Fashion

Artist Spotlight: Petter Hollström of Odeur

Swedish fashion house Odeur was launched in 2006 by Petter Hollström. A scent, described as “white, clean and light,” is found in the pieces and represents a new method of brand identification. The aesthetic is structured yet casual, with a subversive take on traditional silhouettes. In our latest Artist Spotlight, find out what inspires Peter, why being Scandinavian isn’t just about minimalism and where Odeur is headed next.


1aWhen and why did you start your line?

Odeur was originally a brand experiment that started in 2006. The basic concept of the brand was to investigate whether the traditional word-based logotype could be substituted by a non-visual logotype in the shape of a scent. This idea still runs deep within the DNA of Odeur. Our view on fashion is that it is something personal and it’s something you want to keep for yourself. This is something you won’t achieve by wearing a certain label.


2aWho or what inspires you in your designs?

Culture, art, music, history, other designers, ideas about the future and current events in society. It is really a mix of all things. It is difficult sometimes to pinpoint exactly where the inspiration comes from. It is more a flow of interpretations of all the input we get in our everyday life. This, as well as the extensive dialogues we have about our collections and aesthetics.


3aWhat does being a Scandinavian designer mean to you?

We guess it puts us in a certain frame of reference, where people might say that our look often is minimalist. If you look at Scandinavian designers, there is really a wide range of designers delivering interesting and not always minimalist expressions, so in that way we would like to disagree. We are not that concerned with where we are from; it is not relevant to us. ODEUR is a universal approach to design.


4aHow should a person wearing your clothes feel?

Sharp but still comfortable. We like to see individuals style our garments in their own manner. We hope they feel a joy of getting dressed in the morning and that our garments can inspire them in some way.


5aHow do you set yourself apart in the Scandinavian fashion industry in general?

We have an idea, a concept and a look that we would like to convey. We try to be honest to ourselves and never to embrace short sighted trends. We strive to produce things that would last for many years; we like the idea of slow fashion.


6aWhat’s next for your brand?

We are looking to complete the collection with accessories (ARTEFACTS) like sunglasses and we would like to do more shoes over the coming seasons. We really like the idea of opening our first concept store soon. We’re also looking into the possibility of bringing the collection to a few new markets.


See the collections here.


Odeur Artists Spotlight Scandinavia Standard


Images courtesy of Marlo Saalmink.

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Rebecca Thandi Norman

Rebecca Thandi Norman is a co-founder and Editor-in-Chief at Scandinavia Standard.