fernweh

/ˈfɛʁnveː/

farsickness or longing for far-off places

In today’s fernweh blog, I will inform you about the past, present, and future of fashion in Sweden. Do not get fooled by my reassuring “I will tell you everything, my dear readers!” type of introduction since, well, I believe you clicked on this article because you are curious, and so was I a short time ago when I began to write it. I had zero clue about what I was dragging myself into. As Sweden has been distanced from the chaos of the rest of the world since who-knows-when, as it is far from the Ecuador-centric locations of the Western and Eastern cultures, I realized it is also away from the extensions of my curiosity. Well, correction, it “was.” With the help of this series, I am taking Sweden to the scope of my interests.

When I say secluded, I was not exaggerating. Instead of giving a history lecture, I will share with you a quote that explains the situation pretty aptly:

“More than a thousand years of continuous existence as a sovereign state allowed for the gradual development of strong national institutions. During the medieval period, the practice of serfdom was never established, and the preponderance of independent farmers helped minimize social class differences and nurture an ethic of equality. Relative ethnic, religious, and linguistic homogeneity facilitated the establishment of a national community.” (read more).

Swedish culture is the living definition of stability. No economic fluctuations, no warfare sacrifices, and a constant mantra of Sweden folkhemmet, "the people's home." While discussing Japan, it was noticeable that the clothing preferences of the Japanese people were highly influenced by the political, economic, and social atmosphere of the country. From many sources, however, I’ve seen that Sweden was a stable country in the financial and military areas of life, meaning, if I am up to compare Japan’s always-changing style to that of Sweden, I am doomed to find only a couple of sentences written on the topic and, if I am lucky enough, an article written by a profound Swedish scholar. I wish I could have found more information on Sweden's clothing culture, at least as much as and as accessible as Japan’s informative sources. Yet, slowly, I believed that the reason I was not knowledgeable about Swedish culture was not out of uninterest, but instead, it was due to the secluded nature of Sweden up in the chilly weather of the Nordic countries, living just out of sight. Here I present you with what I could cherry-pick from a blind bit of sources on Sweden's fashion history. Instead of observing eras, I will focus on the country’s tradition and modernity.

Early times

The traces I could dig up from the Swedish roots led to the indigenous folk called “Sami” (or Lapps). These people are assumed to be the first inhabitants of Scandinavia. Often referred to as reindeer people, under the Scandinavian climate, the Sami established their own traditions, which have lived on into the current times. Sami people wear traditional clothing called gákti. This clothing was made from reindeer leather, serving as a way to stay warm in the icy regions. Today, the same gákti are made from more modern fabrics known for their warming abilities, such as wool or cotton. Both men and women wear shawls, boots, and handmade accessories, mainly in vivid red, blue, and white colors. These accessories the gákti people wore in their lives mostly informed a person’s marital status and family name. The more common white, red dresses of Swedish people worn in the festivals today are a type of gákti, with only lighter fabrics, still sharing the common ancestry.

Image via

“Economic Draining”

Not surprisingly, one of the most recognizable changes in Swedish clothing was made right after an era called “economic draining.” For the noble class, to restrict the usage and the unstoppable consumption of imported luxury, in 1778, a costume called Nationella Drakten was designed. This costume's pure purpose was to last for a very long time, so people did not need to buy new ones. One of the early steps of sustainability, we can say. Both female and male versions were designed. With the exception of formal occasions, people could choose the colors of their liking, yet only resigning themselves to the two-color code. Surprisingly, I had problems finding female examples to the costume.

Modern Times

The idea of “utility” stayed with the Swedish people for a very long time and, eventually, became the signature of modern Swedish fashion. Swedish designs today are known for their practicality, simplicity, and minimalism. They are mostly monochromatic, without the aim of being attention-grabbing as opposed to most of the current trends. Acne Studios and, wait for it, H&M (I did not know that it was a Swedish brand) are the most well-known Swedish clothing brands. However, as you may have noticed, both brands aim to present ready-to-wear style products. For H&M, a quick consumption brand, this may not sound so weird. However, Acne Studios is the country's quintessential luxury brand, and that shows how the mindset placed in 1778 is still active in today’s fashion. Finally, something Swedish that is not the complicated, tangled mazes of the IKEA.