Stockholm Fashion Week – EcoSalon

EcoSalon at Stockholm Fashion Week: Josefin Strid Breaks Gender Barriers

Johanna Björk — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 16:14:44 +0000

Swedish designer Josefin Strid accommodates a new type of gender dressing.

Josefin Strid is one of the most interesting new designers in Sweden today. Her creations exude the sophistication and playful sense of innovation of a far more seasoned designer (she’s only 24 years old), and watching her grow is a very exciting prospect. Strid is also conscious about the environment and chooses her materials with care. Her previous collection, which caused a stir on the international fashion scene, was crafted using waste materials from the auto industry (you would never know looking at the pieces).

This time, she has gathered inspiration from the sulphur springs in Yellowstone National Park and artists like Georgia O’Keefe. The fabrics are all dyed by hand, and the colors are stunning. But most interesting is her approach to unisex dressing. Her pieces are all designed to be worn by men and women alike, and Strid sees no reason why men shouldn’t wear skirts.

“A man wearing a skirt is pure beauty, at least if you ask me. We often talk about the kilt, as the skirt for men and Marc Jacobs made the garment popular a few years ago,” Strid writes on her blog. “I think a lot about genus, gender, values, our history, men today and future men. To be innovative doing womenswear is not easy. It’s hard to provoke or to start a debate — womenswear has had a revolution. I am more dedicated to develop the small things: techniques, fit, finish etc. Menswear is just about to start a revolution.”

Perhaps we are at a crossroads similar to when icons like Marlene Dietrich made it okay for women to wear pants, something that had previously been just as unthinkable as a man wearing a skirt to the office.

Designer Josefin Strid speaks to press after her show at Stockholm Fashion Week

“I am very interested in bringing feminine influences while doing menswear, that’s my challenge,” says Strid. “As soon as you work with feminine elements in menswear I consider the importance of details such as proportions, stitching, function and silhouette. We don’t want to erase the trace of a man. Just like the fit is of importance when dressing a woman in a man’s garment. We need to be aware of the obvious difference how to work with fit when it comes to the two genders.”

Josefin Strid SS12. Photo by Kristian Löveborg.

Somehow, it’s easier for women to get away with being adventurous when it comes to fashion. Is it time we give the guys a break and encourage the next man we see sporting a skirt on the street? Are we at the point where we can share a wardrobe with our boyfriends or husbands?

Josefin Strid concludes: “I have many male friends who’d like to wear silk, ‘feminine’ colours and maybe even skirt and a dress but they don’t dare since the society don’t accept this. As a designer with your own label it’s easy to be a bit egocentric, I always choose to treat the subjects that interest me. I will continue to discuss this, to work with the contrast and the balance. Today my biggest target is men of the future, the ones who dare and want to develop ‘the man.’ Sooner or later I do hope to reach to the man who wouldn’t die for fashion but still is aware of his choice. One step could be that this man chooses to buy a silk t-shirt with a beautiful print instead of a white jersey T-shirt.”

Photos courtesy of ASFB, © Kristian Löveborg and Johanna Björk.

The post EcoSalon at Stockholm Fashion Week: Josefin Strid Breaks Gender Barriers appeared first on EcoSalon.

EcoSalon at Stockholm Fashion Week: Swedish Hasbeens SS12

Johanna Björk — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 16:14:52 +0000

Swedish Hasbeens present their spring/summer ’12 collection inspired by olympian Wilma Rudolph.

Even if it wasn’t one of my favorite brands ever, I would have been deeply impressed by Swedish Hasbeens’ presentation of their spring/summer 2012 collection in Stockholm last week. The basement of a shady nightclub establishment located in one of the busiest traffic circles in the city had been transformed into a retro-style gym, complete with a wooden gym floor and old-school wood benches for seats.

The collection was presented by a team of gymnasts, performing routines while wearing the shoes. I found this slightly distracting but incredibly inspiring. If there’s one thing (except gorgeous shoes) that Swedish Hasbeens excel at it’s creating distinctly different retro-vibe campaigns around each of their collections. Luckily, the shoes were all available on display for a closer look after the show. Big news for the upcoming season is that Swedish Hasbeens now make (very good-looking) men’s shoes as well.

Inspiration was drawn from sports heroes of the 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s, especially Wilma Rudolph, who grew up paralyzed from polio as the 20th of 22 children and was still able to set amazing world records and win three gold medals at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome. This showed a new generation that anything is possible, regardless of race, gender or background.

“We must never forget what sport has meant for the equality of women and men and how it still makes us stronger in body and mind,” says Emy Blixt, Designer and Creative Director of Swedish Hasbeens.

The SS ’12 collection was highly inspired by classic sport shoes such as the Saddle Shoe, the Driving Shoe, the Beach Sandal and the Bowling Boot. All these models are included in updated and often unisex form in this new, diverse collection.

“The challenge for the SS ’12 collection has been to be innovative while still staying true to the concept and the result is a collection inspired by Hasbeens like Wilma and the active lifestyle of the 1940-50s, which made fashion sportier and more comfortable,” says Blixt.

Swedish Hasbeens are always made from sustainable materials like vegetable tanned chrome-free leathers, natural rubber soles and real cork. Like the legends of the past, they only grow better with age.

EcoSalon was on the scene for their SS ’12 show. Here’s some highlights.

The post EcoSalon at Stockholm Fashion Week: Swedish Hasbeens SS12 appeared first on EcoSalon.