Swedish household name Filippa K’s timeless aesthetic feels more relevant than ever, 26 years after it was established. We spend a day with brand founder Filippa Knutsson in her London home.

By EMMA HOLMQVIST DEACON Photos by OLIVER MARTIN

is for Karisma

110 SCANDINAVIANTRAVELER.COM APRIL 2019 Filippa Knutsson

London life. Knutsson is back in the city that she grew up in.

APRIL 2019 SCANDINAVIANTRAVELER.COM 111 Filippa Knutsson

s far as Swedish brand recognition goes, Filippa K is almost up there with fat- A pack giants and fare-wear- ing pop groups. The fashion purveyor is that much of an institution in its homeland. At frst glance, its minimal- ist aesthetic may be the epitome of Swedish -ness, but dig deeper and you’ll realize there’s much more to it. The same goes for brand founder Filippa Knutsson, who’s now descending the stairs of her Islington home to greet us – a blonde vision, enrobed in a white trouser suit.

THE MODERN BREED of multicultur- al eclecticism that defnes Knutsson’s Georgian home – which is dotted with artwork from the likes of André Bloc, Mamma Andersson and Le Corbusier – has found its way into the Filippa K aes- thetic, however subtle these infuences may be. “Most people describe Filippa K as uber-Scandinavian, since the look is quite minimalist, but there’s a defnite hint of Parisian elegance to it, as well as an element of London creativity,” Knuts- son says. This might be a product of the fashion fgure’s slightly divided upbringing. She WHO SHE IS grew up in the UK capital, to which she returned in 2016 after a couple of decades AND WHAT in and a three-year stint in Paris. “From the age of two to 21, I had a tradi- SHE DOES tionally English upbringing in one way – complete with a uniformed Mary Poppins nanny – but a lot more bohemian in anoth- Filippa Knutsson er, with my arty, Swedish mum. So it was Born: 1965 a mix of hippy summers in Ibiza and prim Career: Worked at her father’s den- tea parties, with me trussed up in velvet- im retailer Gul & Blå before co- collared coats,” she says, laughing. founding fashion brand Filippa K in Knutsson is glad she’s been able to 1993. The company, for which give her three children – Nina, Tom and Knutsson serves as creative direc- Dylan – a taste of the international life tor, is headquartered in Stockholm she’s always led herself. and operates 34 stores worldwide. It also has global distribution via 400 HAVING HIT THE quarter century mile- multibrand retailers. stone, Filippa K’s timeless signature Lives: London has aged well – in fact, it feels more rel- Family: Partner Thomas Fourtané evant than ever. The look is contempo- and three children from two previ- rary but not trend-led and garments are ous marriages: Nina, Tom and Dylan designed to last – style-wise and quality- wise. Hearing that people still wear pieces they’ve bought a decade or longer ago

112 SCANDINAVIANTRAVELER.COM APRIL 2019 Knutsson’s Georgian Islington home is an eclectic mix of history and artful modernity.

APRIL 2019 SCANDINAVIANTRAVELER.COM 113 Filippa Knutsson

Knutsson is partic- ularly inspired by sculpture, and this work by André Bloc is a firm favorite.

flls Knutsson with joy. “We currently sell a women’s blazer that was designed ten years ago, and it still looks modern,” she says. To start at the beginning of the brand saga, Filippa K was founded in 1993 by Knutsson, Karin Hellners and Patrik Kihl- borg – Knutsson’s ex-husband and father to her children Nina and Tom. The fedg- ling label quickly established itself on the local market, and suddenly – the “Filippa K girl tribe” was a cultural phenomenon. The Scandinavian-wide trajectory hap- pened remarkably quickly, particularly considering that this was well before the advent of social media, with its clear brand-building advantages. So what was it about Filippa K that struck a ‘The fit and look of chord with consumers in the most basic staple the early 1990s? “The pared-back aesthetic we can be transformed’ advocated was in keeping with its time, but most importantly, we set out to create pieces I wanted to wear myself, but couldn’t fnd in shops,” Knutsson says. “We were very consumer-focused from the beginning – the types of garments I longed for were clearly missing from other women’s wardrobes, too – the slimline jeans with a bit of stretch, and the perfect- ly designed T-shirt that you could wear anywhere, even for dressier occasions.” As every designer knows, it’s trickier to perfect a simple garment than an embel- lished concoction. “If you consider every line carefully and use quality material, the ft and look of the most basic staple can be transformed,” Knutsson says. Elevated casual wear pieces are every- where today, with tracksuits rocking up at Oscars after-parties, but it was a diferent story back in the 1990s. “A few of the Swedish store buyers we introduced the brand to in the early days found it difcult to justify paying a bit more for our T- shirts,” Knutsson reminisces.

KNUTSSON DIDN’T LAND in the industry by chance, or without experience. Fash- ion and entrepreneurship are in her blood. Her mom, artist and designer Martina Clason, ran a kidswear brand in London,

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Soon in bloom – a garden break in her favorite cashmere coat. FAVORITE GARMENTS

Filippa Knutsson co- founded Filippa K to create the type of pieces she couldn’t fnd in while her father, Lars Knutsson, is the shops. Here are her founder of cult retailer and denim brand current top three. Gul & Blå, one of ’s most success- ful jeans purveyors, founded in 1966. Filippa Knutsson’s joining her father’s company in 1987 is the reason why she ended up in Stockholm. So what did she take with her from Gul & Blå when mov- ing on to set up her own fashion venture? “My multipronged role, which involved everything from production to PR, gave me invaluable industry experience, and coming from a family of entrepreneurs within the creative industry helped immensely. But style-wise, I longed SILKY HOSTESS for the opposite of Gul & Blå’s eclectic, OUTFIT American- inspired aesthetic – I wanted I love pajamas, the to cater for a new generation geared to- ultimate in comfort wear wards purity and simplicity, and an urge – loose, relaxed, allowing to declutter their wardrobes,” she says. you to curl up on the sofa without the seams split- THE SAME VALUES drive ‘We don’t want to ting. Filippa K’s silky Knutsson today, but hav- pajama- inspired set ing taken a fve-year break guilt-trip consumers consists of a tunic top from the company’s – people will always and wide pull-on trou- creative helm – a period need to buy clothes’ sers. Add a sweater for which included a family daytime, or a sharp move to Paris for three blazer for evening. years – she’s returned with a renewed focus. “Sustainability is about ALEXA changing attitudes, and there’s defnite- CASHMERE COAT ly a ‘stufocation’ backlash happening,” My second favorite Knutsson observes. The proof is right in garment is a dressing front of us on the sofa, in the shape of her gown-style coat to wear 24-year-old daughter Nina, who wears with my hostess set. The secondhand clothing almost exclusively. long, simple shape in the “I wouldn’t even enter a chain store – softest cashmere can be I fnd the whole idea of fast fashion sick- belted or let loose, and ening,” she says, with a genuine look of the feel is both luxurious concern. “You can dress really well in and super comfortable. secondhand exclusively, and then buy a I think I value comfort designer piece once in a while, and even above all else. that you can pick up at charity shops. I re- cently got a Ralph Lauren jacket for £15.” TUXEDO BLAZER Her mother clearly sympathizes with I have several black this view. “When I grew up in the 70s and blazers ranging from 80s, my friends and I didn’t go around eight years old to the buying new clothes all the time,” Knuts- present Filippa K collec- son recalls. “You had a small wardrobe tion. When well-designed, and styled the few pieces within it cleverly, blazers can last years. maybe spicing the look up with a punky I personally love suit hairdo,” she says, adding that brands jackets that are sharp didn’t have the power that they do today. and structured as they “The world has gone mad with mindless balance my softer, consumption. Particularly Sweden, I’m drapey clothes.

116 SCANDINAVIANTRAVELER.COM APRIL 2019 Filippa Knutsson FILIPPA KNUTSSON’S GUIDE TO LONDON

1 afraid to say. Swedish people crave new- CARAVAN ness, but they’re not willing to pay much I live near King’s Cross for it and H&M and Ikea are testament to and I love how this area that. The French are more into classic has developed into a style, so fast fashion is not as pronounced hub of creativity, with there,” she observes. Central Saint Martins As much as Knutsson and her team college and Google want to inspire change, they’re trying to headquarters within a do so in a positive way. “We don’t want to few steps of each other. guilt-trip consumers – people will always Caravan is where it all need to buy clothes. But we can ofer converges – a ware- Shutterstock Photo: advice on how to style and look after house-type restaurant a smaller wardrobe,” she says. with tasty modern food In 2017, the brand launched the “Not and inspiring energy. CURZON SOHO SERPENTINE That Complicated” campaign, with tips 1 Granary Square, King’s Cross London is a dynamic GALLERY on how to style seven pieces in diferent caravanrestaurants.co.uk film city and I’ve always This is as much a ways to create 18 diferent looks and build loved going to this par- retreat as it is a cultural a versatile, timeless wardrobe. Alongside BARBICAN CENTRE ticular cinema – it’s a experience. I appreciate this, the Filippa K Style Service ofers A favorite cultural cross between a coffee the mix of contempo- guidance (online and in-store) on how to destination for art, de- shop hangout and a liv- rary art in a park setting, select pieces to suit consumers’ lifestyles sign, theater, dance and ing room – the salons which feels very British. and existing wardrobes. film. This place has a are comfy in a velvety Lunch at the beautiful particular London energy sort of way, and the films Zaha Hadid-designed BEING THE FACE of the brand, there’s an – experimental, bold well-selected. I could restaurant at the sister efortless ease to the way Knutsson dress- and confident, and the happily spend a big site Serpentine Sackler es. Most of the Filippa K pieces she’s sin- Barbican’s brutalist ar- chunk of my day there! Gallery just across the gled out for us today are crafted from sus- chitecture has become 99 Shaftesbury Avenue, Soho bridge is an added tainable, wrinkle-free materials, meaning a destination in itself. curzoncinemas.com/soho bonus. they’ll pack nicely. And travel she does Silk Street, Barbican Kensington Gardens, Kensington – aside from her London base, Knutsson barbican.org.uk HAMPSTEAD HEATH serpentinegalleries.org spends time in Paris, as well as Corsica 1 A good long walk on and Morocco – where she shares homes LUCA the heath is like escap- DUKE OF YORK with her partner, French architect Thom- An Italian restaurant ing into the countryside SQUARE MARKET as Fourtané – and, of course, Stockholm, with the type of effort- for a few hours. Its mix 2 A great way to spend the city in which the Filippa K headquar- less elegance I love. of mature trees, winding a Saturday is strolling ters is based, with a smaller ofshoot in Delicious and unpreten- woodland- paths and down King’s Road and London. tious food in a laidback sprawling lawns has a stopping at this bustling After a spot of falafel lunch in the and sensitively designed calming effect on me. food market off Sloane bright kitchen, Knutsson wraps herself up environment. The Henry Moore sculp- Square. You’ll find a in her favorite cashmere coat and invites 88 St John Street, Clerkenwell ture in front of Kenwood diverse range of high- us for a stroll in the back garden, where luca.restaurant House is a favorite des- quality food from around Camellia trees are in full bloom. “I love tination – art and nature the world to eat on the this part of town. It’s like a village and OZONE COFFEE in perfect harmony. spot or take home. there’s a lot of chatting going on between ROASTERS Hampstead Heath, Hampstead 80 Duke of York Square, Chelsea neighbors while we do our gardening. I often eat lunch here dukeofyorksquare.com As for London itself, it has such creative when working from our energy, as well as a defnite business side, Shoreditch office. The and this really inspires me,” she says. food is genuinely great So has she fnally “come home”? – and the bustling indus- “I’ve never felt that I belong anywhere trial locale and friendly in particular. I love it in London, but but professional staff I won’t necessarily stay here forever,” make this a favorite. she says. “Like my mum, I’m a natural- 11 Leonard Street, Shoreditch born nomad.” ozonecoffee.co.uk 2 Photo: Shutterstock Photo:

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ROYAL COLLEGE OF ART London’s fashion home | FILIPPA K Style made to last SCULPTURE PARK Northern | FLORENCE From Il Duomo to Ponte Vecchio CARBON-FREE CITIES leads the way | MOVING MOUNTAINS Design icon Snøhetta