INTERVIEW #39 SOPHIE WINBERG TYRFELT

“The most sustainable closet is the one I have right now. Even if it’s full of fast fashion, the most sustainable thing is to take care of what I have.”

 What’s your relationship with clothes?

When I was younger, most things I read about fashion was about how to dress and look “flattering”. But when I was a teenager I started to read more about fashion history and art. Since then it’s been one of my creative expressions. I love art, I like to paint, I love architecture and so on. Dressing is one of my creative expressions. I am generally interested in aesthetics and art. It’s so connected to history, politics, human rights, culture and so on. Clothes are connected to everything. When I started to realise that clothes became a big part of me.

How would you describe your style?

I don’t really have a style but I’m very consistent in what I like. I like high waists, I like big sleeves and I like certain cuts. But is not just one kind of style. I like tailoring, proportions and the sculptural elements of clothing. I’m very consistent to those timeless things I like. I’m also a Scandinavian, so not super colourful. I’m traditional. I’ve had a million black pants and white shirts. I like classics. I used to buy something colourful now and then, but I’d never wear it. Now I believe it’s better to just embrace what you like and stick to that.

“Dressing is one of my creative expressions. I am generally interested in aesthetics and art. It’s so connected to history, politics, human rights, culture and so on. Clothes are connected to everything.”

 How would you describe your closet?

You would first of all notice that it looks like a crazy person’s closet. Everything is in bags. I have invested a lot in vintage, and so I take care of it. You can’t really see what I have because everything is tucked away. We have to take care of what we have if we want to make a circular economy work. About 30% of my closet is collected vintage pieces and 30% is stuff I have made myself since I have started to sew. The rest of it is old fast fashion that I bought many years ago and that I need to take responsibility for now. At some point I brought them into the world, so now I have to use them to their fullest potential. 

My favourite vintage items are my Stella McCartney’s from 2011. The “citrus-collection”. I have a few pieces and I would never get rid of it. I like to buy things that are significant for me, like the Stella McCartney because I had an obsession with those clothes when I was a teenager. I get so much joy from telling the story behind it if someone asks. It also helps with sustainability because I really care about the pieces. It’s sound pretentious but I think I have almost an art collector mentality; if I’m going to buy less, which I have to, I want to buy better.

“My favourite vintage items are my Stella McCartney’s from 2011. The “citrus-collection”. I have a few pieces and I would never get rid of it. I like to buy things that are significant for me, like the Stella McCartney because I had an obsession with those clothes when I was a teenager.”

What is a sustainable closet for you?

The most sustainable closet is the one I have right now. Even if it’s full of fast fashion, the most sustainable thing is to take care of what I have. It’s better to take care of that five year old Zara dress. We have to accept we live in a post-commercial society, and we can’t consume like we have before. The most sustainable option is to stop and look after what you have. If something doesn’t fit you anymore, tailor it.

And if you have a genuine interest in fashion, look for vintage pieces. We don’t have to kill the creativity part. It should be inspiring and fun.

“We have to remember, for example, trends are not something that just magically pops up, it’s the result of successful marketing. We just have to be more aware of who’s behind the communication, and what the intent behind it is.”

What do you think about the fashion industry?

The fashion industry is not a homogenous group. It’s part commercial, big corporations trying to make money by making us feel bad. But it’s also part artists and creatives. A small fashion designer using vintage fabrics is not the same thing as H&M, they are completely different things. We can remove ourselves from the big business side, but we don’t have to completely move away from fashion.

Fashion as an industry hasn’t been un-sustainable for very long. They used to make clothes to last. Fast fashion is new. It has happened since the internet. It is their job to sell us stuff. We have to remember, for example, trends are not something that just magically pops up, it’s the result of successful marketing. We just have to be more aware of who’s behind the communication, and what the intent behind it is.

Fashion brands use to create based on style preference, but now it’s moving towards creating based on algorithms and what sells the most. It has become a lot more about marketing and numbers.

Because of social media, influencers and e-commerce we can now make purchases so, so quickly. The brand tagging for example. When we see a picture of an influencer online the tagging of brands and products makes it less inspirational and more a straight up manual on how to copy that style. It’s not about style, creativity or inspiration anymore, it’s about easily buying someone’s personality. It’s a terrible way to make responsible long-term decisions, and buying clothes should be a long-term commitment.

“The fashion industry is not a homogenous group. It’s part commercial, big corporations trying to make money by making us feel bad. But it’s also part artists and creatives.”

What do you believe needs to change?

It has to be changed on a political and universal level. It’s great that we’re making individual changes and that we consider our behaviour, but it means nothing if it doesn’t change on a  global scale. It can’t only be a discussion about individual choices.

There’s always going to be people who don’t care, and the bar needs to be set after them. When we can all make sustainable purchases, regardless if we have a lot of money or don’t even care - that’s the actual change we need.

What can one do that seeks to create a more sustainable closet?

I wouldn’t advise you to stop enjoying clothes, just be more creative about it!

• Get a sewing machine so you can fix your clothes, it’s not hard! It’s a lost skill, people think it’s hard but it’s not. Start to mend stuff!

• Start to value inheriting. Go through your dad, mom or friends closet and see what you can use or have. There’s so much clothes already in the world.

• Think about the things you buy. Slow down the pace and that’s going to help us make more deliberate choices. Look for things in second hand stores. There’s no hurry. Be careful about what you bring in. You’re going to find everything second hand if you are patient.

• Take care of your things. Get garment bags, get boxes to put your things in and so on. If we want second hand to be a really competitive option, we need to be careful. Value your things.

Follow Sophie on Instagram @sophiewhieskeytango