Unzipped and Effortless at Days Two and Three of Stockholm Fashion Week
For most of us, high school is the time when looking cool on a budget is of utmost importance. Fittingly, Cheap Monday’s show took us back to prom—albeit a very jaded one. As guests filed in, youthful models were already on display, bathed in spotlights and slow dancing to an ominous soundtrack. The fabrics, from denim to corduroy, were heavy and structured. The palette was somber: browns and grays interrupted with splashes of metallic. The knapsacks and relaxed silhouettes were youthful, but hardly juvenile. These kids may not be into fun and games—hell, they probably aren’t capable of cracking a smile—but they sure do look cool.
House of Dagmar’s presentation was all about shape and construction, and we aren’t talking your run-of-the-mill streamlined Scandinavian silhouettes. A gorgeously tailored coat zipped (or unzipped) straight up the back. Leather pants billowed unexpectedly, and skirts fell away from the body in softened pleats. Inspired by the black and white works of Picasso both in shape and color, it was a decidedly more mature and understatedly ambitious collection from the three sisters behind Dagmar. “I’ve been working with different materials, shapes, and placement of zippers,” explained head designer Kristina Tjäder. And she pulled it off with apparent ease… mostly. “It all went very smoothly,” she said. “Except for the latex—that was a bit difficult.”
Ida Klamborn took home the rookie prize at the Swedish ELLE Awards earlier this month, so expectations were high for her Fall 2014 collection. Luckily, the newcomer rose to the occasion, offering a high-energy show marked by clean, modern construction. Spaghetti-stringed halter tops worn over t-shirts were both sporty and modern and a live performance by Swedish rapper Silvana Imam emphasized the downtown-chic vibe. The black and white palette was occasionally interrupted by a pink, kaleidoscopic print inspired by military camo. Rarely does the feminine hue look so street.
Stockholm fashion week closed with Tiger of Sweden, far and away the biggest show of the week both in attendance and anticipation—attendees waited outside in the brutal cold for over half an hour while technical kinks were smoothed. With its lush black furs, chic overcoats, and thoughtfully layered knits, the collection did not reinvent the wheel, but then again the wheel was pretty swell to begin with. Effortlessly cool and wearable with just a hint of edginess—evident in the black, hairy clutches, for instance—an appropriately Swedish note on which to end the week.
