The designer trio Simen Staalnacke, Peder Børresen and Stefan Dahlkvist manage to tell new fashion fairytales season after season. The multi-million brand´s amazing story has expanded from the nature pearl of Stryn to the busy streets of New York.
Inspired by old movies
Their SS 2013 collection is inspired by Norwegian movies from the 40´s and 50´s, including «Gategutter» («Street Boys»), «Fant» and «Tørres Snøftevold». Moods of Norway has applied the saving and reparing teqcniques that were used during and under the war, like knitting and patching. Calm checkers and squares are used many times. They´ve used fabric like cotton, linen, merino wool and mixes of wool with silk and cottton. Navy, voilet, bright pink, petrol are combined with pastel green, pink and blue. The pastel suit with flowers is the signature piece of the colleciton.
- We saw very many Norwegian movies while we drew the collection. «Torres Snøftevold» is the inspiration for the more preppy part, while «Fant» and «Gategutter» represent the worn and torn, says Simen Staalnacke.
More dimmed and commercial
Another part of the collection was with a twist of the 50s and 60s, with dots, large buttons and swinging skirts. Peder tells that many of the clothes are double-breasted. He also says that the whole collection have a more tailored look than before.
With dresses and suits in more clean and calm cuts, the SS 2013 collection is very different from this fall and winter´s detailed and color-bouncing autumn/winter collection.
- We´ve tuned it down a lot. It´s part of making the brand more commercial and worldwide, Simen said after the entertaining catwalk show.
Fictional film festival
The audience were euphoric in Oslo Concert Hall when the intro video were shown before the show. It displayed magical movie moments from «Stryn International Color Film Festival». The story was about the world´s greatest film festival, displaying the sheeps and farmers in Norway´s hillside. During the catwalk show, gymnasts made shocking flips in the air, making the guests drop their mouths - like they always do with Moods of Norway. They´re the fashion «show kings». Their story is a movie that will never end.
Text and photos: Hanne Erøy.