Style in Sweden

Every fashionista was shocked when the news about Alexander McQueen’s suicide came out. The fashion world has definitely lost one of its greatest talents.

McQueen was known as the bad boy and rebellion in the fashion industry as he was able to interpret often antique themes in a futuristic way like no one else. Always one step ahead! Always next level! Always provocative!

When it comes to trends, McQueen is currently most influential with the pattern houndstooth, which he brought back in his autumn/winter collection 2009. You see it everywhere in every size. I have for instance a coat in houndstooth.

I think rebellions are important in every kind of group, society and system as they question traditional ways of thinking and show alternatives.

Sweden’s most successful designers are no rebellions. Compared with McQueen, they are almost a little bit boring. I don’t want that every Swedish designer becomes totally avant-garde but shouldn’t there be one who is wild and crazy? Swedish designers are fantastic but I think they are shy in an international comparison. Very Swedish somehow! Or as they say in Swedish “lagom är bäst”, which  means something like “moderation is best”.

The saying is linked to the idea of equality. Everybody is supposed to be equal. Don’t think that you are better than the other ones! Equality is important and should be one of the major aims of a society but sometimes I have the feeling that the aspect of diversity is getting lost in Sweden. As if the saying was: don’t think that you are different than the other ones!

When I was new in Sweden we discussed in my film class that many Swedes consider it is cool to be unswedish (osvensk). At that time I couldn’t understand at all why. Not because I thought that everything in Sweden was so fantastic but I was wondering how a culture could be cool or not cool. Today I understand what my classmates and teacher meant. People who want to be unswedish are tired of sameness and monotony.

Regarding fashion, I think Sweden really needs a rebellion or bad boy/girl who dares to be different and unique: someone like McQueen. Such a rebellion would contribute alternative fashion and also alternative ways of thinking, which could increase diversity in other areas, too.

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Robyn is not only known for being one of Sweden’s greatest and most successful musicians at the moment but also for her unique style. Last weekend she even got the prize for style icon of the decade at the ELLE awards.

I think she really deserves the prize because she is always a step ahead and creates trends. In particular her short and platinum blond haircut has been copied by many girls and also guys. I also think that her gender-neutral style is very representative for the 00 decade in Sweden where women with boyish bodies and hairless men have ruled the runways and nightclubs.

Regarding Sweden’s most fashionable men, The Hives should have been awarded. I think their style is like a Macbook… black and white, iconic, simple and always up to date.

Photo 1 from: Hanky

Photo 2 from: Luger

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