Stockholm Fashion Week SS11

September 8, 2010

During Stockholm Fashion Week, August 16-23 forefront Swedish brands showed their collections. During a few days small but trendy Stockholm express what is coming up for Spring 2011. And to stand out to most fashion weeks world-wide, all collections on display during Stockholm Fashion Week are for sale in stores.

Cheap Monday, best known for their mass market jeans had a fashion show that was open for public. This was the first collection that their new Designer Director (with the exception of jeans) Ann Sofie Back has been completely in charge. Back who has been based in London for many years and also runs two labels by her own moved back to Stockholm earlier this year to work with Cheap Monday. Jeans which are still a fundamental part of the brand were mixed this season with Back’s designed tops and dresses, creating a great combination of high fashion and low price garments.

Rodebjer who recently had a cooperation with Urban Outfitters (in US stores now!) had in opposite to Cheap Monday an intimate show. Carin Rodebjer herself pedagogy presented the collection while five models showed the pieces. Rodebjer who grow up in Gotland (a small island on the Swedish east coast) but is educated at FIT in New York got the inspiration for her collection from a trip to Fisher Island outside Miami. A relaxing luxury summer life was transformed into loose long dresses big hats and fabulous silky coats.

The catwalk for Hope was decorated with birch trunks and the models were wearing clog sandals, big canvas hats and printed dresses similar to the Finish brand Marimekko. The brand expresses a Scandinavian simpleness, a style that never seem to get out of fashion. This year Hope won the prestigious prize Guldknappen that each year is given to a great fashion brand by one of Sweden’s biggest Fashion Magazines Damernas Värld. A great reason to celebrate for Hope that recently got a lot of success.

Scandinavian design, frequently connected to minimalism, got a more colorful and decorative expression in the design of Ida Sjöstedt. Characteristic of her design is a mix of colors, frilly garments and kitchy elements together with a great sense of humor. This season her collection was made of gold lace – a nice contrast to the well known Swedish grey-scale.

A few weeks after Stockholm Fashion Week the organization Fashion Play arranged Stockholm Fashion Walk (September 1-5). While the Fashion Week has its focus on commercial collections Fashion Play highlights designers that work more elaborate and conceptual. During a few days there are fashion installations, performances and talks all over Stockholm.
Stockholm Fashion Week and Stockholm Fashion Walk are great events by themselves but together they represent the full picture of today’s fashion scene in Stockholm.

By Maja Gunn

Published by: The Swede Beat