INTERVIEW #20 ALEXANDRA DAVIDSSON
Photo by Maja Brand
As the secretary general of an organisation educating consumers to be responsible consumers, you can’ resist getting curious on how Alexandra behaves as a consumer? Maybe it’s not such a big surprise to hear that Alexandra loves to circulate things and not at least clothes. However, what people might not know is that she started to explore the second hand clothing market, long before it was marked as a sustainable choice or being a trend. She wanted a fashionable lifestyle she could afford and who would have thought that her aspiration would later on in life lead her to her dream job?
Occupation:
Secretary general at The Swedish Association for Responsible Consumption
What’s your relationship with clothes?
Not many know that my interest in sustainability actually started with second hand and vintage! I started to work when I was 14 years old and moved to my own place when I was 16 years old. I realized very quickly how expensive it was to have the lifestyle that I wanted. I started to shop second hand as a way to be fashionable for a good price before it became a trend. I remember it as a lot of fun. I used to travel from my hometown to the closest big city, Gothenburg, just to buy second hand clothing. Back then, to consume was something that made me feel good. For me it was an expression of love. It really comes from my childhood where my mom and I used to do shopping together.
I have been engaged and passionate about making a difference for a very long time, in various areas. When I did my internship in New York within the United Nations I continued shopping a lot of second hand, making my own favourite “round”. While working in Rome I realised that there really is such a thing as consumer power and that I could use it for all the areas I engaged myself in. I have probably practiced sustainable fashion consumption long before I made that realisation in Rome. When I saw that The Swedish Association for Responsible Consumption where looking for a general secretary I saw my opportunity to get my dream job!
It’s interesting to think about what I do for living and how long I’ve been interested in clothes and been choosing second handed or circular stuff. It’s something about the history of second hand clothes as well. I can be very sentimental. I don’t talk often about my interest in clothes but my friends know. If they have something they don’t need or use at home, they always ask me before donating to someone else.
“A friend told me that I’m a lady with an edge!”
How would you describe your style?
My style is a little bit funny. It’s my own style. I don’t follow trends. I’m business but classic and a little bit bohemian. Honestly I don’t even know how to name my style. People sometimes makes joke about me being an old lady. But a friend told me that I’m a lady with an edge! He explained I’ve just been inspired by ladies. But I dress according to my energy levels and my mood. My aim is to be someone who circulate clothes and the best pillow you’ve ever get is a good consciousness.
How would you describe your closet?
“ I would say my closet is 90% circular.”
My closet is very exciting. When I look at old pictures at Facebook I can see that I still got some of the clothes I’m wearing on those pictures in my closet. Some might not fit any longer, but I save the ones I really love anyway... I would say my closet is 90% circular. Many things comes from my grandmother, my friends or family and I value them a lot. Clothes with a history has a higher value for me. Or clothes that comes from a mission, like with what I’m wearing now. Cornelia Sun is a company I really admire for their remake and social projects behind them. I can look nice and strengthen women’s right at the same time. I also use things until they’re too broken to be used. Or if they start to smell to bad and can’t be saved, haha!
My closet is in order, almost. It’s seasonal since I don’t like to have to many things visible. I have jackets, coats, tops, jumpsuits and dresses and my closet is very colourful!
What is a sustainable closet for you?
“Be a circulent, it’s the best way not to claim too much resources from our planet.”
It’s a closet that you use. A closet you value. A closet that comes with a positive feeling. You use it and look after it consciously. Be a circulent, it’s the best way not to claim too much resources from our planet. And second handed is also good for health reasons as well. You are not exposed to the same level of chemicals for instance, they’ve been washed out. Today, when walking into a fashion mall, I actually feel sick due to the smell of chemicals. Sportwear is one of those things that contains chemicals so I challenged myself to even find those second handed and honestly, online you can find a lot with the price tag on so that’s a huge tips.
What do you think about the fashion industry?
“I see a huge potential to transform an industry and change consumer behaviours. We need to question economic growth and move beyond GDP.”
I have a lot of opinions but I keep on being optimistic. I like to see things from that perspective and lift it up. Things are changing but it’s happening too slow. I think the fashion industry knows that fast fashion doesn’t belong to this world and that’s why big international inititatives like #rewiringfashion recently popped up – from the industry itself. And I would like to put spotlight on the positive initiatives being a part of the change necessary. Like Maria Lagerman and Malin Jensen who started the new service of a personal second hand shopper! That’s amazing! It’s brilliant.
But coming back to were we started, I used to enjoy shopping in malls, it used to make me happy but today I feel sick and I don’t get those kicks anymore. I see a huge potential to transform an industry and change consumer behaviours. We need to question economic growth and move beyond GDP.
I find it interesting with Haute Couture. There’s handcraft which doesn’t have to be environmentally bad… It really is an art with an history, that you’re wearing. The history behind that kind of fashion is mesmerizing and I believe we need to get back to that. Slow down and enjoy the story being told.
What can one do that seeks to create a more sustainable closet?
Use what you got.
Clean out your closet and sell what doesn’t make you happy. When you clean out, do it from your heart and try to go beyond the concept of a specific type or style. What do you like and what makes you feel comfortable?
Be a circulent. That’s the consumers of the future. You can have cloth-exchange event with friends or come up with other activities to swap with others.
Sell or give away what you don’t use! But don’t throw it away.
If you believe you need something, write it down on a list and wait for some time to see if that’s still something you think you need later on.
Quality before quantity!
Invest in high quality basic clothing you wear a lot.
Don’t wash the whole clothing after every single useage. Wash the spot if it got dirty somewhere.
Let your clothes hang outside to get some fresh air instead of washing them too often.
Look after your clothes. Repair what’s broken, upcycle what you need and remake the stuff you got tired on if you don’t feel like letting them go.
Photo by Maja Brand
“ If you believe you need something, write it down on a list and wait for some time to see if that’s still something you think you need later on.”