LOUISE LASSON: WEEKDAYS KREATIVDIREKTORIN IM INTERVIEW
Steht man im Weekday Store und betrachtet die minimalistischen, cleanen, sportiven Kleidungsstücke, fragt man sich häufig, wer wohl der kreative Kopf hinter den zeitlosen Teilen sein mag. Wer dafür hauptverantwortlich ist, schwedische Mode-Tradition mit zukunftsweisenden Schnitten und Materialien zu verbinden? Kreativ-Direktorin Louise Lasson, die als Praktikantin beim H&M Konzern anfing und sich ihren Weg nach oben arbeitete. Zusammen mit ihrem Team schafft sie es, mit jeder Weekday Kollektion ein neues Design-Level zu erreichen, ohne jemals die Ursprünge der Marke zu vergessen. So auch bei der heute erschienenen Limited Edition Kollektion für SS17: die Werke von Fotografin Jackie Nickerson wurden in textile Welten übersetzt, etablierte Schnitte abstrahiert, Gerndernormierungen aufgelöst und mit Drucken gespielt. Herausgekommen ist eine experimentelle, dennoch sehr tragbare Linie, die in der warmen Jahreszeit für stilvolle Abkühlung sorgt.
Wir haben Louise Lasson zum Gespräch getroffen, um über die Zukunft von Mode zu plaudern, um ihre Design-Sprache verstehen zu können, um ihre Pläne für den Sommer zu erfragen.
What does the fashion you envision stand for in general? What’s its message?
We often work with contrast and dynamism when we create the collections. Looking at fashion today, you find a lot of street style references. I think it brings a good energy mixing contrasting elements in the collections.
We always want to look beyond the trends, and we want to create clothes that make our customers feel strong and confident. It’s also important for use to create products that last longer than one season, we want them to go beyond the trend of the moment.
This season we create a more conceptual and cohesive collection. There is a light airy feel to the garments, and we have used tactical materials and voluminous silhouettes to create a new eclectic yet minimalistic expression that offers more colour, texture and treatments than prior seasons.
What fascinates you about Jackie Nickerson, the photographer that you got inspired by for the SS17 collection?
Jackie Nickerson’s powerful imagery is a great inspiration for us! The main inspiration comes from the photographical work of Jackie Nickerson. Her series Farm and Terrain are very captivating. These two series work with layers of abstractions and sculptural configurations. We were fascinated with how Nickerson combined the human form together with organic structures such as leaves, branches as well as natural and synthetic fabrics to create these semi-abstract sculptures. The tactile textures and draped plastic really inspired us. Her work is perfectly executed chaos, where all the elements have a conceptual, aesthetic and emotional meaning. Nickerson’s work is both eclectic and minimalistic which works very well with Weekday.
You and your team have a unique sense of combining clean minimalism with an unexpected mix of fabrics and new technology – a lot of research or a natural process?
During the design process we often look to music and art but we also get a lot of energy from unique and unpredictable people. Materials are super important for us and we spend a lot of time in the beginning of the process doing fabric research and development. Mixing different materials and surfaces was really the key for this collection. This season we wanted to create a combination of something very tactile, textured and crumbled juxtaposed by something very clean and simple.
The prints are also a huge part of what gives the collection that Jackie Nickerson feel. We used a trompe l’oeil method, where various fabrics were draped on a dummy, scanned, reworked, then cut and then printed onto the garments. It was a long process but we are really happy with the results.
How do you feel about the role of gender in your collections? And: can or should fashion be feminist?
At Weekday we offer our customer womenswear, menswear, jeans and accessory collections, within these we like to offer and inspire our costumers to create their own look and style. Our aim is to have a broad and inspiring offer, so hopefully there is something for everyone. I am very inspired by our design team and how they are always able to find a balance between femininity and masculinity, always with a slight unisex vibe.
With luxury brands fighting the seasonal calendar and concepts like “see now buy now” the fashion business is changing a lot – what are your thoughts on the future of fashion?
A lot has happened in the fashion business over the last few years. Our aim is to always offer current and modern fashion and denim, and to be able to do that we need to be up to date. We always want to give our customer what they want, when they want it. At the same time, we believe in longevity of garments. Balance in the assortment is important. We always try to create products that can be used over time and that enable our customers to create their personal style and express themselves.
Personally, I try to always choose garments that I feel for in the moment but that I can also see myself in for years to come.
You started as an intern at H&M – what was the most important lesson you’ve learned in your work life so far?
During my time at H&M I had several different roles. It was great fun and an invaluable learning experience. I am very excited to now be at Weekday. I work close with all creatives and the design team. To create the best possible collections, I try to guide my team while also giving a lot of space to each individual. We are a collective and we are constantly working together to exceed our customers’ expectations as much as possible. Something that you learn with experience is that it is important to be receptive and open-minded during your work process.
What are you looking forward to this summer?
Personally, I look forward to the Nordic summer light and to swim outdoors at night. As the days are longer during the summer there is always more time to spend hanging out with friends. I am also looking forward to a long road trip with my family.
In regards to our collections, colours feel really relevant and we are excited to highlight them this season. Finishing up the season is the launch of our first sustainable swimwear collection, made from recycled waste materials. It feels really great to be able to give our customers such a nice looking and versatile collection, made from low-impact materials. The swimwear will be launched in May.