Written by Phillippe Pourhashemi

Over the past 20 years, the ongoing success of Swedish brands has been a bit of a mystery within snotty fashion circles. In fact, Sweden does not possess a fashion tradition as such and locals are less likely to yield into “designer cult” than in London, Paris or New York. What is fascinating about Swedish culture is that it does not emphasise individuality and seems much more preoccupied with the idea of a collective. Successful Swedish brands- such as Acne, Tiger of Sweden or Cheap Monday- have always underlined team work and collaboration as opposed to one single voice. During the last edition of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Stockholm, this made for an interesting cocktail between mainstream, commercial lines and more personal and experimental shows.

The best thing about Swedish fashion is that it’s approachable, stylish and fun, without trying too hard. This was obvious at Filippa K’s show, which I really enjoyed. With a nod to 1960s nonchalance, the collection focused on cool separates and strong colours, a major trend for next winter. The brand never veers away from its minimalist roots, but there was plenty to love in this collection, including sensual jersey dresses, structured outerwear and cosy layering. Think Marianne Faithfull meets Françoise Hardy meets Nico on a good day. With increasing pressure in our daily lives and demanding timetables, who wants to agonize for hours over what frock to wear? Anna Dello Russo, perhaps… God bless her.

The colour trend continued at Dagmar, a Swedish fashionista’s best kept secret run by three sisters. Don’t worry, this ain’t no Dynasty and there’s no rivalry or bitterness  between them, just great clothes. Dagmar went for shaggy coats and tactile fabrics, which gave off the right signals for freezing nights. The collection was feminine, sexy and confident. I loved their knitwear pieces, too, which have become a bit of a trademark.

It was amusing seeing so many strong shades on the runway as Stockholm streets are not exactly vibrant. There’s something controlled and very organized about this city, which was a feeling echoed in some of the collections that I saw. Sometimes, you wanted designers to let go a bit, but this is rather un-Swedish. Still, certain voices were louder than others, particularly amongst the young. Josefin Strid delivered a directional menswear show, with gorgeous silk tops, batwing sleeves and oversize shapes. Her use of colour was -once more- pretty striking, from deep red and burgundy to peaceful blues and delicate greys. It was one of the most creative collections that unfolded during fashion week.

Atwewai.Saome, who are relative newcomers on the Swedish fashion scene, had the most interesting use of contrasting fabrics and geometry. I was intrigued by their bubble wrap pants, which looked like they were made out of high-performance nylon. There was a clever mix between urban and experimental pieces, with fresh-looking sheen effects and an innovative use of texture. A bubble wrap pleated mini worn over a fluid shirt dress spoke volumes about their talent, without giving too much away.

Of course, where would we be without Swedish jeans? I stopped counting the Acne pairs I own a long, long time ago, but couldn’t possibly resist the acid-wash beauties I spotted at Cheap Monday. In fact, Ann-Sofie Back nailed the early 90s trend like no one else did and she pretty much owns dishevelled chic as a design statement. Her street orphans had a nomadic look, which felt edgy and elegant at the same time. You can count on her to bring out that tough -and slightly rough- un-Swedish touch.