INTERVIEW #49 VINTAGEMANNEN
“I would say Vintagemannas is a product of several decades of work. Sustainability built on lust and vanity. Something can be environmentally friendly, but in the end you need to look good, otherwise it’s not sustainable.”
Why did start Vintagemannen (vintage man)?
It’s been 10 years since I started Vintagemannen but my interest in sustainability started long before that, so let me tell you more about my background.
I used to work as the head of communicationat Arla in the 90s and I were a part of the environmental team. We had specific goals and wanted to improve our environmental work. I believe it is in the responsibility of the companies to provide good alternatives for the consumers from the start, it shouldn’t be possible to make bad choices at the store! At that time we collaborated a lot with environmental organisations, such as “Svenska Naturskyddsföreningen”.
In 2007 I retired from my work and in 2008 I started Climate Focus where we did the leading environmental market researchof consumer behaviours in Scandinavia. We did a survey about peoples consumer behaviours and their values. We asked questions related to what kind of food they bought, the car the drove and so on. In the end we asked about their values and attitudes. Based on the results we consulted companies on how to improve their environmental marketing and product development. The work we did was always based on lust and convenience, never on guilt and what the consumer“should do”.
I would say Vintagemannas is a product of several decades of work. Sustainability built on lust and vanity. Something can be environmentally friendly, but in the end you need to look good, otherwise it’s not sustainable.
Climate Focus got sold to Tetra Pak and I’m not sure whatever they are using it today. But from what we saw, based on those surveys, is that there’s only a few people who are environmental geeks, who totrallylive according to their values. The ones who bike, bring their textile bag to the store and so on. The majority are still using their big car in the cities and so on. A lot of people are concerned and care but they don’t act on it. There’s also a group of people who are not aware at all. Then we have deniers, the ones who denies the climate crisis.
In our work with the companies, we also told them that. Why communicating about the environment when most people don’t make those choices? You should instead create a good and sustainable product but talk about something else they really care about, like lust and vanity. That’s when you can reach a majority and the environment becomes a bonus.
“I believe it is in the responsibility of the companies to provide good alternatives for the consumers from the start, it shouldn’t be possible to make bad choices at the store!”
What’s your relationship with clothes?
I have always been vain. In the 60s I bought clothes to look good, but I had a complete different economy at that time. My mother used to help me to sew nice pants. In the 70s there was a lot of “Progg” but even then at least the snuff scarf matched my outfit. When I worked with marketingit was always about thein advertising I wore expensive clothes. In the 80s it was mainstreamed I begun wearing black, maybe a grey jacket once in a while, but I mostly worn black.
It was in 2011 I became Vintagemannen. And it had nothing to do with sustainability.
What happened when you became Vintagemannen?
When I turned 60 my wife and I went to Chicago and while we were walking on a street we found a hat store. My wife said, since I have become an old man, maybe I should wear a hat? I bought a hat that wasn’t vintage at all. The same year, in 2010, my wife and I went to the Nordic Museum. They had an exhibition called “Dandy”. They had asked five stylist how the modern Dandy would look like. Both me and my wife preferred the styling of an English gentleman. A few months later in February 2011, we were having dinner at a restaurant at Östermalm and on our way back home we passed the vintage store Herr Judith. It was the same place that had helped with the styling at the museum. My wife use to say: I went in with a black Labrador and came out witha gentleman. I believe the outfit didn’t cost more than 800 SEK at that time. After that I started to visit second hand stores regularly and by time I become more and more into vintage.
“A few months later in February 2011, we were having dinner at a restaurant at Östermalm and on our way back home we passed the vintage store Herr Judith. It was the same place that had helped with the styling at the museum. My wife use to say: I went in with a black Labrador and came out witha gentleman.”
How would you describe your style?
My style is second hand. Today I’m dressed according to the 40s, but time is not important. I prefer clothes from the yearly 20th century decades due to better quality. I always match my clothes according to colours. That’s my best advice, make sure the colours go hand in hand.
How would you describe your closet?
My closet is full. We have a storage that is also filled with clothes. We change our closets at home according to season. In the storage we also have festive clothing and historical clothing from the 19thcentury. Clothes that are perfect for a masquerade. We can dress out according to any decade!
My clothes are organised. My shirts according to colours and I would feel comfortable to have someone visiting my closet at any time. Everything is always at its right place.
“Me and my wife sometimes buy second hand items we know are of high historical value and good quality.”
What is a sustainable closet for you?
It’s a closet with items you use until they break apart. Buy second hand and use the clothes until they fall apart. It’s also good to look after the clothes. Me and my wife sometimes buy second hand items we know are of high historical value and good quality. To look after our belongings applies to everything. Instead of buying new all the time, repair things! Of course I buy new underwear but when I do I buy good quality. If you want something new, order it from a tailor! Support local businesses instead of the big chains. I have shoes from the 50s and since I look after them they still look good!
What do you think about the fashion industry?
Fast fashion is terrible fashion! An item of clothing could have costs thousands of SEK and still the textile worker only got a few SEK of that price. When it comes to high end brands it’s insane what people pay for poor quality. You can compare an H&M coat with one from Burberry, the quality might be slightly better at Burberrys, but still you would pay several times more for the Burberry one because it’s a prestigebrand! I have a Burberry coat it is from the 60s so the quality is much better! This kind of brand hysteria with fake values has nothing to do with quality. It actually makes me very upset. It’s all about marketing. You are being fooled by advertisement and you are paying for even more marketing. We should instead pay the tailors and for high quality material! You can buy a tweed jacket of the rack at Ralph Lauren for 25 000 SEK or you can go to AW Bauer, the best tailor in Sweden, and for the same price, but the difference is huge in quality!get a perfect bespoke jacket made for you.
The reason why we buy certain brands is because it’s all about status. It’s always been like that even though it has increasedthroughout the decades. It was like that when I was young in the 80s too. We do everything we can just to show someone we are a little bit more stylish then them. It’s about being confirmed among the people we hang out with. The environmental geeks are applauding each other. In reality only 6-8% of the population can live up the their environmental ideals.
“You are being fooled by advertisement and you are paying for even more marketing. We should instead pay the tailors and for high quality material!”
“In reality only 6-8% of the population can live up the their environmental ideals.”
What do you believe needs to change?
Humans are vain, we are seeking pleasure and comfort – and often low price. We call it the ”law of least resistance”. That law is very strong. Central words are availibility and accessibility. Coca-Cola is the worlds most known soda. But even if everybody knows about Coca-Cola you won’t change restaurant just because there’s Pepsi instead. You will buy the Pepsi that is available.
Convenience, comfortability and lust. That’s where we need to start. People want to look good and look modern. To lose our social network is among the most precious things we can lose. When we are on the dating market, we dress up to impress others! That’s the reality.
My wife and I we dress up for each other almost daily. I was an XXL in size 56 when I started my journey to Vintagemannen. There are no nice clothes in that size on second hand. So I hadto loose weight. And I did and have stayed at 82 kg and size 52 since then. I can’t afford to gain weight because all of my clothes are a perfect fit according to that size. We exercise every day and eat small portions. That’s the key!
Until the 1960´s clothes used to be made according to our bodies. Women used to have clothes according to their shape. The wear and tear culture started in the 60s and all the dresses became A-shaped. Today women’s clothes are not much different from mens, it’s t-shirts that makes room for breast. It’s very unfortunate we don’t make clothes for the female – or male - bodies any more. In the 70s there was an explosion in colours but now we don’t even have that left! We have no shape and no colours! Today’s fashion being poor.
“Humans are vain, we are seeking pleasure and comfort – and often low price. We call it the ”law of least resistance”. That law is very strong. Central words are availibility and accessibility.”
What can one do that seeks to create a more sustainable closet?
· Buy second handor vintage
· Find a good tailor and shoemaker who can adjust and fix your garments
· When buying something new - only buy good quality
Advice on how to stay elegant:
· Buy a vest or a slipover!I would suggest a dark brown to use over your clothes!It’s easy to find cheap ones on second hand.
· Buy a hat! That will give you some style. Start with a summer hat to get comfortable about wearing hats.
· Combine colours in a good way! Combine the details! Match and use the same metallic colours and so on.
· Use a tie when wearing a jacket! Most people wear jackets that are to small and they are not using a tie. It doesn’t look good! If you’re a women get a nice tailored dress with a skirt and a jacket. It gives a very professional impression.
“They say that Christian Dior said, when people see a woman in one of my dresses, I want them to say; what a beautiful woman, not what a beautiful dress.”
Some final words:
I would also like to add that modernpants are too small for most men. Pants should behave a high waist. That’s very classic and it looks good.
A minor high heel on women also gives a classic impression. Think about Katharine Hepburn!
Today we wear shoes and clothes made of plastic! Plastic that ends up in the oceans and in the fish. We are basically eating our own clothes. Synthetic clothes are close made of plastic. Say no to plastic and elastic!
Instead, we should focus on clothes made for our shape! Clothes that are not only hanging on your body but that actually looks good.
They say that Christian Dior said, when people see a woman in one of my dresses, I want them to say; what a beautiful woman, not what a beautiful dress.
Today we don’t produce quality cloth anymore. I can almost walk into a second hand store, close my eyes, touch the clothes and stop when I can find something of better quality!
Order his book by contacting Ingemar here and follow Vintagemannen on Instagram!