September 26, 2007

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Dream Academy

The Stockholm-based House of Dagmar makes its stateside debut. By Naomi Nevitt

House of Dagmar fall/winter 2007 collection

It's not always the case that family and business go hand and hand. But the three sisters behind up-and-coming Stockholm-based line House of Dagmar have successfully made their fashion gig a family affair, too. Named after Kristina Tjader, Sofia Malm, and Karin Soderlind's shared hero, their late grandmother, House of Dagmar brought the trio together over their love of fashion and their desire to give their similar style a distinctly familial twist. "Our grandmother was very feminine and chic," says Tjader, one of the two designers behind the label who, along with Malm, built the brand from its knitwear beginnings the full collection it is today (Soderlind opts to stay behind the scenes as the line's main press contact). "This is something that we remind ourselves of everyday."

Always looking to the past to find classic silhouettes to renew and retool, this fall the sisters took inspiration from "after-ski retro glamour of James Bond," says Soderlind, who along with her partners, mixed rich wools with classic winter cuts. The result is long, luxe cardigans in updated alpine patterns, modern variations on the skinny ski pant, and ribbed knit jumpers. And, it's their upcoming collection where the sisters hope to shine. Selected by Gen Art to present their spring/summer 2008 collection at the Fresh Faces fashion show during this past New York Fashion Week, the girls once again took cues from a bygone era, looking to the work of Abstract Expressionist Jackson Pollock. The collection features neutral-toned egg-shaped silhouettes, a nod to un-worked beige canvas, splattered with bright prints reminiscent of one of the Action painter's dribbles. "The common thread throughout the collection is the idea of a work in progress," says Tjader.

House of Dagmar fall/winter 2007 collection

And with the collection already picked up by Opening Ceremony and Fred Segal, it seems that House of Dagmar has itself come along way from the trio's days growing up in Gothenburg, learning how to sew from their grandmother. "To see our clothes in New York and America is a dream that we never thought would come true," says Tjader. "It's amazing."

House of Dagmar spring/summer 2008 collection

House of Dagmar is available at Opening Ceremony in both New York and Los Angeles. For more information, go to www.houseofdagmar.com.

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