INTERVIEW #60 HELENA LUNDSTRÖM

Based in: Gothenburg

Occupation: Designer/tailor that only uses Vintage fabrics

Get inspired by: Nature, people, art, fabrics

Instagram: @helenalundstromdesign

Why we love her: Helena is outstanding, her designs are truly unique and … Powerful? Yes, powerful is the right word. The vivid colors and patterns, silhouettes and vintage fabrics make us want to become tailors too! 

“I always want to make as little negative impact as possible, but I’m not aiming to eliminate my own existence.”

Tell us about yourself?

Always the hardest question! This time I'm not going to answer with a resume.

Well, I´m a person filled with emotions, thoughts and opinions that are constantly working at high speed and ever changing, therefore I need a lot of creative outlet in my life. Creating things- clothes, music, art is a need and quite frankly a must since it has become my foundation. Finally I'm close to understanding how to manage it all without feeling the need to rush. I always want to make as little negative impact as possible, but I'm not aiming to eliminate my own existence. I'm always busy creating a work style that is economically and emotionally sustainable alongside the work as a sustainable clothing designer.

What’s your relationship with clothes?

Clothes are a huge part of my life as it is my profession but also one of my expressions. It is a relationship that can be dreamy and a lot of fun but it can also act as a litmus paper on how I really feel when I don´t know. Clothes are shallow but still they can show the very essence of oneself - they can help you hide and they can enhance whatever part of yourself that you'd like to enhance.

How would you describe your style?

Eclectic. I work with interpreting my customers' bodies, personalities and life as they see it, as I am always putting in a part of myself and "beauty" as I perceive it in how I create garments. The garments are mostly one-of-a-kind so I guess that is what describes what I do most accurately.

When it comes to my own style I dress a bit more quirky than I usually get to dress my customers since I combine and style things a bit more odd to skew the sense of what is pretty and what is not.

“Clothes are shallow but still they can show the very essence of oneself - they can help you hide and they can enhance whatever part of yourself that you’d like to enhance.”

Any favourite items?

I always have a few favourite pairs of jeans, shoes and hats that rotate around my own designs. I understand that it might be a bit unusual as a designer but most days I wear at least one garment that I have created. Oh, and yes I have one light yellow oversized second hand jacket that I love and use at least once a week, and so does my boyfriend! It's fun to share.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

From life as I see it. From politics, from people, from nature and from art. But a lot of my inspiration comes from the fabrics that I find.

What's your favorite textile material to work with?

I always work with vintage and dead stock fabrics and I love them all. But I do love me a soft wool weave.

What is a sustainable closet for you?

For me it is not to own as few garments as possible since I love to play around with styling and that gives me energy. But all garments in my closet except a few pieces are vintage and my own design. I take care of my garments- I mend them and I wash them as little as possible, which is doable since I have many garments that can be rotated. That makes it possible to hand them over to the next owner and know that they will enjoy them for a long time too. I believe in putting a lot of value into everything one owns so one takes care of them -this gives the items a longer life. I'd like to question the idea of what is materialism and anti materialism.

“ I take care of my garments- I mend them and I wash them as little as possible, which is doable since I have many garments that can be rotated.”

What do you think about the fashion industry? 

I can't say that I feel as a part of the industry since mass production seems so far away from my way of working and thinking. Sometimes I can't fathom why and how the world continues to feel that it is ok to produce and buy the kind of low quality, high pollution fast fashion that is offered now, when we know that there are such an immense amount of clothes out there already. And we are creating deserts out of former lush and beautiful lakes. But also I understand that money rules the world and that we have lost the sense of value in the things we choose to own.

So what I think has to change is the idea of never ending growth - it should be replaced with the idea of circularity. It is not a new idea, it is a basic and instinctive attitude that we have when we see a lack of resources. So we need to start being creative with all the materials that already exist and learn from indiginous people and from people that have little.

“ I think has to change is the idea of never ending growth - it should be replaced with the idea of circularity.”

 What do you believe needs to change?

Well, a lot is changing now -in the western world at least. But what will happen as the huge demand explodes in China, India and other /former/ developing countries are yet to be seen. The big economies and the big companies will be the ones that decide on the future of this planet.

I'm not under the illusion that what I do actually makes a noticeable change in the bigger picture but I do want to make as little harm in my everyday life and I want to contribute with a sense of hope and creativity to the individuals that I interact with. If many do a little it might create a butterfly effect somehow or "ripples on the water", as we say in Swedish.