The Row-ification of fashion has been a good thing for House of Dagmar, the Stockholm-based brand that embraces a traditional kind of minimalism and is known for oversize jackets and tailoring, as well as the use of soft tones. “I’m not super into colors but I can really nerd into the different shades of white, the different shades of natural tones,” said creative director Sofia Wallenstam on a call. Based in Stockholm, the label continues to expand its footprint stateside; it’ll be in Bergdorf Goodman starting this August.
Knits, the brand’s mainstay, were present in the combined resort/spring collection, but they weren’t the main story. This outing was a bit more experimental than usual, Wallenstam said the aim was a sort of expressionist take on the minimal. The results were mixed, with some garments feeling heavy-handed. Images of garden statuary and drapery seem to have inspired such pieces as an ochre dress with a rippling sculpted bodice on an ochre dress and summery crisp cotton separates with tucking details. Contrasting with the relative stiffness of manipulated fabric were more supple designs. These include a perfect tank, a bit ’30s in style, with a subtle, sensuous drape, a bow-blouse with exaggerated streamers, and a collarless blazer with two sets of sleeves, one meant to be tied casually around the waist. A great pair of jeans made with washed Japanese denim had a softer, easier vibe that feels right for now.