Swensk: sexy sustainability

Tuesday 16 November 2010, 8:55 AM
By The Team | Posted in Places and Things

With National Recycling Week top of mind we set out to find retailers doing their bit to reduce, reuse and recycle. Enter Swensk. Sustainability just got sexy.

The words ‘sustainable’ and ‘fashion’ mentioned in the same breath conjure up images of hippie hemp clothes for some, but not the team behind the sleek and stylish Little Collins Street store, Swensk.

The Swensk philosophy is simple. Sustainable clothes are ones that will be a part of your wardrobe for at least five years. Items that have excellent craftsmanship, are timeless in their design and tailored to your body, your lifestyle and your personality.

For Swensk ‘slow fashion’ is all about longevity of clothing. Swensk encourages people to step away from the latest trends to focus on well-made items with a classic and timeless style. They stock brands that salute the Swedish design heritage of ‘less is more’ such as Filippa K, Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair, J.Lindeberg and Whyred.

‘Being sustainable is not a sales pitch, it is a way of taking ownership of what we provide to the market as a retailer. Consumers should not have to think twice about buying products if retailers take on this responsibility,’ says store owner, Mats Ekström.

Mats’ firm beliefs on sustainability and slow fashion are evident through Swensk’s Slow Fashion Manifest, a project to explore new ways for retailers to take responsibility for consumerism, rather than being the reason for over-consumption.

One of the first projects to be born of the Manifest is The Personality Collection Theory. In collaboration with RMIT, the project requires 3rd year fashion students to create a collection for four Swensk customers by deconstructing high quality garments from the shop’s excess stock. Clients for this semester include Michi Girl’s Chloe Quigley, Tim Fleming of OK Flatland, Fredrik Jönsson, owner of fashion label Malmo and Emma Telfer from the State of Design Festival.

First the students must interview their client to understand their personality, then they must create a brand and value set for the customer before measuring up and finally pitching the new items.

“In my eyes, if the client isn’t happy then the designer has failed. An item that isn’t right in the eyes of the customer will not be worn. It will end up in landfill,” Mats says.

Swensk’s project teaches designers to make clothes that their clients will wear again and again because it has been tailored not only to their body, but their personality. It could be considered ‘anti fast fashion’ but for Swensk it is more about a sustainable way of acting and about understanding what human emotions and values are important for people keep certain products, and then seeking to provide such products.

“Sustainability isn’t a sexy topic, but it can be,” says Mats. “People always look good when they make consumption decisions based on value and not simply trends.”

The work created by the RMIT students can be seen as part of a GPO exhibition called level 10 that showcases work from across all four years of the RMIT Bachelor of Design Fashion Program.

Visit Swensk to meet Mats and peruse minimalist fashion designed to hang longer in your wardrobe at Shop 1, 230 Little Collins Street.

Q&A: 2010 Myer Fashions on the Field Ambassadors

Thursday 28 October 2010, 4:16 PM
By The Team | Posted in People

Former Hawthorn footballer Nick Holland, and his wife Rachel Swann Holland, are the 2010 Myer Fashions on the Field Ambassadors. This stylish couple were hand-picked because of their respective involvement with horse-racing; Nick is the part owner of former racehorse Fantasy Time by Gilded Time, and Rachel’s current business interests include her own millinery range which is stocked at Myer. We catch up with this sophisticated couple ahead of the 2010 Melbourne Cup Carnival.

What are you looking forward to most about this year’s Melbourne Cup Carnival?

We’re very excited to be the 2010 Myer Fashions on the Field Ambassadors and looking forward to all the glamour and excitement of the competition in the new enclosure.

There should be some great racing moments during this year’s Carnival, we can’t wait for the battle between the new superstar, So You Think and last year’s Emirates Melbourne Cup winner, Shocking.

Rachel, are there any key looks or colours you’re hoping to see at this year’s Melbourne Cup Carnival?
The key trends this year include bow details, feathers and beads across both clothing and millinery.  One of the major trends this spring is feminine, romantic styling in pinks.

We love the 50s poolside glamour trend many designers have taken inspiration from. Beautiful high-waisted skirts, chenille knit dresses in strokes of flamingo pink and white and softly tailored dresses will be a strong look for the season.

For AAMI Victoria Derby Day, the boys can be traditional and don the morning suit with a top hat, otherwise it’s all about the tailored look with colour in the shirt and tie.

Rachel, have any designers caught your eye this season for racewear?
We’re lucky enough to be dressed by Myer for each of the race days and I have the most gorgeous dresses to wear.  My personal favourites are designed by Jayson Brunsdon and Nicola Finetti.

Nick, the guys are often overshadowed by the ladies at the races. Do you have any tips for men in the fashion stakes?
It’s true the fashion is largely focussed on the ladies but guys are also taking a keen interest in their racing attire. I think looking good at the races is all about the little details. Don’t just go along in your Monday to Friday suit and tie. Go the extra mile and invest in a tailored suit, then complement it with a fitted shirt and a colourful tie. Skinny ties are in and don’t be afraid to sport a hat this year!

There are some fantastic prizes up for grabs for the men’s Myer Fashions on the Field so attention to detail may be very rewarding.

What tips can you offer racegoers this week as the final outfit preparations are being made? What are the essentials?
Rachel: shoes that you can comfortably wear all day and not end up carrying home!
Nick: A well-fitted suit with a clean pair of shoes is essential for the boys.

For those thinking of entering the Myer Fashions on the Field, what are the judging criteria to keep in mind?
As well as the all-important head wear (millinery is a must!), judges will be looking at style and originality of the outfit, appropriateness for the carnival and the individual, accessories, interpretation of current fashion trends, grooming and deportment, plus suitability of the outfit for the climate.

WIN! We have two General Admission double passes to giveaway to the 2010 Emirates Melbourne Cup Day! To enter the random draw, email us at thatsmelbourne@melbourne.vic.gov.au with your name and mobile phone number before 12pm, Friday 29 October.

Entrants must be a minimum of 18 years old to be eligible to win. Winners will be notified via mobile phone, and must be able to collect passes from City of Melbourne offices on  Monday 1 November. Winners must comply with the VRC conditions of entry.

Where did you get that hat?

Monday 25 October 2010, 8:31 AM
By The Team | Posted in Events

A trip to the races can stretch the budget for even the thriftiest of Melbourne fillies. And alas, not all of us are blessed with the ability to make an outfit or headpiece ourselves without risk of sewing a feather to our index finger.

Thank goodness for Lincraft’s fabulous ‘Create a Hat’ service where unique hats and fascinators can be designed and assembled by trained experts for only the cost of the materials used.

Arrive at the top of the Lincraft escalators in Australia on Collins any day of the week from now until 7 November and you’ll be greeted by smiling, talented milliners ready to create the perfect headpiece for your race outfit – free.

Ah yes, you read that correctly. Trained, creative professionals are at your service, creating one-of-a-kind doozies to sit atop your head – for free. All you pay for is the materials, usually costing between $30 and $60 on average per hat, sometimes less.

One such hat-making extraordinaire is Samantha Sultana (also an accessories and lingerie designer) who counts Courtney Love and Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas as two of her most supportive customers.

To begin, Samantha recommends bringing your dress to the store so your milliner can get the right idea for your complete look.

‘I like getting to know the person and understanding what she’ll feel confident wearing. The most important thing is coming up with a piece that makes the person feel comfortable and that they’ll absolutely love wearing,’ Samantha says.

Next you’ll be guided past shelves of hats, headbands and headpieces, boxes of feathers, flowers and other mouldable shapes. The selection at Lincraft would usually overwhelm even the craftiest of folk but with Samantha’s help bits and pieces are slowly and calmly assembled for possible creations.

Your options aren’t just limited to the special ‘headpiece’ section of the store. To create a hat that will turn heads Samantha will have you considering ribbon, buttons and even zips to construct something distinctively yours.

Once the design is agreed upon, the milliner will create your piece within one or two days, or possibly on the spot if time allows. For those still pulling together their trackside attire, the Lincraft crew tells us the store gets incredibly busy the week before Melbourne Cup Carnival, particularly during lunch, so best not wait another second to get your head hatted.

Lincraft’s ‘Create a Hat’ service is available at the Australian on Collins Store every day until 7 November during store opening hours, as well as selected suburban stores in Melbourne and Geelong.