INTERVIEW #124 PERNILLA VINNERÅS

Name: Pernilla Vinnerås

Occupation: Personal stylist

Based in: Stockholm

Website: www.thiiings.se

Instagram:  www.thiiings.se

Dear Pernilla, welcome to A Sustainable Closet, can you tell our readers more about yourself? 

I am a creative art and fashion lover and a collector who is working as a stylist and have published a book. The inspiration for the book came when I studied art history and one class was Fashion and interior during the 1900s. I started to look for Swedish literature but found very few books about the subject, so I decided to publish a book of my own. It is called, Lilla svarta med bling - Little black with bling. The book is telling my fashion history, showing 25 of my black dresses, encouraging people to use the clothes they already have and to buy preloved, preowned clothes. Both the modelling and the styling were made me. It was the most fun and creative project I have done so far.

What is your relationship with clothes and styling? 

As a kid, I always dressed up at my grandmother’s house, so I started very early. Today I own 282 dresses, most of them bought second-hand. The 1920s and 1960s are my favourite periods. But I also love the 50s and 70s and even the 80s are slowly coming into my wardrobe. 

As a teenager, I always wore black and dark colours but suddenly it changed in my 40s, I started to wear a lot of colours and banned black from my wardrobe. So as of today, I wear bright colours 90% of the time. It makes me and hopefully my surroundings happy. I do get a lot of compliments for my outfits. 

You are working as a stylist, why did you choose that profession and what do enjoy the most about being a stylist? 

I do other things as well but when I work as a stylist I mainly help people to shop in their own wardrobe. Almost all of us have enough clothes, we just need some inspiration to create new outfits and use what we already have. It is so satisfying when you manage to find many different looks in an already existing wardrobe and the client starts to get excited and does not want to stop. It is wonderful and very creative to be able to help people to feel confident and find their style. How you dress, can also help you to feel good about yourself.

What recommendations would you give to others who would like to be a stylist? 

Attend a Stylist course. Contact stylists, you like and ask them if they need an assistant. Join different Instagram challenges and check out how others have responded to the same challenge. 

What are your best and simple styling tips that many people oversee? 

My best tip is accessories, it is very easy to change an outfit by changing the accessories. My signature pieces are dresses and necklaces. By wearing a plain grey dress and adding different necklaces you can get as many different looks as you have necklaces. Do not forget the belt or the statement earrings as well.

You are also interested in other art forms can you please tell us about how they are inter-connected, Fashion, Art, Graffiti or are they? 

Oh yes, art and fashion are very interconnected and have always been throughout history. Graffiti came the 1980s and has since then been liked by some cool fashion designers. Especially the designers who are into street fashion. The graffiti paintings are often used as a background for their collections. The designer, Max-Jenny released her latest collection, in the autumn of 2022, inspired by graffiti. 

What is your view on sustainability and the fashion industry? 

We, the consumers need to do something now. We need to stop buying lousy, low-quality clothes made in countries where the workers hardly get paid and the rivers get polluted by chemicals from the clothing industry. I even sold my shares in a fast fashion company I have had for years, but it did not feel right to support them anymore. It is very difficult for consumers to understand if the companies are using greenwashing or are serious about their policies.

Anything else you would like to share with our readers?

When you buy preloved clothes, look for genuine materials like silk and wool. The quality you get for nothing is amazing. You do need to take your time when you are thrifting, you have to look through all the rails. I do not have a list, I tend to buy good quality pieces when they turn up.  Don’t look like anyone else, look like you!