Swede Nothings

I have an awesome job right now.

Here's my boss, Amanda Ericsson, dressed up as a panda:

The guy is her boyf (sorry fellas)/bandmate--they're called "Panda Project."

Needless to say, I think she's amazing.

I work remotely (she's in Sweden) so we email. She wrote this to me when I had some questions about the kind of design that Dreamandawake, the company, does. We remake old dresses, and here Amanda breaks down how and why and her really interesting perspective on design:

In general old dresses are a bit too heavy for today’s user and they are covering too much of the body. [So we generally "reduce" them].

What I don’t like with some redesign is that many times it is overdone and too much combinations have been done! The dresses are very beautiful as it is but just need a push in the right direction to be more comfortable for today. I really see no reason to cut and combine too much just for the sake of “redesign” cause this is also a waste of time in a way and a waste in a beauty that is already there….

Maybe it is a bit “Scandinavian design” over this way of thinking….

French seem to like lots of lace and lots of add-on-layers while Swedes like it to be clean and let the shapes and details speak for themselves….

(Here's where it gets really good--LD.)

What I like with the dresses is the feminity inside the fabrics and how they touch the skin and follow movements. It is about comfort.

Also the fact that you may wear nothing underneath (except maybe knickers) make them “sexy“ in their own secret/transparent way (also with heels they become more “fashion” directly).

I also like the way they, combined with sneakers or boots, will make the wearer look dresses but at the same time not over-dressed….

Well that’s just some of my thoughts!

Neat, huh--my first primary-source interview with a designer, here on the blog! Such an interesting perspective on fashion. I think she's right, it is really Scandinavian... as a nerdy designer and an overthinker I tend to also overdo and things can easily get fussy. I appreciate the argument for the value of simplicity and a kind of "honesty" from these existing garments... and I appreciate the opportunity to practice this philosophy! This job is great.

Plus I work from home so I can do it in my underwear.

Dreamandawake's website

Dreamandawake's Tumblr

My "what I'm doing/thinking at Dreamandawake" Tumblr, drm&awk