Image via House of Dagmar
UNAFRAID TO CHANGE, STOCKHOLM FASHION WEEK ANNOUNCES DIGITAL EVENT WITH INNOVATIVE DESIGNERS.
As the pandemic continues to shut down events across the world, fashion’s top players have had to quickly restructure and reimagine what fashion weeks will look like. Some, like Sweden, had a head start - having already started questioning the traditional format. Stockholm Fashion Week cancelled itself this time last year - citing “sustainability goals” as one of the reasons.
Although Sweden has been an outlier in not implementing widespread shutdowns in response to the virus, fashion weeks everywhere have had to adapt with press and buyers being unable to travel.
Now the SS21 edition of Stockholm Fashion Week is back, slimmed down and in a mixed digital format, from 25 – 27 August.
Some designers will present collections on site at Fotografskia, the iconic Swedish photography museum. There’s an event “host” - London-based menswear journalist Nick Carvell, will walk and talk us through designer presentations, fashion shows, and more at the studio. And a series of talks on sustainability and innovation round out the schedule.
Image via AVAVAV
This mixed physical-digital presentation is being trialed by other fashion weeks - so far only Helsinki opted to redesign the shows entirely in a digital-first format.
So why now for the return of Stockholm? Swedish Fashion Association Secretary General Catarina Midby notes a shifting focus from industry buyers to consumers. The digital presentation allows anyone with internet access to attend the event, instead of the usual exclusive invite, and there is a focus on seasonless clothes that can be bought immediately. Midby told Vogue that because Swedish fashion is known for its clean-cut aesthetic and focus on sustainability, it “has what it takes” to thrive in the fashion world post-coronavirus.
The event will feature twenty-three mostly Swedish designers, many - like Jeanerica, Rave Review and AVAVAV - with a focus on sustainability. The event opens with sustainability-focused House of Dagmar and closes with CMMN SWDN’s collection inspired by the designers’ time in lockdown.
The full schedule can be found here.
By Claire Kalikman
