Style in Sweden

Either minimalist and clean or playful and romantic, Mercedes-Benz fashion week in Stockholm was full of contrasts. Homegrown designers displayed their s/s 2011 collections this week and although I am usually a great fan of Swedish fashion I am unfortunately a little bit disappointed this time.

What do you think associate with s/s collections? For me it is most important that they feature something fresh but still chic. In particular since I have lived in Sweden where the winters are dark and cold I just need more colourful clothes during spring.

Most collections presented at fashion week in Stockholm were black, grey, beige and greige, kind of a new colour that is a mixture between grey and beige. Therefore I totally agree with Charlotta Finkenberg, editor in chief at Chic, when she says in her blog that the collections look quite autumnal.

Most exciting were definitely the transparent plastic boots in the Cheap Monday collection although I am not sure how practical or even wearable they are in everyday life. Also Ida Sjöstedt’s leopard hot pants were a real eye catcher.

Next season’s biggest trend? Cheap Monday introduced transparent plastic shoes.

Ida Sjöstedt presented a quite girly and 70s inspired collection.

Filippa K goes minimalist.

Whyred brings back the 90s dress-over-pants look.

Ewa i Walla showed off the most playful pieces including flowers and layers.

Welcome to the circus? The Swedish School of Textile.

The Local Firm sticks to its dark and squarish design.

Tiger of Sweden. Lagom as usual. (*Lagom = so so).

My must have next season: blouses with jabots and bows. But also the feathers in Carin Wester’s are interesting.

Camilla Norrback, casual but chic.

Photos: Kristian Löveborg/ Berns Salonger

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Sorry for the late Stockholm fashion week update but I am in the north of Sweden and internet is not working very well. Anyway, I think Minimarket presented as usual the most interesting collection at fashion week. I am obviously not the only one who loves the clean and comic-like style of Minimarket as the label was awarded the prize for “best designer” in Swedish ELLE magazine this year.

The three designers Sofie, Pernilla and Jennifer Elvestedt pick up elements from the 1960s and transform them in a very modern and unique way. Vintage with a twist! What I like most about their autumn/winter collection 2010 is the focus on yellow, my new favourite colour. It is not surprising that my favourite piece is the yellow coat though I am not sure if it looks strange with my platinum blonde hair.

Interesting are also the overalls presented by Helena Quist or Acne. I think one-piece clothes such overalls and dungarees will become one of this year’s great trends. Fantastic is also the autumn-coloured collection of The Local Firm. Not only the name but also the colours match The Local now. I think it’s time for some office uniforms

Minimarket

Minimarket

The Local Firm

Acne

Carin Wester

Carin Wester

Helena Quist

Lovisa Burfitt

Lovisa Burfitt

Photos: Kristian Löveborg

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Sweden’s greatest designers present their autumn/winter 2010 collections in Stockholm this week. So far it has been so much black, grey and dark that I am wondering how I will survive next winter without becoming depressed. Black is beautiful but just black is a little bit boring, isn’t it? Even the hair of the Cheap Monday models is grey.

I almost felt relieved when I finally saw some more colourful clothes in the collections of Vita and Fillipa K. Most experimental are as usual the pieces of the Beckman design students.

Especially interesting is the collection of Ewa i Walla whose focus is the meeting between the hard working market women and the faded dancer. Inspired by different centuries, the result is a pirate theme without looking childish or ridiculous.

Here are some of the most interesting pieces that I have seen so far:

Cheap Monday

Dr. Denim

Beckman College of Design

Beckman College of Design

Ewa i Walla

Ewa i Walla

Hope

Stylein

Filippa K.

Vita

Whired

Diana Orving

Photos: Kristian Löveborg

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A Swede told me once that Copenhagen is like the black sheep of Scandinavia. “Where else in the Nordic countries is it possible to buy more or less legally drugs in an occupied hippie district?” he said. When I saw the spring/summer 2010 collections displayed at Copenhagen Fashion Week last week I thought about that. The clothes were really more experimental than the ones presented at Stockholm Fashion Week. In particular the accessories were unique. No black sheep, but pigs and donkeys!

Here are my favourite outfits and the craziest ones that I could find. Maybe the donkey will be the next hip pet next summer. Pugs will be out! I’m wondering how Paris Hilton looks like with a donkey on the red carpet?!

Mads Nørgaard

Minimarket

Designers Nest

Henrik Vibskov

Batlak og Selvik

Boss Orange

Bruuns Bazar

BZR

Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair

Ivan Grundahl

Ivana Helsinki

Marlene Birger

MbyM

Pictures from: Sacha Maric / Copenhagen Fashion Week

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Stockholm fashion week is over and I am looking forward to fantastic diverse clothes next year. I always complain that Swedish fashion needs more variety but this time I’m really impressed by the new spring/summer collections 2010.

We have the darker grunge and punk influences in the garments by The Local Firm and Cheap Monday. There are the very cute vintage-looking collections by Dagmar and Islæt and we have also seen the feminine chic line by Säby, Noir et Blanc and Ida Sjöstedt’s who included lots of shiny and glittering materials in her collections.

As I wrote in a  former blog entry, my favourite Swedish designer is Minimarket and after this fashion week the three sisters behind the label could reinforce my opinion. The theme of the new collection is aquarium built in a typical Minimarket manner: colourful, cartoon-like and personal in its shape.

The colour range goes in apricot, mint, coral and greige, with accessories and jackets in cobalt blue suede. Several of the garments are three-coloured, for example the coat ‘anemon’, which is made in greige, apricot and black.

Minimarket displayed also several new accessories such a computer bag in patent leather, a small evening bag and a large bag in suede. The shoe line has widened to five styles including for instance two new ballerinas.

I find the new neater hat is the best piece in the new collection, which Minimarket describes as crossover between a helmet and a cap. Incredible beautiful!

What I love about Minimarket is their creativity and openness. The new collection was displayed in different parks in Stockholm so that everybody had a chance to see the new pieces. I think that’s a great idea! Fashion is the widest spread form of art so that everybody should have the chance to be part of it.

Minimarket.

Dagmar.

Islaet.

Cheap Monday.

The Local Firm.

Ida Sjostedt.

Noir et Blanc.

Pictures from: Kristian Löveborg/ Fashion Week by Berns.

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Scandinavian designers present their spring/summer 2010 collections at Berns Salonger in Stockholm this week and so far I see two obvious trends. The punk and the lady look.

On the one hand, there are the collections of Cheap Monday and The Local Firm, which are very hard and dark including jeans and lots of asymmetric patterns and forms. The shaved heads and smoky make-up of the models underline this dirty and evil image. The collections remind me of Berlin 1980s and early 1990 punk style.

On the other hand, labels like Dagmar, Islæt and Noir et Blanc presented very chic, cheerful and colourful garments including rather clear lines and some vintage influences. The models look very feminine wearing mostly dresses and skirts and have perfectly styled long hair.

Personally, I rather prefer the second variant. I’m particularly intrigued by the Danish label Islæt and it’s Scandinavian expression combined with the colourful and diverse London influence. It’s so beautiful! Like an Alexander McQueen collection on a Scandinavian ‘lagom’ basis!

I also love the cute high heels in the Dagmar collection, which are three-coloured, often blue, red and black and influenced by the Art Deco period of the 1920s and 1930s, especially in terms of the form. The perfect shoe for me!

The spring and summer collection of Cheap Monday was rather disappointing. Every garment looks totally over the top. Too many holes, too much batik and too much that I have seen before.

Today are the final shows at Berns Salonger, presented by Ida Sjöstedt and Bertoni. More punk or more lady? Or something completely different?

Dagmar. I need these shoes so badly!!!

Dagmar.

Cheap Monday.

Cheap Monday. Just too much of everything.

Cheap Monday.

Cheap Monday.

Islaet.

Islaet.

Noir et Blanc.

The Local Firm.

The Local Firm.

Pictures from: Berns Salonger/ Kristian Löveborg

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