Stockholm Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2012/2013

Stockholm has become a hotbed for smooth, modern style that’s often internationally imitated. With that influence in mind, we took a look at the best collections to emerge from the city’s autumn/winter collections this past week, for those designers exhibiting that now classic Swedish spirit and for those looking to redefine it.

 



Noomi Rapace, the actress who played The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo‘s Lisbeth Salander in the original Swedish films, took over ribbon-cutting duties at Altewai.Saomi, this season’s Max Factor Award recipient. Saomi’s collection of sleek yet voluminous separates were brought to life with bursts of orange, metallic and even tribal-patterned beading—a rarity in these parts. Later that afternoon, long-time local favorite Carin Wester upped the ante with a string of peplums, teal mohair, Jil Sander-esque florals, fringe, and carpet-inspired digital prints in a showing that was otherwise grounded in tailored basics. Wester exaplains, “A key word that we use for the brand is ‘sharp poetry’: the softness in the materials combined with sharp and strong cuts.”

Young Fashion Industry Award winner Johanna Pihl’s debut offered up some of the sexiest silhouettes we’ve yet seen. Skirts boasted curve-hugging fits and subtle center slits, leather—in both matte and in patent—made a few appearances, and satin cardigans and blouses plunged deeper than might be appropriate during a Scandinavian winter. “Instead of hiding women behind over-sized clothes, I wanted to highlight her with pieces that show a sharp, feminine and strong expression,” says the newcomer.

“This collection is a lot about mixing,” says the three sisters behind popular local brand House of Dagmar, who finished off Tuesday’s line-up. “Two people mixed into one.” For AW12 those two people are Salander (Rapace sat in the front row) and the bright characters from artist Sigrid Hjerten’s paintings. Such diverse inspiration translated into harness-type leather tops done up with various cut-outs equally ready for ass-kicking or seduction. On top, there were full-length wool vests and quite feminine leather and suede colorblock dresses and sweaters produced by Estonian carpetmakers.

 Lastly, Carin Rodebjer showed crushed velvet sweaters, skirts and jackets, circus-hued plaid ruffles and the best coats of the week: a shawl-neck, belted wool robe and a bracelet-sleeved plaid overcoat buttoning halfway up the back. Everything was stylishly unfussy and easy-going enough to don just about anywhere. “Our woman knows where she is heading so the clothes have to be elegant yet progressive,” Rodebjer explains. Minutes later, Spanish actress Rossy de Palma’s magic tricks opened proceedings at the Minimarket before models stomped down the runway in an attention grabbing mix of heavy mohair coats, sheer, embroidered black pants, snakeskin-print trench coat, and a sequined jacket under a crepe suit, the latter of which is designer Sofie Elvestedt’s favorite ensemble: “It really shows the true Minimarket look of casual elegance in its pure form.”