What materials and colors do you like to work with?
“We always work with silk and cotton and checkered materials.”
> Do you have any favorite designers?
“We’re all fond of Vivienne Westwood and Balenciaga.”
> What will people be wearing in 2008?
“Python green cotton, of course!”
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Swedish brands Cheap Monday and Qoniak take jeans to another level. Photo: Cheap Monday
Qoniak/Cheap Monday
The Cheap Monday and Qoniak labels are the offshoots of Weekday, a Stockholm-based clothing store started by four friends in 2004. Cheap Monday, which can now be found in 28 countries, offers chic jeans on the cheap, while the just-launched Qoniak (pronounced like cognac) is a more exclusive brand. The Qoniak collection is inspired by youth culture. Designers Örjan Andersson and Sanna Atldax talk shop – and denim.
> How would you describe your latest collection?
Andersson: “Our biggest inspiration was when we started to go out to clubs in Stockholm in the early 1990s.”
Atldax: “You always do things that are different from what you did with the last collection. We wanted to bring in color and have more faded denim. We also work a lot with cut and sewn details, both for the denim and other items.”
> What’s your favorite item from this collection?
Andersson: “The white denim jeans with black coloring.”
Atldax: “The reversible black and gray poncho. It’s two garments in one.”
> Any idea what’s next in Swedish fashion?
Andersson: “More colors than before.”
Atldax: “And more nylon…”
> What is the must-have item for spring 2008?
Andersson: “Acid wash jeans.”
Atldax: “And the short, boxy t-shirt.”
> Tell us a bit more about your new label.
Andersson: “Qoniak is a new Weekday brand. It’s a very small collection. It’s a street and jeans brand, more rave and club than Cheap Monday. It’s more of an underground brand. Not so many stores will carry it. The prices are higher.”
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The Lamilla designers stick to black and white in their designs. Photo: Lamilla
Lamilla
Lamija Suljevic and Gabomilla Nielsen met four years ago when they started studying at fashion school in their home town of Växjö. Soon after, they created the Lamilla brand. Their first collection debuted in 2006. Their designs are about contrast, combining softer details such as braids, embroidery, pleats and lace with a harder edge.
> How would you describe your latest collection?
“The Lamilla spring/summer 2008 theme is ‘porcelain nightmares.’ It’s a story told about the fragile border between beauty and painful roughness.”
> The Lamilla style, what is that?
“Lamilla is a concept about the fact that every item is a part of a storyline. Every item, model, picture and installation is a part of the world where our visions meet. We don’t want to mass-produce because of the simple fact that every garment is personal and unique.”
> Are there any common trends or themes in Swedish fashion right now?
“The minimalist style of Sweden goes back a long time. Today many Swedish designers create under the whole retro wave with flowery prints and colorful fabrics. Still, many designers from Sweden also work with the minimalist style and gray scales.”
> What are your favorite colors and materials to work with?
“We work only with black and white. We love to work with fabrics that contrast each other just like our colors do. Heavy versus light, raw versus smooth, etc.”
> What would be the ideal arena to show your clothes?
“If we could pick one place to show Lamilla, we would make a runway around the Eiffel tower with a jazz band playing our favorite songs.”
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When Charlotte West is not mingling around at fashion shows, she works as an editor and freelance writer.
The author alone is responsible for the opinions expressed in this article.
Classification: A209EN
© Photo 1: Dagmar
© Photo 2: Katja K
© Photo 3: Minimarket
© Photo 4: Minimarket
© Photo 5: Cheap Monday
© Photo 6: Lamilla
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