Fashion

Exclusive: Our Legacy AW13 “OFFICIAL” Film

Swedish maestros of understated elegance take their sartorial vision to a whole new level with this exclusive PORT premiere

Text David Hellqvist
Photography, Film & Editing Kristian Bengtsson
Creative Director Cristopher Nying
Art Director Tony Cederteg
Stylist Bengt Tornefors
Hair Åsa Pettersson for Sure Baby Yes
Music by Jony

Imagine a hotel receptionist greeting guests as they walk into the lobby. He’s standing behind the counter, smiling in a friendly manner while photocopying passports and swiping credit cards. He patiently talks them through the complicated wifi password process and points out where the restaurant, loo and bar are located. He’s wearing a crisp white shirt, a smart suit jacket in wool. He appears to be wearing matching trousers for that universal non-offensive service personal look that can be found in hotels, tube stations, airports and on bus drivers all over the globe. But come behind the counter, look beyond the facade and this hotel receptionist is wearing shorts and trainers, none of them visible from the hotel guest’s point of view.

woolen-overcoat-and-leather-jacket

Our Legacy’s Autumn Winter 2013 collection looks closer at the idea of quasi uniforms, the clothes worn by officials and service workers. People who dress up to showcase a certain amount of authority and responsibility. The “OFFICIAL” collection plays around with these stereotypes and add the quirky characteristics that the Stockholm brand is famous for. Fake leathers and re-modelled business suits become a parody on official uniforms. Slogans such as “Service”, “No Service”, “Assistance” – all of them taken from real life situations in public life – are re-positioned within the collection and given a new meaning. Fabrics that are normally perceived as cheap, such as nylon and mesh, often feature in a strict and formal context, but when mixed with luxe wools and silks the meaning and purpose of them are questioned. Here, Our Legacy designer Cristopher Nying picks out a few of the key items from the “OFFICIAL” collection alongside the premiere of the Kristian Bengtsson-directed film.

Business shirt

The idea behind this garment was to take something classic and make it interesting, modern and informal. By creating a “used expression”, like it’s been knocked about a bit or been discoloured through the years, we’ve tried to lighten up the shirt’s business attitude. The actual quality of seams and manufacturing is high, a few of the fabrics have a luxurious feeling and are treated with interesting washes.

Suit-and-black-leather-jacket

Costume Blouson

We had discussed developing a suit that challenges the standard idea of what the suit is meant to be and do. This is the result. The waist long, slim and shirt-like jacket indicates that it can be worn in multiple ways. But once it’s worn with the bottom part, it gets a strict and formal, almost uniform-like, feeling. The trousers are pleated and with creases running down the front.

Neoprene Coat

A futuristic coat in neoprene. It’s a fabric not normally used on coats, it gives the garment a synthetic, harsh and industria feeling, but at the same time there’s something very functional about it. The body lining is made of wool, and the sleeve lining is made of a polyester mesh.

Red-jumper-and-trousers

Hair on Hide Jacket (Pony hair)

This material finds the fine balance between the masculine and the feminine in this collection. Historically, it might be predominantly feminine. We’ve taken the material and made it more masculine by making it into a leather jacket – and it also comes as black boots and shoes with zips on. In this collection, the material works well with other fabrics like velvet and fake leather because it’s shiny and gives off a synthetic feeling.

Patterned Scarves

Behind the phrase ‘Always at your service’, which is often used in service professions, there is sometimes a fake smile, maybe even a sneer. And it’s in that context that the figures and patterns on the scarves makes sense in the collection. For us, they bridge the figures and the fake facade of the service professions. The patterned scarves are a bit like the smileys of the SS13 collection as they are comical streaks in an otherwise formal world. But we didn’t just want to make something that’s ‘funny’ – it had to earn its place in the collection… so these scarves are made in Italy using the finest silk and wool available.

www.ourlegacy.se

Scarf-and-suit