Vogue Scandinavia sat down with the emerging Swedish talent to find out what lies behind his award-winning ‘Ambivalent ’collection
The word talent often praises natural ability. But in the case of the 'NK Young Talent Award,’ it means hours upon hours of work. A talent that stands out from a sea of budding designers, and this year that talent is Joel Andersson. “The recognition fills me with deep appreciation and joy. It’s an honour to be acknowledged by such esteemed institutions,” says the young designer. It’s not something he grew up expecting.
Brought up on a farm, Andersson’s relationship to clothes was purely practical. “Fashion was such a small part of my life growing up,” he explains. “Clothing mainly served a functional purpose and it wasn't really until my late teens that I got a deeper and more profound interest in fashion.”
His collection ‘Ambivalent’ refers to his mixed feelings about the industry. “The name stems from the feeling of ambivalence that I have felt towards fashion,” Andersson begins. “The tug of war between my belief in sustainability. My thoughts on overconsumption and the opposing longing to succeed and prosper within the field.”
With ‘Ambivalent’ he’s managed to do both – prosper while staying true to his home values. “My parents had a big input on my beliefs and thoughts on consumption and the environment,” Andersson explains. “For this collection, the main inspiration came from my childhood and the carpentry workshop that my family operates next to the house I grew up in. While workwear in fashion is not a new concept, I aspire that my interpretation brings a fresh perspective and inspires viewers in some way.”
And while his upbringing with practical and sustainable garments play a large part in his designs, it is not the only influence. “I find a lot of inspiration in historical men’s suiting, the anti-fashion era of the '90s and designer such as Martin Margiela and Raf Simons," he says.
While workwear in fashion is not a new concept, I aspire that my interpretation brings a fresh perspective and inspires viewers in some way.
Joel Andersson
"I spent a year as a tailoring apprentice and during that time I fell in love with suiting fabrics. I bought a lot of old suits and tore them apart. I then pinned and draped the fabric pieces on a mannequin as a method of sketching out the silhouettes for the collection.”
Finding the pre-loved garments he needed to deconstruct for the line was half the work. “The process of gathering all the raw material for the collection was a pain,” he recalls. “I spent a lot of time driving around in the small towns next to where I grew up going through secondhand stores. I also spent a lot of time on auction sites trying to buy old deadstock wool fabric.”
Andersson likes that these pieces bring their own story to his designs, which he pays homage to in certain details. “One of the jackets collars is made from an old suit collar that I draped upside down, so while it no longer looks like the original garment it sort of gives a hint of its origins.”
Despite his ‘ambivalence,’ the Young Talent winner feels that he’s seen the bright side of fashion’s future. “I believe much of it has developed in recent years as I have become more familiar with fashion and the industry as a whole,” he reflects. Something he’s keen to contribute to as his career progresses.
“Moving forward, I am inspired and motivated to continue my journey, striving to develop and grow even further as a designer. I look forward to embracing new challenges, pushing creative boundaries, and contributing to the world of design with passion and dedication.”