Northern Europe has a special mystery – it seems to be equal parts dark and light in the most compelling of ways. Take the Svalbard global seed vault for example. Carved into a mountain of permafrost on the island of Spitsbergen, the globale frøhvelv stores duplicates of all seed genes in the event of some great tragedy. Preserving tiny life against impending doom seems to also sum up the Norwegian brand Anti Sweden. This dynamic company offers a friendly challange to their neighbors to the East. Acknowledging Sweden’s ability to dominate the voice of Northern European fashion via brands like Acne and Cheap Monday, Anti Sweden has thrown down the gauntlet and decided to take a stand for Western Nordic fashion.
See more Anti Sweden after the jump. — Kelsey Kreiling
They’ve said yes to fascinating collaborations with artists such as New York’s own Jeremyville, whose dark illustrations cover the pockets of their trademark black jeans. The first four hundred pairs of the 666 and Jezabel both came with limited edition screenprints of the work. Most recently, they’ve created a t-shirt line based on the seven deadly sins. A more direct assault on Swedish design came during Oslo fashion week. Their show included customized works made from metal thread and salvaged patches of Acne and Cheap Monday clothing. Models walked down the runway to the black metal sounds of Let Them Eat Decay.
Is Anti Sweden the bearer of slick, moulded silhouettes that we’re used to seeing in Copenhagen? Certainly not, and all for the better. It’s beautiful to see that all of that winter darkness can be channeled into such a vibrant company and hey, who doesn’t like a little competition now and again?
Tags: acne, ART, black metal, cheap monday, denim, FASHION, Graphic Design, jeans, Jeffryville, northern europe, norway, norwegian, Sweden
