'THE OUTSIDE'![]()
To coincide with the launch of their SS19 ‘The Outside’ collection, we went behind the scenes at Wood Wood’s London Fashion Week show to chat with co-founder Karl-Oskar Olsen...
Thanks for taking the time to chat to us behind the scenes, Karl. How have you found the show?
It’s been great. We were looking at a couple of venues and saw this, you know, it’s a nice old private residence with a green backdrop, and it just fitted in perfectly with the collection’s concept of being outside.
How have you found Fashion Week so far?
Well, I’ve been coming to London for 15 years every fashion week, because I’m also the buyer for our Wood Wood stores, and this is our second time doing a presentation. I think we’re one of the first ones here so I’m really happy about that because people still have the energy to come out and see our clothes. And then, you know, it’s the Queen’s birthday today…
Can you tell us a bit about the collection? You mentioned it had this idea of the outdoors…
The theme builds upon a particular look, a style, with new silhouettes and a few other elements just to create a fresh and summery collection. We didn’t have a story as such, like ‘we went to Italy…’ so we looked more towards functionality, creativity, and we wanted to support people and get inspiration from those that like to be outside exploring mountains, exploring urban environments or being active.
Do you feel that ties into the whole idea of Wood Wood being a Scandinavian brand? You seem to have an intrinsic link to the outdoors…
Yeah definitely, and we wanted to add a couple of elements of Nordic folklore. So you see elements of that throughout the collection, and then there’s obviously also elements from traditional outdoor brands. Not at a technical level though, because we’re not about that, we’re more about style and putting things together.
Do you find the idea of practical clothing being fashionable quite prevalent? Because you’ve got things like Junya collaborating with The North Face. All these things were once not fashionable and just for the hikers…
I think it’s a look and a trend that’s been prevalent for some seasons now but it speaks out to our brand because we’re all about these different elements anyway, and it’s still very prevalent.
You’ve gone from a lifestyle store showcasing a whole range of designers and labels to a fashion brand showcasing your own collections at Fashion Week. What do you feel it is about the whole ‘Scandi Aesthetic’ thing that still stands out to people?
I think it stands out because a lot of people see it as a good way of life, you know? ‘The Scandinavian Lifestyle’. It’s compared with good food, live quality… we don’t work that much compared to other countries, we have small cities, and I think our design, our legacy, is built upon this idea of simplicity. It’s about minimalism and good quality, and I think that still speaks out to a lot of people.
Is there anything else you’re looking forward to whilst you’re in London?
Just to get some pints, really! [laughs]
