Twelve days ago, Ellen Hodakova Larson won the prestigious LVMH Prize, becoming the first Swede to do so. This, plus an abundance of celebrity endorsements via the red carpet (here’s looking at you, Cate Blanchett), meant there was more interest in her show than ever before. The spring collection worked as an introduction for those new to the Hodakova world, and had a lot of interest for those who were more familiar with it.
There are many points of differentiation in Larsson’s work; Chief among them is the designer himself. She is a person who keeps her feet on the ground and is happiest in the countryside, surrounded by forests, fields, horses and dogs. Her upcycling approach to fashion is based on the make-do and mend values she grew up with. This season the designer took a walk down memory lane. “For me it was a dive into warmth and being proud of where you come from,” she said. “I find it so comforting to go back into memories… and my memories are in objects, so it’s more about smells, images, pieces, all physical things.” Through the materials they are made from, deadstock, vintage and salvage, Hodakova’s designs evoke the past. They carry stories, but neither the designer nor her garments are retro. Larsson’s goal, she explained, is “to always be present.”
With this she seems to be curious, asking questions and investigating. She does not want to remain stuck in the past, but wants to look at what is there in new ways. Can a boot be made into a dress? (Mais oui!) But also: how can you deal with fashion in a new way? And where can value and preciousness be found? I think it’s a misconception to say that fashion is democratic, but Larsson’s materials come close to that definition. In her eyes, mother-of-pearl buttons, plastic lenses and zippers are jewels and discarded status symbols; just as fashionable fur hats can become coquettish dresses.
There was a touch of surrealism in Larsson’s boots with two pairs of uppers, and a mature sense of sensuality in form-fitting dresses made of many zippers, which fell loose in sonorous fringes at the hems. It’s funny that the Hodakova show was held so close to Elsa Schiaparelli’s home, since the designer also worked with these then-new fasteners and is famous for her collaborations with artists like Salvador Dalí. Shockingly pink and generally grabbing people’s attention was Schiap’s MO; Larsson sets a good example by following her heart. Yet this season had its dramatic moments. Materiality was the designer’s main focus, but she said she wanted to focus more on silhouettes, and did so with some face-covering column dresses, her way. We have seen similar shapes elsewhere; according to the designer, the starting point for this was mushrooms. (Mushroom collecting is quite a popular pastime in Scandinavia.)
In order for Larsson to use landscape paintings as fabric for clothing and a great tote bag, she had to remove them from their frames, hence the frame dresses. Last season’s argyles were back and looking as desirable as ever; they were a good addition to a tweed jacket with shirt and sweater sleeves built in to give the casual, tied-up look. A Swedish country touch was added to the looks made from red and white checked dishcloths with monograms. Woven bum bags were made in the shape of traditional wooden berry and gathering baskets, the latter worn as backpacks.
As charming as these homey, rustic touches were, they shared the space with a truly refined appearance and also functioned as breadcrumbs that pointed to Larsson’s higher purpose. “I want to give a little warmth and harmony; I want to show and emphasize a pleasant life,” she said. Often, “comfort means following a route or a system, but I think we can create our own routes instead of following all the others,” she continued. [and this will allow us to] “seeing potential in things with which we can create our own world.”