the wind of change is swirling around the fashion industry
Stylist & Creative Director: Elin Nyman
Photographer: Annie Hyrefeldt
Makeup-Artist: Sofie Eliasson
Stylist Assistant: Mattias Elissons
Models: Kajsa Holmquist, Beata Stålberg, Kevin Vo, Nils Hufhult & Jacob Lundgren / Lind Models.
The flowers smell like summer and the camera’s flashlight is persistent. Outside the window Covid-19 is wreaking havoc, but Stylist Elin Nyman and Photographer Annie Hyrefeldt has like many others realized that creativity really has a chance to bloom in the midst of all the craziness. Just like fashion today really has an opportunity to change at its core. In the project “Bloom”, they have experimented around how creativity and fashion can be visualized in different shapes, challenging both the norms of the industry as those of gender and politics.
When Everything Has a Chance to Bloom
Elin and Annie want to question the norms of society and the industry, without saying a word. Even though the expression is rather outworn nowadays, the message is still clear; a picture is really worth a thousand words. Although, in this case it might be good with some background information. How is it possible to change so much with creativity?
Fashion as a Creative Tool
Most people agree that fashion is a creative phenomenon. If you take a look at catwalks, it’s not hard to draw those conclusions. Although, fashion isn’t only about fashion shows. Many people don’t dare to wear high fashion in their everyday life, out of fear. Many people think it’s scary to stand out too much from the crowd. The beauty of fashion is that it can be as bold as you want it to be, or act as a tool to help you blend in.
Adornments and Communication
It can be said that fashion has existed in the Western community since the 14th century. However, people have practised fashion long before that, by using adornments such as piercings and body paintings. Even when people couldn’t speak, or at least not speak the same language as one another, they could express their identities through fashion.
Today we’re doing the exact same thing. Fashion is actually a language, like any other. You can take a political stand by wearing t-shirts with controversial motives. You could dress in a stylish manner by following the current trends. You could even challenge norms by experimenting with different styles, values and stereotypes. Which is exactly what Annie and Elin have done in Bloom.
– If you convey a message through your clothes, chances are, it’s easier for the recipient to take it to heart. The visual language doesn’t need words. If you see a picture of a guy in a dress, it says a whole lot of more than thousand words in an essay trying to argue for why it’s important to not uphold stereotypes and boundaries related to gender, says Stylist Elin Nyman.
When reality feels like it’s taken straight out of a sci-fi movie, we’re invited to a playful world that tries to prove a lot of prejudices wrong. Elin and Annie have decided to turn something beautiful into something important. They’ve always been passionate about creativity and fashion, but now they’ve started to wonder why. Through the lens of the camera, they try to figure out what creativity really is about.
– To me, creativity is a lot about breaking free and be able to feel joy, says Photographer Annie Hyrefeldt.
Personal Style and Sustainability
Since we could express our identities through fashion, it’s important that our clothes can make us feel unique. Over the past years sustainable fashion has almost become the new normal, but not long ago people felt it weird to buy second hand, since it clashed with the identity they wanted to express and the personal styles they wanted to show the world. Maybe one reason for them being reluctant back then was the lack of good quality second hand, or maybe they simply lacked imagination. Although, the most probable reason was that second hand fashion used to have a much lower status than it has today.
– As a photographer, I’ve sometimes refused working with certain fashion projects since I don’t want to encourage more fast fashion. To me, fast fashion equals uncertainty, superficiality and unsustainable consumption patterns. I’ve been afraid that my work would contribute to the negative aspects of fashion, but with this project I can contribute the way I want to and that’s important to me, says Annie Hyrefeldt.
Across Timelines and Borders
By questioning the status quo and at the same time, embracing the beauty of creativity, Annie and Elin show that fashion trends always come and go and that history always can be interpreted to fit the current times. Styled with only second hand pieces that draw inspiration from the 18th century’s rococo and romance, but in fact derive from Elin’s attic, it becomes clear that money isn’t a given when it comes to being able to draw inspiration from timeless fashion in one’s own personal style. Class become insignificant. Gender too. The important thing is daring to break free and be able to feel the joy that creativity can give to you.
– When I work with sustainable fashion I have the power to inspire, challenge and maybe even change the way people behave, says Elin Nyman.
Written by Amanda Fogelin
