Stig Percy

When I wake up in the morning, the first thing I think about is what I’m going to wear. That was a lie, the first thing I think about is coffee, then my outfit. Either way I sometimes find myself incredibly angry because in spite of my relatively well filled closet, I feel like I can’t find the perfect outfit and my bedroom floor is suddenly filled with clothes and shoes. I bet you know the feeling. This feeling in the back of my mind is a result of me scrolling through Instagram, Pinterest and my favourite blogs and suddenly the pieces I bought last week aren’t good enough. The value of caring for the things you already have doesn’t really apply anymore, because in that moment, what I have already invested money in, isn’t good enough. Sad and illogical, isn’t it? That’s why I fell in love with the brand Stig Percy when I spoke to its founder Mathilde Jansson.

Mathilde Jansson, the founder of Stig Percy

Mathilde studied fashion design in London and got a shoemaker certificate in 2013 which triggered the idea of creating her own brand. She drew her inspiration from her grandfather and explained to me how the foundation of Stig Percy (not only the name) was built on her grandfather’s belief "that you should be grateful for what you have and take care of it”. Solely that statement contradicts a vast majority of the fashion industry that we see today. As you know I always get excited when discussing sustainability in fashion and I guess somehow Mathilde’s grandfather had a mindset that all fashionistas could learn from today.

Mathilde and her incredibly charming dog, Dylan

Dylan really wanted to be the centre of attention

“Help us close the loop”! - I see this on almost every brand website. I don’t think that it’ll ever be possible to do that completely and that’s why Mathilde’s honesty in the matter was very refreshing to me, “As a very small brand in two hazardous industries (the shoe and the leather industry), the mission is to create a shoe with the least negative impact on the environment as possible with the means we have”, and again her grandfather’s wise and very relevant words come to play a key part in the sustainability aspect, “The customer is also part of the journey, and if you take care of your shoes they will last longer, no matter what they are made of”. It is impossible to expect that consumption can continue at the current rate and have no effect on the environment. No matter what company or brand, profits and sales are always going to be vital for their survival, whereas an individual doesn’t need to purchase new clothes and shoes every week. “I believe, at large, we are way too far down the consumption lane to stop it completely or to change peoples’ consumption behaviour and consumption habits overnight […] All fashion companies, small and large, have to make aware decisions and incorporate sustainable thinking into their products and practices and it's our responsibility to educate the consumer as well. However, with that said, sustainability has also become a marketing tool for large companies – for better or worse”.

The first Stig Percy shoes I fell in love with

But I ended up going home with the black ones (I apologise for the poor quality in this picture)

To me, who has always wanted to do something creative within fashion but never really dared to take the leap, Mathilde is truly inspiring. “It probably sounds cliché but don't give up! You will have to fight for it, there will be backlashes and you will get a lot of no’s and it will make you feel like shit from time to time. But, if you don't give up and you believe in what you do, in the end it's worth it, all the small gains and everything you will learn along the way is worth it”, cliché or not, I guess it’s true. I met with Mathilde in May and I’m posting this now, not because it’s taken me this long to write it, but because I’m afraid of people’s reactions to my blog posts and I’m afraid of what can go wrong. The fashion industry has always called to me but I’ve always been secretly afraid to enter and procrastination has been a dear friend from time to time.I bet it’s like that for a lot of people, because of the presence of judgement in the fashion industry. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think that fashion could exist without it, but the industry can be cruel. “The worst thing about fashion is that it can create social divides, class differences and work as a sort of exclusive status symbol”. However, it also gives us a chance to express ourselves without using our words, when we like Mathilde, dare to do it. 

https://stigpercy.com/
@stigpercy

Dylan had to get his own portrait in this post

Intentions Behind Fashion with Noah Dau

I have always been in awe of what some people are able to create when they have a pen or a brush in their hand. I used to draw and paint every night after school when I was younger, but somehow it never turned into what I had envisioned and eventually I stopped. I was frustrated and furious because my hands weren’t able to create what my mind wanted to. If I’m being completely honest, I believe the frustration and incapability was much due to impatience and has now turned into an incredible amount of respect and admiration of all kinds of artists. The subject I want to touch upon today is very much related to that respect and how I’m sad and somewhat concerned to see so little of it in my favourite industry. Noah Dau, a Vietnamese fashion illustrator told me “fashion is a form of art and craftsmanship, it enhances people’s life” and I want it to continue to be so.

One of my favourite illustartions by Noah.

I came across Noah’s illustrations on Instagram and they made me think about all of this, so I decided to contact him and thankfully he answered me. He truly has a passion for fashion and art and it’s made visible in his work. His family wanted a different career for him but he always continued doing what he loved and that to me, is true dedication, “my heart always turns towards something more explosive and artistic”.

Fashion has an incredibly rich history and it is all recorded through not only photography, but incredible illustrations. Paul Pioret, Madeleine Vionnet and let’s not forget an all time favourite; Coco Chanel. They have all left a mark in the history of fashion, not only through their garments but also through their brave and trendsetting illustrations. They took time and dedication out of their lives to create something unique that they believed others could appreciate and identify themselves with. In my of course subjective opinion, I feel that the importance of the art and craftsmanship behind what we buy and wear are slightly forgotten. For example Noah Dau described his first encounter with Alexander McQueen, “I was mesmerised by the explosion of talent, the delicateness and the creativity that fashion designers express through their couture”, and I couldn’t help but think that many people who would like to see themselves as fashionistas wouldn’t consider this in first place when buying an outfit.  

Noah's interpretation of the Alexander McQueen ruffle jacket.

We live in a digital world filled with endless amounts of brands, fashion bloggers and influencers that show us who we are supposed to be to fit into the world. Me and so many others have of course bought what they saw someone they look up to wear and I’m not saying it’s wrong but the time passed from when you first see an item of clothing to when you buy it and the reasons behind the purchase are maybe not something that you consider. However, if you think about it, just for a second you will most likely realise that a lot of the times you don’t buy something because of its artistic value but because it was worn in an Instagram picture and you just had to have it in that very moment.

Céline, one of my favourite brands, very popular in social media these days. So much talent behind the pieces.

Fashion is still art and a way to express who you are or who you want to be but I think we need to remember the past in order to understand future trends and appreciate the hard work and passion behind something we spend so much money on. I am a marketing student and a blogger, so I’m probably contradicting myself to a certain extent when publishing this as I am basically trained to convince people to buy. However, that’s the reason I wanted to highlight the importance of fashion history and what the illustrations mean. They have always somehow told the consumer what to wear or how to wear it but the sincerity from the consumers point of view feels rather lacking as many don’t really know what they’re actually buying. Fashion and aesthetics are very powerful factors affecting our everyday lives and it’s no wonder we want the latest, but we can’t have the latest without the past. What would fashion have been without Chanel, Dior, Valentino, Oscar de la Renta? The list goes on. Appreciate a piece of clothing like a piece of art, there’s much more to it than your next Instagram post.

So much more than your next instagram post. Noah has captured the Elie Saab magic.

On the other hand, as Noah describes “everything has two sides, people ‘kill’ to be better than they are which can help promote growth or it can create a delusion of what they aspire to be”, fashion does have two sides two it and I don’t think that’s going to change. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery they say and I guess every single one of us will keep on trying to become our best selves through imitating our idols. I just wish the future holds more appreciation and respect for what actually goes into what you put on your wall as well as the clothes on your back. Noah Dau certainly show that it’s possible through the old means of fashion; illustrations.

The colourful and lovely man behin the illustrations, Noah Dau!

Linda Nyberg

Sipping on a slightly too cold cappuccino on my way to Christmas celebrations with my family, I realised that I haven’t properly introduced myself to you. I haven’t told you who I am, why I created this blog or the purpose of me sharing my thoughts with you. Over the not so white Christmas and New Year spent in bed I decided to start 2018 with a post featuring myself.

Me in my current favourite boots from Top Shop (wishing they were a different pair from Céline...)

I grew up with three siblings, two older sisters and a younger brother. My sisters are four and five years older than me, so from an early age I started “borrowing” their clothes. I remember that one of my sisters had a pair of black platform sandals that I was craving. Every now and then I would sneak into her closet and put them on, of course they were too big for me given the age difference, so I kept asking mum how long she thought I would have to wait until they fit me. I was very picky with my clothes, I refused to wear the same outfit two days in a row already when I was five years old and I could not for the life of me understand why mum wouldn’t let me wear red and pink together.

Me in the checked suit from H&M and my Pulp Fiction t-shirt

To be honest I can’t really put the reason why I am so interested in fashion into words. I believe that’s why I decided to create Why Fashion. I’ve just never been able to stop noticing what people wear or to stop thinking about my next outfit. I’ve collected crazy amounts of fashion magazines and books over the years that made a great nightstand when I first moved away from home. Putting together that perfect outfit just makes me so incredibly happy. I would like to go back to what Carin McCormac said when I featured her, “the best thing about fashion is that it’s fun”, it’s just the best way to describe how I feel when I get to do what I love. I have a very emotional attachment to fashion and it affects my life so much that I’ve never really thought about why it actually interests me and that’s why I don’t just want to share my interest and outfits with you, but other people’s too, to better understand the industry and the psychology behind it at the same time as we have fun.

When I’ve featured people here I’ve asked almost all of them how they would describe their own style because I can’t answer that question about myself. It’s ever-changing depending on my mood but I do think my punk side always shines through a little bit. I do however like the unexpected and crazy in an outfit even though I play it safe from time to time. I certainly consider fashion my most important creative outlet and I can’t imagine a world without it.

Me playing it safe, posing and freezing..

Over the past four years I’ve started rebuilding my closet. I have to say it’s been incredibly frustrating to focus on the classic and timeless basics as new trends set in when you have a limited student budget. There’s been times I’ve gone months without reading my favourite blogs or going into shops because I’ve tried to save up for a quality piece. Absolutely horrible at the time, but so worth it. I’m still mid process but I’ve built it up enough now that I can start experimenting again and I believe that made me even more keen to start blogging. Some of my most used pieces at the moment include the checked suit from H&M, a Pulp Fiction t-shirt and a pair of boots from Top Shop. However, I’m longing to dress for spring and for the day it’ll be easier to get my hands on the pieces I want. Speaking of getting the pieces I want, I sometimes stop and question myself when I’m about to purchase something. What’s the long term gain from buying something out of emotion rather than rationality? I still can’t answer that question fully but my emotional part of the brain tends to win as I visualise my future outfits.

 

Then I got tired of posing..

I’m so excited to start this new year with you and do what I love at the same time as I finish my education. Since the Christmas and New Year celebrations turned into a flu I apologise for the lack of posts. I’m back on my feet now and I look forward to feature more inspiring people in fashion and to share my thoughts with you.

Mona Udrea

For the past five or six years I’ve felt like I haven’t really been in touch with my creative side. To be completely honest I blame school and university a bit for this. I’ve been writing paper after paper about theories and models but I haven’t learnt how to apply this in practice. Everything had to be a certain way and there’s been little room for creativity and innovation, until I started this blog. Everything I've learnt about marketing and writing I can now apply, but I get to create something too. I think that aspect is missing in certain parts of at least my past education. Thinking about this and scrolling though Instagram while sipping on my awful cup of instant coffee at 8am, I came across Mona; a fashionista from Spain who’s all about expressing feelings and creativity. I was immediately intrigued by her free and colourful style and decided to contact her. As it turns out, she was just the inspiration I needed in that moment.

Mona has been a life long fashion enthusiast, who’s mother worked as a designer, fabricating all of her clothes. Her childhood was filled with creativity and today Mona is a hard working woman, living in Spain with her husband and daughter. She paints, has a passion for theatre and an eye for fashion and style. 


“My sisters and I were dressed differently than other girls”, Mona's mother was incredibly creative and wanted pieces to stand out and it seems like she had a great influence on her style. “I'm inspired by people who dress differently”, I’m always looking for that extra element in my own outfits too, like a glitter top underneath a classic suit or a pair of gigantic earrings in bright colours combined with a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt. However, Mona takes it one step further.
 

I'm impressed with her use of colours, so chic and effortless

"Everything depends on how I feel that day, but in all my outfits I chose comfort [...] I chose my clothes in the moment and usually I don’t take too much time picking them out", I could not relate when she said that she doesn't take that much time... I always think I can get ready in 30 minutes and end up spending another 30 or more, changing my outfit, so I am truly impressed since her outfits look so thought through. "My style is street style, because there are no rules!", on the other hand, she seems more certain on her style than me!

For me to put together an outfit like this would take hours of indecisiveness.. Spot on!

"Surrounding ourselves with beauty is soul food. Beauty energies us, excites us, puts a smile on our faces whenever we gaze upon it", Mona really knows how to put her thoughts into words, she continued to talk about how we need beauty in our lives and how that's the reason she loves fashion. I can't do anything but agree because it's the main reason I'm so passionate about it, it’s been my number one creative outlet throughout my life.


"Today it's so cheap to buy clothes [...] The more you have, the more you want", the reasons why fashion has become the industry we see today seem to be quite simple, "Fashion is a great way to express yourself. Everybody does that because is easy and fast, but only a few ones make fashion into art", but at a personal level it becomes so complex, perhaps it explains why on earth I spend so much time thinking of what I’m going to wear.

"Theatre and painting makes me feel free [...] I can express feelings easily and in painting there's only me and my deepest feelings", I miss painting myself, staying in touch with my creative side has become so difficult having to focus on academic work at university, so I have to say that I'm impressed and a little jealous of Mona's well mended relationship with hers. "When something inspires me, I do it obsessively and I don’t stop until I'm finished. I’m like this in almost everything", I love those periods of obsession, you're so focused that you forget about the world around you. I think fashion does make the expression of feelings more accessible to the everyday person who may not have the time or interest to turn to other forms of art.


“The best thing about fashion is that it helps you to express yourself easily [...] The worst thing is that it creates addiction and that it destroys the environment", tapping into the topic of sustainability always triggers me. Mona continues, "I don't like to destroy the environment in order to have clothes, shoes and bags [...] We have to be more careful and reuse old clothes, adapt them to the new trends and the fashion industry has to become more careful". I completely agree and I'm pleased to talk to someone who actively does her best to reuse old clothes. I can’t say that I’m a master of using what I already have, I am a bargain hunter and too often I end up buying fast fashion instead of saving up for a quality piece or choosing second hand; I need to change my habits, as do we all. 


"The most important piece in my closet is a vintage dress [...] It’s 45 years old and it looks as it did the first day. It was a present from my mother-in-law and I love it, it was made by a dress maker in that time". 
 

Mona in the vintage dress from her mother-in-law

I'm so happy to have had the opportunity to talk about fashion with Mona, she really inspires me to keep in touch with my creative side even though it can be hard from time to time. She’s also someone I would look to for inspiration on how to incorporate my old clothes into new trends. Thank you so much Mona, fashion is truly an element of beauty and creativity that I think a lot of people need in their lives.

Mona looking flawless

To get to know Mona better, visit her instagram: @helloimona

Henny J

Henny Jonasson is a model from Sweden who’s been interested in fashion her entire life, “Fashion means everything to me. As it pretty much is my entire life”. I have to be honest and say that I am a little envious since she’s living the life I dreamed of as a young girl. “My interest in fashion began the way I believe it does for a lot of young children, in my mothers closet”.

“When I wake up in the morning, the first thing that I usually do is to check the weather app on my phone”, why do I never do this? Henny continued, “After that I base my clothing on the mood I am in that morning […] What I always want to express with my style is an effortless feeling of femininity”.

“I think the reason people first started to get interested in fashion and why people still keep getting interested in fashion is how easily you can express yourself […] That is the reason I think a lot of people find fashion such an important part of their everyday life, the need to express themselves”, it’s certainly a need everyone has but I’ve never realised that’s why I dress the way I dress, to fulfil a need.

“The worst thing about fashion is how blind we are to how much it actually impacts our environment”, I smiled reading this, pleased to know that this is soaring through the fashion world. “Right now fast fashion is the second largest polluter in the world, and somehow we seem to turn our heads and look another way”, this must be frustrating, working in the middle of it. “Do I really need these jeans for £5 that will most likely break in a month? Or can I maybe afford to invest in a really good pair that will last me literally forever?” Hopefully, with more inspiring women like Henny taking a stand, clothes might stop being viewed as disposable goods.

Henny looking stunning in my favourite pictures of her from Stockholmsgruppen

Carin McCormac

Carin McCormac has been one of my biggest inspirations over the last couple of years, she works at ATP Atelier in PR and Communications and has her own blog. I couldn't possibly put into words how much it means to me that she agreed to be featured here, her style is perfect to me, she dares to take that extra step with her outfits, creating pieces of art. Some might think it looks a little crazy, but that's the way I like it, “I try to mix items that are a bit unexpected. Like a washed out army t-shirt with diamond earrings […] There’s a day-to-day struggle between the tomboy and the Beyoncé in me.” 

“Oh my God, I'm so tired... What looks cool?”, is how Carin describes her morning struggle and I can't do anything but smile and nod agreeing.

Carin’s interest in fashion started as a teenager, a similar time frame to me; I remember what my own room used to look like, and still does from time to time, when I spent an unending amount of hours going through my closet, “The best (and worst) part of your teenage years is the endless number of looks you go through”.

The reasons Carin ended up in fashion are quite simple, “It’s an industry that’s always interested me. But I think I’m more interested in the process where clothes or accessories turn in to fashion and why, rather than the actual collections and clothes”. Fashion is an incredible tool for storytelling without having to say much and I guess that's why I'm trying to put it into words with Why Fashion.

“It’s what unites us, but also what separates us” rings so true in my own personal relationship with fashion, for years finding my own style was a huge stress factor for me. She further explains, “Because, besides our words, it’s the way we express ourselves. We go through all these stages in our lives, where we have different styles and aesthetics. We use our clothes as a mean of communication, to show others what music we’re in to, what politics we stand for or to show economic wealth. It concerns all of us”. 

“The best thing for me is that it's fun. It sounds SO banal, but it gives me such joy, inspiration and food for thought”, is how Carin describes the best thing about fashion and I definitely agree. When I manage to put together that perfect outfit or if I see it on someone else, I just can't for the life of me stop looking or smiling.

Fashion is no longer just what you buy, it’s you telling your own story and I find Carin McCormac's story incredibly inspiring. Thank you Carin, for being you.

 

 

Some of my favourite outfits by Carin

Maggie Xie

When I started this blog my intentions were to find out why people were so absorbed with the fashion industry. Little did I know that within one month of my first post, I would be in contact with Maggie Xie. She is a Surfacing Artist at Guru Studio in Toronto and has an impeccable sense of style. I find that she manages to combine the classics with statement pieces making it look effortless and that's exactly how I envision my own style. When she answered my message I was ecstatic and couldn't wait to ask her some questions about my biggest passion. 

She told me she couldn't remember when her interest in fashion began, except that it started while playing with dolls as a girl. I could definitely relate to this and got a little nostalgic, remembering how I carefully dressed my Barbie dolls depending on who I wanted them to be. Then Maggie continued, "When I get dressed in the morning, I become who I really am that day". It seems like most people, including myself, are different versions of themselves every day. 

"Community is definitely something fashion provides", Maggie stated. Sometimes I forget about this, studying the negative effects of fashion. It really does bring people together and she expressed this in a lovely way, "Fashion means that I can find friends without saying a word, one look says it all". I think this is extremely important to remember, because a sense of community is essential in life. Another thing that she told me that I want to remind you of; how empowering fashion can be, and what you actually can communicate with your style. 

What I was also pleased to hear was how aware she was of the sustainability issues in fashion. Maggie does her best to support local brands and she donates or swap her old garments. She also pointed out the importance of investing in your wardrobe, rather than buying into the trend of unsustainable fast fashion that has soared over the past decade. Maggie Xie, you really inspire me.

 

Maggie looking amazing in some of her favourite investments

The First Insight

I got the pleasure to ask Ayfer, a fellow business student, about her interest in fashion. She told me it all started when she was in secondary school. She started noticing her older sisters experimenting with their styles and since she looked up to them she tried to imitate them until she found her own. She told me how she always prepares her outfits carefully the day before to make sure she feels comfortable getting dressed in the morning. Whether she wears it or not depends on her mood in the morning. She told me it's all about communicating your mood and feelings to others.

I asked her to explain fashion in one sentence. This she could hardly manage, but she said something that I can't stop thinking about. "Fashion is a state of mind which people seek to reflect by combining accessories with different outfits". If fashion is a state of mind it would certainly explain how it turned into the industry we see today. She also touched upon the subject of how consumerism affects us in terms of fashion, how people now seek to express themselves through fashion in a society where standing out is essential in order to be seen. 

When I asked her to describe her own style, she found it to be a very difficult question. However, she did put emphasis on going for outfits that are unsold and trying to use what you already have in your closet in different ways. I thought this was a point well made, being concerned about the sustainability of fashion. Another thing she pointed out was how fashion gives you the possibility to be whoever you want to be (or feel like) for the day, but with the consequences of people judging each other on a daily basis. In spite of this, fashion is a big and important part of Ayfer's life, it's a way of expressing who she is.

"Fashion is a state of mind" - Ayfer

WHY

Welcome to my first ever blog post. Here we will together discover the truth about fashion. I, myself am an enthusiastic fashionista, but from time to time I can't help but wonder why. Why do we dress the way we dress? What are we trying to tell the people passing us in the street? These are some of the many questions I will try to answer for you. All this hysteria about fashion, is it worth it? In my own opinion the answer will most likely be yes, since I will probably refuse to change my mind about my biggest passion in life. However, I do want to know what's on everyone else's mind to simply understand and have a better answer to the question why.

This is me posing away in the street just like all fashion bloggers do. Don't get me wrong, I think I understand why; I love the spotlight, all eyes on me in my outfit I picked out carefully way too early in the morning. It is fun, I feel interesting, like other people think I have something out of the ordinary to tell them. But that's just my opinon. I want to find out what all of you think. My search for the answer to the question "why fashion"? begins this week, here in Glasgow.