As fashion weeks begin to return to the industry calendar, Stockholm is gearing up too, albeit in a slightly more compact format than before the pandemic.
Stockholm Fashion Week, which will take place from 7th to 9th February, is preparing to lead Swedish fashion at the forefront of sustainability and innovation with a number of notable events including Filippa K and Arket. The upcoming fashion week is bouncing back and forth between the physical and digital worlds, adapting to the new needs of the ever-changing industry.
Speaking to FashionUnited, Stockholm Fashion Week Secretary General Catarina Midby spoke about what to expect from the event, the current state of Scandinavian fashion and the industry in the post-pandemic era.
What is the focus of this edition of Stockholm Fashion Week?
In this season of a smaller, safe but powerful edition of SFW, we’re focusing on ‘Exploring the New Normal’. Before and during the last two pandemic years, digitization has evolved six times faster than it used to, which is having a huge impact on how we make, sell, use and reuse fashion. Convenience has become key in what we choose to wear, and we’ve spent more time in nature and at home. We haven’t traveled anymore and we don’t have as many social contacts as we used to.
How has the pandemic affected the Scandinavian fashion scene and its clientele?
As in other parts of the world, we have spent hours sitting in meetings online, shopping online, and searching online for information and inspiration. We didn’t have to dress up for work or social events, and we spent our money on our home rather than vacations and clothes. Now that we’re starting to work, travel and socialize again, we’d like to dress up, but we want fashion to be both comfortable and chic. We place a high value on health and beauty, which also affects how we spend our money. When we go back to the gym or yoga studio, we want to dress up for it, too.
What trends have you noticed in Swedish fashion companies?
The trends are diverse. Scandi Chic, the Swedish style, has always been about no-frills fashion – modern, timeless and functional, sustainably manufactured. Many brands offer exactly that. But there are also brands that use colors, shapes and details to create an expressive look. Both matter in the New Normal, it seems. Durable fashion can be both simple and creative, that’s for sure.
How do you think these trends will develop in the coming year?
I think the biggest change in fashion will be how we consume it, not what we wear. I think we’ll be buying some of our wardrobe as we have been, but we’ll also be buying and selling, renting, swapping and re-designing second hand clothes on a much larger scale. Here in Sweden there are many amazing new brands and companies working with these alternative, circular business models. I believe this is the future of our industry and with great technology we can use fashion in a much more responsible way.
What adjustments have you made to this year’s event in light of the current restrictions?
The presentations will take place digitally and physically. The physical events will be smaller and in line with health authority recommendations, vaccination card requirements and social distancing, with no more than 50 people in a room.
Are there any brand concepts and presentations that you are particularly looking forward to?
The presentations will all be different, which is exciting in itself. There will be great variety. It’s hard to pick a name, but we’re all looking forward to seeing clothes on models again, so maybe the fashion shows from Stand Studio and new brand Teurn Studios.
What can we expect from Stockholm Fashion Week in the future?
Stockholm Fashion Week has been brought back to life during the pandemic and so far we’ve only tried to adapt to the current needs of our industry. The purpose of Stockholm Fashion Week is to bring together, support and promote Swedish fashion. We want to be flexible and adapt as things evolve and always remain democratic with a strong digital presence so that everyone outside of our industry can participate in the fashion world online.
This article was previously published on FashionUnited.uk. Translation and editing: Barbara Russ.