Fashion for everyone

My favorite piece, a giant multi-color sweater

I'm a huge fan of Henrik Vibskov, so it's a shame that he seems to designs his clothes for eight-foot tall Scandinavian giants. Every single time I've attempted to try on his garments, I appear to be drowning in his clothes, with the waistline somewhat humorously falling somewhere around my mid-thighs, and the rest of the garment following at a completely ridiculous distance from where it would normally fall on Henrik's impossibly tall fit model. Apparently my 5'1 frame makes me the approximate size of a Danish child? Thankfully, Henrik didn't forget me this time around, and when I stopped by Agentur V to view the Spring 2010 collection I saw a couple of children's sweaters, tucked in next to their gigantic adult counterparts. Maybe I will have to take advantage of this opportunity, since the Spring collection is one of my favorites yet. Vibskov presents his usual panoply of crazy colors mixed together in playful, circus-like prints, with knitwear being his strongpoint. Take a look at these incredible sweaters, and a few of my other favorite highlights from the collection.

A kiddie-sized sweater, possibly made for me?

Would love this bodysuit, if the crotch didn't hang down to my knees

One of my favorite prints, an imaginary cuckoo bird type of creature on an oversized dress

Some cute shades

A circusy looking polka-dot print dress

My dear friend Aapo is interning for Daniel Palillo in Finland right now, and sent over these images from Daniel's new lookbook. I emailed him back to ask what the inspiration for he collection was this time, and unfortunately he doesn't seem to have a clue, so your guess is as good as mine. The collection is typical Palillo fare: super-oversized tees adorned with giant graphics, decisively placed holes (this time, lined with tubular rims), and plenty of tent shaped silhouettes that balloon out from the body. Dubbed "Helsinki All Night," I can only imagine that it's partially an ode to all of Finland's wildly dressed club kids and fashion set. Miss you Aapo, now can you please send me one of those holey-sweatshirt jacket things?

Stine Goya blanket coat and sweater, Blumarine skirt, French and English Confectioner's patent leather backpack, Dieppa Restrepo brogues, scarf courtesy of Wood Wood, sunglasses courtesy of Urban Outfitters, vintage turban, H&M tights, necklace courtesy of Ben Amun, Triskaidekaphobia ring.

I know I've already written plenty about the Around the World collections, and the event we DJ'd last week at Urban Outfitters, but I genuinely cannot get enough of it. I have been a longtime fan and supporter of many of the Scandinavian designers involved, and am so happy to have them at arms reach rather than an ocean away that I've started making compulsive visits to the store to see if new stuff has come in (yes, I am a freak and I need to get a life). As I mentioned earlier, I was lucky enough to score the Stine Goya blanket coat that I had been eying all winter at a serious discount during the party, and it's been perfect for the recent round of mild weather we've been having in New York. Now that the spring collections are making their way into the stores, I have my eye on a whole new lot of goods. The U.O. team really outdid themselves putting together the lookbooks, hiring emerging photographers from all across the globe to shoot each of the different designers involved, as well as commissioning infamous director and artist Harmony Korine to shoot the Spring Preview. In some shots, the clothes are a little difficult to make out, but you can get a general idea. I know that our friend Carin Rodebjer's confetti printed pants are on the top of my wishlist!


The Local Firm photographed by Tania Shcheglova and Roman Noven

YMC dress photographed by Zhang Jungang & Li Jie

Rodebjer cape photographed by Charlie Engman

Rodebjer top photographed by Harmony Korine

Rodebjer pants photographed by Harmony Korine

Minimarket dress photographed by Harmony Korine.

Christina and I with our polaroid photos from the Impossible Project. Photo by Urban Outfitters. You can see the rest of the photos from the event here.

Last Friday, Christina and I had the pleasure of DJing a party at the Broadway Urban Outfitters celebrating the latest arrivals from the Around the World collections. As I've mentioned before, Around the World brings together some of my favorite labels from across the globe, and on this occasion, fans of the lines got to meet the designers behind Dagmar, Minimarket, The Local Firm, and Rodebjer. Normally, I have to go back to Stockholm to get full access to these lines, so it's really nice and convenient to have them all here in one place. Everyone was given passports to stamp at each designer's booth, which they could later exchange for a treat-filled goodybag, including stuff from Rodebjer, Stila, Nyx and Urban Outfitters. They also enjoyed free manicures by Tracylee, drinks from Izze, and polaroid snaps from The Impossible Project.

I personally was excited to meet some of the designers who I hadn't met before, catch up with old friends who were participating in the event (hi W29!), and eat plenty of the hard-to-find Swedish candy on hand. Of course I couldn't help myself from doing some shopping while I was there, and bought a Stine Goya cape that was on sale from the previous fall collection. Stine, who unfortunately was not on hand for the event, is one of my all time favorites (I even chose to wear one of her dresses to the event), and thanks to Around the World, she's finally available on a large scale in the U.S. market. Now if they could only get the excellent Weekday collaborations in stock, I wouldn't miss Stockholm nearly as much! What do you say Team Urban? Can we work on it?

I wore my Stine Goya dress, DIY Rodarte leggings, Giraffe wedges courtesy of 80%20, Cheap Monday socks, vintage turban, and Triskaidekaphobia matchstick necklace. Photo by Joanne Perez of Pretty Provocative, see her coverage of the event here.

Linda, the designer of Minimarket, in head to toe Minimarket of course! Photo by Urban Outfitters.

Kristina from Dagmar

Some cute pieces from the Wood Wood collection. The kiss print blouse has Amanda's name written all over it!

Lea and Axel from The Local Firm. Photo by Urban Outfitters.

Joyce from Urban with an armful of passport stamps.

Free manicures by Tracylee! Photo by Urban Outfitters.

The crowds getting their designer passports stamped! Photo by Urban Outfitters.

All photographs courtesy of Kristian Loveborg and Berns Salonger.

So, this is major catch-up from Stockholm Fashion Week, which now seems like an eternity ago, although I have to say the August weather there was not dissimilar to the November weather here (i.e., in the 50's and rainy). I saw Sara Andersson's degree presentation, Prepositions, at the Swedish School of Textiles graduate show, and it was one of the highlights of the entire week. I was immediately drawn in by the sculptural headpieces, neckpieces, and belts, that transformed the silhouette of the body into a cubist abstraction. Still, it's important not to get too distracted by the outrageous accessories; underneath are some incredible cool, chic, paired-down pieces. The collection is a bundle of contradictions: basic tee shapes rendered in strange plasticy looking textiles, dull colors spruced up by pops of gold sparkle, simple but statement making. None of these pieces would look out of place at my favorite new downtown arrival, Creatures of Comfort. I know grad collections usually never make it to production, but here's hoping that Sara's collection will pop up on Not Just A Label...

Noir et Blanc cape dress

While Jimmy and I sadly won't be returning to Stockholm for Christmas this year, we won't be missing the chilly climates and non-existent sunlight (we're going to San Francisco and Hawaii instead, ha!). Nonetheless, I will certainly be missing the shopping, especially since sale season will be in full swing. I've contented myself with the fact that many of my favorite Swedish designers and stores have excellent online boutiques, which is the best substitute for the real thing. That's why I was particularly ecstatic when I discovered Kotyr, a webshop entirely dedicated to new and under the radar Scandinavian designers. While they stock a couple of my favorites like Nakkna and Noir et Blanc, they also carry a wide range of designers I've never heard of before, and haven't seen stocked anywhere else. The stock isn't quite as directional as most young boutiques, and instead it feels a little like an indie department store with something for everybody: you, your mom, and maybe even your grandmother too. The one common focus is on luxury, quality, and unique and inspirational design. While the site is entirely in Swedish (run it through a translator), they do ship worldwide. Here are a couple of pieces that I'm eyeing.

Camilla Wellton Kimono Coat

Soddu dress

Camilla Wellton Urban Elfin Coat

Hanna af Ekstrom rope necklace

Even though I'm going to try my best to keep everything up to date, there might be a slight slow down in posting due to fashion week. I actually have come to realize that I have a limit to how many shows I can attend, and really can't handle any more than six or seven per day. I don't know how other people do it, in the dead of winter, wearing high high heels and ridiculous outfits. It might sound silly, but you have to have a certain amount of athletic endurance to run between shows spread far and wide across town while lugging weighty amounts of crap everywhere. Either that or the personal wealth/stature to hire a driver to chauffeur you from place to place. Obviously I have none of these things.

Anyway, before I start posting photos from the shows, I would like to invite all of you New Yorkers to a very special event that we're DJing at Urban Outfitters next Friday, once all the craziness has died down. As you know, U.O.'s Around the World series is a favorite of mine, bringing together some of my favorite emerging designers from Scandinavia and the rest of the world. For the first time ever, you will also be able to meet all of these designers in one place too, and from 4-8pm there will be a designer meet and greet at U.O.'s Soho location. Visiting designers include our friend Carin of Rodebjer as well as Carin Wester, Stolen Girlfriends Club, Minimarket, The Local Firm, Stine Goya, House of Dagmar, Wood Wood, Madras by A.P.C., and Le Mont St. Michel. Make sure to RSVP--everyone on the guestlist will get 20% off merchandise during the event! See you there!

"The Dentist" designed by Johan Toorell

Throughout my high school years, I essentially lived in graphic tees and corduroy pants. As I grew older, I felt that I had matured beyond my shapeless tom-boy style, and by my twenties, I had shoved my massive collection of tees to the farthest recesses of my closet, swearing that I would only wear more age-appropriate attire. Jersey shirts would be relegated to sleepwear, and I would only wear "real" shirts (you know, of the silk and/or button-down variety, like all the other grown-up/elderly ladies I know). Still, I could never bear to throw my tees away, and over the past year, have been pulling them out of oblivion, one by one. After all, there isn't anything more comfortable to wear, and easier to throw on. In fact, for the first time in years, I've found myself actively looking for new tees to buy, realizing just how versatile they can be.

Enter T-Post. This Swedish company puts a spin on the standard t-shirt subscriptions by selecting lauded designers from around the world to create graphic tees to accompany eccentric news articles. While there are a wide variety of design styles and stories from issue to issue, they share the common thread of being wearable conversation pieces. One of the main goals of the creators is to use design "as a subversive tool to instigate meaningful thought, conversation, and action." Costing around $30 a month, it's a relatively inexpensive way to make a statement. Here are a few of my favorite designs, including a t-shirt by Lovisa Burfitt, which I was lucky enough to receive in the mail, and is already well-loved and in the wash.

"Aggression Is Its Own Award" designed by Von

"Casette Cure" designed by Lovisa Burfitt

"The New Explorer" by DanHasPotential

"Super Drugs" by Ragnar Persson

Ribbon Woodpecker clog

I know how most of you feel about clogs. Most approach them with acute disdain, while a few raging fanatics (Christina included) are dying to bring them back. I myself am on the fence: I don't usually mind them on other people, but don't foresee myself adding them to my closet anytime soon. When Aapo sent me pictures of these Finnish "Woodpecker Clogs" from a store in Helsinki called Onni, I began to think about changing my stance. Made out of a wedge of wood riddled with Woodpecker style holes, and several strands of cord or ribbon, they have the traditional heft and clunk of a clog, but wrap around your foot with the grace of a ballerina slipper. The most enticing part of the brand however seems to be the shop itself, which is located in one of the designer's homes, and where they make their goods on the premise and take orders directly from the customers. It's supposed to be reminiscent of the way that traditional cobblers worked in the "olden times," and I love the way that many of their handmade designs are infused with a sense of craft, without looking out of date.

Cord Woodpecker Clog

Woodpecker Clog made with multicolor rags

I also fell for this ridiculous looking children's bag made out of rags and woven with stuffed animals

The interior of the Helsinki store

Dagmar shopper, vintage Chanel Jacket, Missoni skirt, Rodebjer tee, Marc x Marc Jacobs flats, Margarita Saplala scarf, American Apparel tights, DIY necklace, Forever 21 headband

The House of Dagmar is starting to hit it's stride. Founded by three sisters, the Stockholm based brand has been pushing it's unique "arty chic" style since 2005, and this season introduced some amazing prints to complement their usual roundup of impeccable knits. Named after the sister's late grandmother Dagmar, the brand somehow manages to create on-trend bodies that still maintain a touch of old world quality. The line is decidedly sultry without being overtly sexy, perfectly feminine without being frivolously girly. In fact, the collection looks like a constant working of checks and balances. While I'm not the best at exercising refinement (or any trait that requires a sense of moderation), I do appreciate the work that goes into it, and I found more than couple personal favorites in the Spring 2010 collection, which I took pictures of when I was at the W29 Showroom press day. Best of all, I walked away with a Dagmar shopper as part of the goodybag, covered in one of their new electric blue prints. Since I have yet to master the perfectly put together look, I wore it my way, mismatched and clashing with plenty of other prints from my closet.

My favorite piece in the collection, a slinky knit dress with a corseting detail around the bust

For spring they introduced this kaleidoscopic floral print

A sweet denim motorcycle jacket

A bustier print tee

The same print translated onto a cardigan