Leave it to the Swedes to take all of menswear’s familiar tropes and distort them into something strangely beautiful. For Spring 2015, Stockholm-based Our Legacy infused suiting, workwear, and streetwear with both Scandinavian oddness and references to earthly elements. The result is a collection of twisted, artful minimalism.
This season the brand found new ways to reduce uniform pieces to their most basic concepts, then tweak them in unexpected ways. Most noteworthy was the inventive approach to fabric—a leather shirt, stiff enough to stand on its own, was indigo dyed so that it brought to mind tropical seawater; coated linen gave basic suiting an out-of-the-ordinary feel; and textured nylon was tie-dyed to look like an oil slick and cut into boxy outerwear. Traces of the earth’s creative (and destructive) power could be found throughout the collection. Double-layer linen was distressed to resemble cracked earth. Pure raw silk gave a soft, mossy feel to shirting. Synthetic outerwear pieces were permanently crinkled into glacial forms. Prints looked scorched and rust stained.
Most items stuck to traditional shapes, made slightly off-kilter with unconventional details. Zippers were used in lieu of buttons on shirting, trousers fastened with drawstrings, and windbreakers were cut as crewnecks. Fit was a tricky proposition. Boxy jackets and wide-cut pants aren’t for the styling novice’s wardrobe, but these aren’t clothes for the thoughtless. Now 10 years in the game, Our Legacy has established itself as a brand that makes menswear more interesting, not easier. For that we can be thankful.
