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Vibrant colors, bold patterns and lots of layers. The Nordics are back in fashion, and can liven up a rainy day.
“Women in Sweden and Norway get about six hours of sunlight during the winter,” says sociologist Martha Beck. “That’s all! That’s why, use fashion to combat feelings of depression and apathy that can come from very dark and cold days.”
And this is how the Scandinavian style is summed up: anti-depression style. In Portugal, land of black people (of widows, cassocks, university attire), we have a lot to learn from the Nordics.
While, in interior decoration, the Scandinavian style is guided by neutral colors, minimalism and clean and simple lines, in moda the situation is a little different.
In fact, Scandinavian fashion also has a lot of simplicity. “You don’t need an Hermès bag and a restrictive diet to achieve this, people are obsessed with Scandinavian style because you don’t need to change who you are,” points out Laird Borrelli-Persson, editor of Vogue. “You could say that Scandi-girl style is the new French-girl style.
What distinguishes this style, once again in fashion, are the strong colors and cheerful patterns. “From the beginning, our mission has been to bring joy and color to everyday life through bold prints, especially during the darker seasons,” says the designer of a brand specializing in this style, the 72-year-old classic Finn,
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A Marimekko store, a brand focused on Scandinavian style
“I think there’s this idea that when it’s cold we have to look bloated and wear everything neon or everything gray,” says the influencer Norwegian Nnenna Echem. “But the Nordics are quite inventive in the way we layer colors and textures. For example, I love wearing a coat oversized in leopard print with a very simple gray sweater and a handbag with a touch of pink. It gives you joy and also allows you to move“.
Multiple layers is another theme of the Scandinavian style, which allows the inhabitants of these cold countries to stay warm. But not only.
“The way Nordic designers use layers to give the eye something complex and exciting to embrace — it’s really intentional,” says the sociologist.
“The Danish style is very rooted in simplicity, pragmatism and functionality, that serve as a basis for creative expression”, says Cecilie Thorsmark, CEO of Copenhagen.
“Having grown up in Scandinavia, there is an element of functionality that plays a role in how I dress,” explains designer Cecilie Bahnsen. “My clothes have to work in real life, whether I’m riding my bike to my studio in the rain, or playing with my son in cold, windy weather.”
That’s why the stylist uses adjustable straps that allow those who wear their clothes to adjust them comfortably to the body.
NuA region of the world where “there are still more trees than people”, the nature and its vibrant colors influence fashion: “Nature can make you feel more creative”, guarantees designer Natacha Ramsay-Levi.
