It’s 2021, and sustainable fashion is no longer a spontaneous movement. Witnessing many grave impacts of fast fashion during recent years, consumers all over the world are now more conscious than ever about their purchases, determined to create positive changes to the environment.
This mindset shift has resulted in the emergence of designers and creators who are – besides incredibly talented – entirely dedicated to ethical and sustainable fashion practices. When it comes to these names, it would be a mistake if we missed out on Solitude Studios, into whom we will dive real deep in this article.
From an idea to… an idea?
Just like any other project, Solitude Studios started as a mere idea. Its two founders – Jonas Sayed Gammal Bruun and Emil Wæde Frederiksen – met at a production school in Denmark. Their shared appreciation for nature quickly connected them and sparked the first conversations about sustainably-minded design. Finally, in 2018, the duo decided to turn that passion into a reality named – you guessed it – Solitude Studios, based in Copenhagen.
“We were very in touch from the start about where we wanted to go.”
But that is not the end of the “idea” part. Even now, Solitude Studios continues to describe themselves as “a vast idea, unbound by systematic structure, expelled by energy and striving for balance”. It may sound odd to you, but the two creators have their reason for that.
“Solitude Studios is not a fashion brand,” they shared in an interview. The duo does not feel like considering the latest trends. Solitude Studios, first and foremost, is a creative outlet. They intend to explore and expand their limits not only aesthetically, but also in craftsmanship. With that being said, they stated that they would never limit themselves to garments exclusively.
“It is about having fun and expressing ourselves.“
If this unique mindset impresses you, wait until you hear about their philosophy. Solitude Studios’ concept is based on Bruun and Frederiksen’s perspective on nature – man relationship. They believe the two aspects are inseparable: humans try to tame nature, and nature responds to it accordingly. It is easy for modern society to discard it all, but not for Solitude Studios’ owners. They continuously study the dynamic in banal contexts, like how grass shoots up through the pavement, or when a tree is made into a table. This attitude generally affects their direction of shaping garments or picking color palettes. Soon, the duo plans on solely using natural ways of dyeing fabrics.
“Always curious of its surroundings, the studios’ craft is an ever-changing process implementing local materials, dyes, and talents. Creating off the land.”
From seaweed to Vogue feature
Their organic philosophy quickly caught the attention of the fashion world. The desired Vogue Magazine has recently given them a feature – an amazing achievement for any independent business. In its exclusive article published this October, Vogue sang the designers’ praises while giving a detailed review of their products. The main focus is on the one-of-a-kind seaweed bag.
“The ‘seaweed’ has become our signature material,” said Bruun. “We look at new ways to experiment with it.”
The bag’s popularity has inspired the duo to evolve the mossy look and apply it to other items like jackets and shoes. Solitude Studios’ more refined pieces – like wool crochet bucket hat or “field of flowers” button-up shirt – are also highly recommended.
“Nature, unsurprisingly, always serves as the inspiration for their designs—no matter how literal.” – Vogue commented. This statement referred to the eco-friendly way Solitude Studios have been creating their products. Among other techniques, the duo has used coffees, teas, rust, and even swamp water to dye their clothing. The writers of Vogue must have been surprised by this revelation – we know we are!
“It gets these amazing, beautiful colorations and small holes because all of the small animals who live there eat it.”
From here to where?
As you are reading this, Bruun and Frederiksen are working on their first fashion show, which will debut during Copenhagen Fashion Week in February 2022. The duo gave us a little spoiler on their upcoming works: “A lot of the pieces are going to have an overgrown, worn look,” and “a slight sci-fi feel”. This is entirely new territory for both of them. However, sustainability will remain at the core, even if it looks futuristic.
“We’re thinking about the materials’ lifecycle, and imagining how it would look when nature reclaims what was taken from it.”
Further than that, Solitude Studios is going to keep the keyword “Organic” at the core of its creative process. Ultimately, they want their work to change how the entire world views, and treats, our lovely planet. “We’re hoping to spark a reconnection to nature and reestablishing what we feel is a long-gone symbiotic relationship.” – said Brunn.
To borrow the words from Vogue, “Sustainable fashion is more than a buzzword”. As fashion lovers, we are grateful to see emerging labels implementing nature-friendly processes and clever ways to reduce the impacts of the fashion industry. Solitude Studios will continue to be one of the most significant pioneers in this aspect, which makes them worth it to keep an eye on.