lifeiscarbon®

Rugged Edged Sophistication

The usual signatures of grungy tailoring, sheer fabrics and layered textures are all much in evidence in the latest collection from Finnish designer and lifeiscarbon® favorite Heikki Salonen.

Born in 1979 Vantaa, Finland, Salonen graduated from the Royal College of Art in 2008. A year later, his graduation collection was part of the Victoria & Albert museum Future Fashion Now exhibition. Before starting his eponymous London ready-to-wear line in 2008 with his artist partner Johanna, Salonen worked for Erdem and is currently a consultant for Diesel. The artist and designer duo combine their shared passion for arts and fashion by striving to create collections with rich layers of references and innovative experimental techniques. Take a look below at the photographs and a video from the stunning Heikki Salonen AW 2011 Look Book shot by Nicole Maria Winkler:

Neo-Punk Infused Fashion

After spending time working for the London based Danish designer Jens Laugesen but whilst still studying at Central Saint Martin’s, Lina Österman launched her own ready-to-wear label Pudel. Not long after Pudel’s first showings in Copenhagen, the young Swedish designer was approached by Top Shop and asked to design a capsule collection to be sold exclusively at their Oxford Circus store.

After graduating from Central Saint Martin’s in 2008, Österman launched a second line, the eponymously named Lina Österman. Building on the unisex concept behind Prudel, the new high-end line is famed for its signature studded garments, intricate knitwear and deconstructed tailoring. As a color, Bottle Green may not be for us, but other than that we love the Lina Österman AW 2011 Collection. See it below:

First Look - Acne Spring Summer 2012

The Swedish fashion house Acne unveiled their Spring Summer 2012 collection for women yesterday in a pre presentation in New York. To quote Acne founder, Jonny Johansson, the Resort Collection draws inspiration from “a downtown, young jeans girl….who is colliding with romantic, historic fashion and creating a trapped volume”. Tortuous fashion speak perhaps but the resulting mash-up of couture fabrics such as taffeta, brocade, silk and denim, in historically inspired Scandinavian colors, creates a world of volume somehow impossibly captured within ultra slim silhouettes.

Loving it all, as we do, look below to our favorites....photos and video of the entire SS 2012 Resort Collection:

Neo-Baroque Sculptural Fashion

Founded in 2004 by Astrid Olsson and Lee Cotter, the Swedish fashion label Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair boasts not just one but two successful lines; a ready to wear line as well as a couture inspired line under the name By The No.

We love Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair´s AW 2011/2012 ready-to-wear collection for men and women. A truly minimalistic investigation of different shades of black, grey, beige and white, resulting in a monochrome world of subtle nuances. Take a look below to read more about Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair and to see more images of the new collection:

Monkey See, Monkey Do

Despite our somewhat puritanical view of Scandinavian fashion, it´s difficult not to fall for Monki, the story-based female fashion concept from Sweden. Created in 2006, the Monki brand has grown from a handful of stores in its homeland to a successful international retail chain. Monki´s core collection manages to successfully flirt between street-style and crisp Scandinavian fashion sense.

The brand concept is based on the idea of the Monki World; apparently a magical place where anything can happen. However, this is not the clever creation of a group of independent designers. Monki happens to be the feisty, quirky little sister of Weekday and Cheap Monday, and is therefore owned by omni-present H&M (Hennes & Mauritz AB). Take a look below at some more wonderful images from Monki´s style campaign: 

Ida Gullhav for Helly Hansen

Contrary to popular belief, we are not effete aesthetes. We hike. We climb. We cycle. And, of course, we ski. When we do, we like to be clothed and equipped with the best stuff for the job. Having long been fans of Helly Hansen´s classic products (there´s nothing that can match the performance of their timeless Lausanne Fibre Jacket), we are happy to see that the company is using the talents of Scandinavian designers to create interesting new product ranges.

It´s been a while since we´ve written about Ida Gullhav, one of our favorite Norwegian fashion designers, but we´ve fallen in love with the new Training Collection she´s created at Helly Hansen. It´s clear that Ida has drawn inspiration not only from her own background as a lingerie designer but also from the heritage of the distinctive Helly Hansen Lifa stripe: Take a look below to see our favorites from the new collection:

Unisex Fashion Uniforms

With all due respect to the many Scandinavian fashion designers that we love, we have to admit that if uniforms were worn at lifeiscarbon® they´d probably be supplied by the Swedish label Odeur. We´ve long been admirers but have totally fallen for their latest collection. Entitled Where the Shimmer Lies, Odeur´s Spring/Summer 2011 collection is inspired by nouveau riche tendencies, especially the over indulgent use of fashion as an expression of newly acquired wealth. Whilst we´ve made no secret of our proclivity for a monochrome palette, we do love Odeur´s use of deep choral pink. Take a look below at a selection of our favorites from the new collection:

Timeless Scandinavian Essentials

We love the quiet confidence and simple elegance of the latest collection for women by the Norwegian fashion designer Peter Løchstøer. Comprising of a range of timeless essentials with a strictly muted color palette, the new pieces are designed to blend easily with existing wardrobes.Easily allowing outfits to be dressed up or dressed down, be it for work or for play. Take a look below to read more about Peter Løchstøer and to see the new AW 2011 Collection:

Style, Simplicity and Functionality from Sandqvist

Since we last wrote about them, the Swedish bag and accessory brand Sandqvist has gone from strength to strength, without compromising their design philosophy of style, simplicity and functionality, mixed with nostalgia and traditional craftsmanship. Originally founded to produce men’s bags, Sandqvist launched its first line of women’s bags early last year and many of its current designs have a unisex appeal.

Acne: Heritage Modern

Acne seem to be making more than a passing nod to retro inspired brands such as lifeiscarbon® favorites Nigel Cabourn and Gloverall in their latest menswear collection. Highlights of Acne´s A/W 11 collection for men include multi-layered tops composed of coats, cardigans and knitwear. Our favorites have to be the modern heritage style hooded jacket in signal orange and the ground scraping extra long length duffel coat. Take a look below at more of our favorites.

Swedish Fashion Provocateur

Long before launching her own brand, Ida Pyk had already gained a notable reputaion within the Swedish fashion industry having worked for magazines such as The Daily News, Bon Magazine and Swedish Elle. Model, writer, provocateur and most recently fashion designer, Ida Pyk´s main aim appears to be to comment on the times in which we live.

Nordic Fashion Collaborators

Successfully balancing retail curation with the creation of their own brand, lifeiscarbon® have been enjoying more and more co-branded projects from the Scandinavian-based Norse Projects. Recent collaborations have included projects with the likes of Ally Capellino, Oi Polloi, Collette, Elka and Lavenham.

Shhh! Swedish Fashion Secret

Whilst braving the bitter coldness of an early winter to stroll around Oslo during the weekend, lifeiscarbon® briefly popped into NorwayDesigns in attempt to stay warm. Something of a misnomer, NorwayDesigns is predominantly a collection of fashion, furniture, design objects and handcrafts from Sweden, Denmark and Finland rather than from Norway. Be that as it may, the store often showcases upcoming Scandinavian designers and we were happy to stumble across the latest collection from Swedish fashion brand, Nygårdsanna.

Swedish Japanese Diffusion

Following successful collaborations with Karl Lagerfeld (2004), Stella McCartney (2005), Viktor & Rolf (2006) and Roberto Cavalli (2007), H&M look set to top them all with their latest creative partnership, with Commes des Garçons. Rei Kawakubo, one of the most significant figures in modern fashion and one of lifeiscarbon®’s favorite designers, has created two full collections, one for men and one for women collection, complete with accessories and a unisex fragrance.

Innovative Swedish Menswear

Despite being born in Stockholm (1982) and displaying a strong sense of Scandinavian aestheticism, Julia Hederus appears to have been very keen to escape her native Sweden as quickly as possible. Firstly by moving to Denmark to study art at Holbæk Art School and going on to gain a degree in fashion at Kolding Design School, then moving to London to study menswear at Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design before collaborating with Los Angeles based K-Swiss.