Fashion for everyone

Zana Bayne harness, Risto bomber jacket, Rick Owens cardigan, Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair top, jeans courtesy of Charley 5.0, Alexander Wang Sunglasses and boots, bag courtesy of Katherine Kwei, Iosselliani ring.

After a lot of deliberation, I finally got a hold of my very own Zana Bayne harness. It took me a while (let's be honest, a full year) to figure out which color and style I wanted, but I eventually settled for the double-wing harness in brown, which has a nice equestrian feel to it. The harness arrived right in time for fall, and while it's unfortunately too bulky to fit under jackets, it seems to work quite well over them instead. I wore it out this past weekend to go for fika (coffee break) at the Svenksa Kykan (Swedish Church) with Jimmy. Speaking of which, Svenska Kyrkan will be having a Swedish Christmas Fair this weekend, and we'll be stopping by again for ginger snaps and glogg.


Jimmy at Svenska Kyrkan

All photos by Kristian Löveborg.

Just in case it wasn't immediately obviously from the wobbling Cleopatra wigs, Minimarket's Spring collection was inspired by the Ancient Egyptians. Several legendary characters served as muses, including the goddess Isis, Queen Nefertiti, and of course, Cleopatra.  The prehistoric vibe was filtered through a 70's lens, with plenty of dusty orange and green, campy oversized jewels, and high high platform shoes. Of course Minimarket's shoes are always a delight, and even though they're quite difficult to walk in, I'd be willing to give the Spring collection another go. I'm particularly obsessed with the black, orange, and white striped platforms, as well as the floral printed platform brogues.

Student shows are always a mixed bag, which is exactly why they are usually so much fun to watch. While there are inevitably a fair a share of designers who look like Project Runway castoffs, there are also plenty of emerging talents. The Swedish School of Textiles Graduate Show is always saturated with the country's top creatives, and it was one of the shows I looked forward to seeing the most while I was in Stockholm.  While there are plenty of highlights that I will share with you later, I left with a singular obsession with Clara Flygare's collection, "Eternity Now." Combining uber-oversized tent-shaped dresses with hypnotic prints of pyramids, evil eyes, and pagan symbols, the models looked like Bedouin tribeswomen who had arrived at the Blair Witch Trial. I highly suggest you take a look at all of Clara's lookbook photos, as well as her film below. I think you will become obsessed too.


Lookbook photo by Per Moller 


I am the Maenad - Clara Flygare from Everyone We Know on Vimeo.

All photos by Kristian Loveborg.



One of the most unexpected surprises of Stockholm Fashion Week was the Altewai.Saome show. In a bout of laziness, I had seriously considered skipping the show after the Cheap Monday show that took place directly before it ended late. I am so happy I opted to go rather than taking a nap. I had never heard of the brand before, and had no idea what to expect, but what I ended up seeing was one of the best shows of fashion week, and a total departure from the minimalist designs I'm accustomed to seeing from Swedish designers. The Malmo based duo of Natalia Altewai and Randa Saome got their start working at various Italian fashion houses, including Fendi, before deciding three seasons ago to work together on their own line.



For Spring 2012, the designers were inspired by the prototypical modern woman, who balances work and career with an active social life, and whose wardrobe is both sporty and sophisticated. The combination might not sound entirely new, but the interpretation was brilliant. Sculptural neoprene and perforated textiles cut in athletic silhouettes, layered with heavy embroidery and sequined embellishment. The clothes are meant to be versatile enough to wear both to work, and to a late night out, and while I don't know how work appropriate these clothes are, they are definitely feel quite perfect for the dancefloor or a good night out.



Perhaps most importantly, even though the clothes have the fine finishing of a luxury brand out of Paris or Milan, the prices are shockingly reasonable, and in line with the price points of their fellow Swedish designers. Even though the Altewai.Saome flagship store in Malmo was closed when I visited on a day trip to the city on Sunday, I longingly pressed my nose against the windowpane and saw that the majority of the store was 70% off. Somewhat distraught that I could not enter, I found that most of the items are still available on their online shop, and many of the incredible sales clothes are around $100 or even less. As soon as I have a proper postal address in Sweden, I will be ordering myself some new clothes.

Now that Ann-Sofie Back shows her collection in London, the closest you can get to seeing her work at Stockholm Fashion Week is at the Cheap Monday show. The notoriously moody designer splits here time between heading her own collection, and leading the design team for the well-priced denim giant. Back's sources of inspiration are always conceptual, verging on abstract, and this season, the designer referenced the idealism, naivete, and unabashed optimism of her parent's generation as they forged new alternative lifestyles and followed utopian ideals. Nonetheless, the collection visually did not draw from the hippie aesthetic or the back to the land movement, and rather than a literal representation, the bright colors and big personality clothing distilled the essence of the carefree, joyous spirit of the time.

Spending my last two days in Scandinavia in Copenhagen. I think I would be a lot sadder about leaving if I wasn't coming back in two months to a much colder, darker place. Even though it's going to be a rough winter involving lots of ugly weatherproof shoes, Scandinavians are always optimistic about their mild and chilly spring/summer season, and the feeling is contagious. Filippa K Spring 2012 embodies Swedish minimalist cool, the designer sent out her clean and pared-down designs in neutral colors infused with vivid splashes of orange, blue, and silver. Her show is always one of the most highly anticipated shows of Stockholm Fashion Week, and the setting of the Modern Museet was the perfect environment to display the timeless simplicity of the garments. My favorite pieces were tie-dyed in a hazy wash of steel blue and blush pink, and the tie-dye trouser pants are perfect for a typical not-very-warm Swedish summer day. Now if we could only fast-forward through the bone-chilling winter.