The Row-ification of fashion has been a good thing for House of Dagmar, the Stockholm-based brand that embraces a traditional brand of minimalism and is known for its oversized coats and tailoring, as well as its use of soft tones. “I’m not really into colors, but I can really dig into the different shades of white and the different shades of natural tones,” said creative director Sofia Wallenstam during a phone call. Based in Stockholm, the label continues to expand its footprint in the United States; it will be at Bergdorf Goodman starting in August.
Knits, the brand’s mainstay, were present in the combined resort/spring collection, but were not the main story. This outing was a bit more experimental than usual. Wallenstam said the goal was a kind of expressionist take on the minimal. The results were mixed, with some garments feeling heavy. Images of garden statues and curtains appear to have inspired pieces such as an ocher dress with a flowing sculpted bodice on an ocher dress and summery fresh cotton items with tuck-in details. Contrasting the relative stiffness of engineered fabric were smoother designs. These include a perfect tank top, a bit of a 1930s style, with a subtle, sensual drape, a bow blouse with exaggerated streamers and a collarless blazer with two pairs of sleeves, one of which is meant to be tied casually around the waist. A great pair of jeans made from washed Japanese denim had a softer, easier look that feels good for now.