SPRING SUMMER 2014
Jacket: ร ckerรถ, Item No. 141 036
THROW AWAY YOUR UMBRELLA. THE SPRING SUMMER COLLECTION FROM ELVINE.
It’s time to throw away your umbrellas. You no longer have to be afraid of being blown away with it, forgetting it everywhere or getting wet anyway because it rains more from the side than from the sky. This season Elvine presents a range of water resistant jackets that will keep you nice and dry all the time. We also extend our collaboration with rainwear specialist Grundéns and for the first time we present our very own rain hat. Elvine is a Swedish clothing brand inspired by Gothenburg’s unrefined subcultures and the legacy of traditional craftmanship. We create sophisticated clothes for unsophisticated behaviour.
All items are available for purchase from our website: www.elvine.se
Jacket: Styrsรถ, Item no. 141 035 Trouser: Slimfit, Item no. 141 210 Sweat: Tim, Item no. 141 107
Coat: Rรถrรถ, Item no. 141 522 Sweater: Uma, Item no. 141 803 Trouser: Tilly, Item no. 141 301
Jacket: Leyla Item no. 141 517
TOP: SELMA ITEM NO. 141 607 TROUSER: TILLY ITEM NO. 141 301
After 12 years in business, we felt it was time for a new visual appearance of our brand.
OUR NEW IDENTITY
“Reworking the Elvine identity has meant truly
general. Just like Elvine’s clothes, the gas holder
getting to know the people behind the brand.
combines heritage, functionality and community.
Elvine is personal. The brand is the property
Standing out, but blending in, not only in Gothen-
not only of its owners and employes, but of the
burg but also in London and Berlin to name a few,
extended network of friends, people buying the
gas holders are a common part of city skylines.
clothes and ultimately - the inhabitants of the urban landscape” — Andreas Friberg Lundgren, Partner and Design Director at Lundgren+Lindqvist
What started in 2001 as a mission for providing
A key component in the new identity is the Elvine
friends with durable, smart looking and function-
emblem. A direct comment to the tradition
al garments, Elvine has grown up to an inter-
amongst many high fashion brands of using an
national clothing brand with a wide network of
emblem to show off heritage and tradition; the
resellers. As a natural step of this development,
new Elvine emblem mimics the means but with a
we set out to update our visual identity.
different goal. In stark contrast to the emblems commonly seen amongst the fashion houses, de-
Working with design and development studio
picting bourgeois buildings or heraldic symbols,
Lundgren+Linqdqvist, we have gone through
the Elvine emblem celebrates the ordinary and
a thorough evaluation leading up to the new
glorifies the urban environment.
identity, a work still very much in progress. Some components of the work can be seen already;
The meticulously hand-drawn illustration of
such as our new website and online shop along
Gothenburg’s gas holder depicts a landmark
with printed collateral such as our A/W 13
once built to benefit every inhabitant of the city
lookbooks and collection books.
thereby serving as a symbol of urbanization in
Our new site is online www.elvine.se
THE STORY OF GOTHENBURG’S GASKLOCKAN
holder was taken out of service in ‘93 there has
“We believe a strong brand identity is the result
been an ongoing discussion on what to do with
of carefully aligned elements and implemen-
it. A small part of that discussion have been
tations, which contribute to how the brand is
through official channels, such as public peti-
experienced. In a time of transparency and many
tions, but most of the suggestions have come
possibilities of interaction between brand and
from regular Gothenburg citizens who are eager
customer, an identity has to be authentic and
On the morning of February 25th of 1995, many
to change their city for the better. The large
honest. Everything a potential customer hears,
of Gothenburg’s citizens almost choked on their
building has become a canvas on which ordinary
sees and experiences about the brand, needs to
morning coffee as they opened their local paper,
citizens project their creativity. In the minds of
follow the same approach and reflect the same
Göteborgs Posten. In it they could read about
the people it has been turned into everything
key values.”
the multi-national corporation Coca-Cola’s
from student housing to a concert hall and even
— Steffen Brückner, Brand Strategist at Lund-
intents to turn the iconic “Gasklockan” into a
a climbing center.
gren+Lindqvist
the whole building in red with the companies
Some have proposed to knocking it down, though
Like the chapters of a novel, we will be rolling out
logo in huge white lettering on the side, mimick-
always meeting a fierce resistance among the
the different components of the new identity,
ing the companies very recognizable soda can.
public. The citizens of Gothenburg’s relationship
step by step, over the coming months. “Much like
While some politicians were somewhat positive,
to the gas holder, as is the case with many other
an Elvine jacket, we hope that our new identity
there was an immediate public outcry against the
iconic symbols of urbanization, is that of both
will get better with time.”
plans. Over the coming months the public pro-
love and hatred. We love to moan about how ugly
— Andreas Sundgren, Brand Manager at Elvine
tests grew in strength and a few months later,
the big brown building is as much as we hate the
Coca-Cola saw them grow to such a level that
idea of a corporate giant painting it red. Just like
they, to the citizens of Gothenburg’s satis-
the smell of the city on a hot summer morning, it
faction, decided to withdraw their proposal. It
bears a feeling of familiarity to the city’s inhab-
has since been a symbol for Gothenburg’s refusal
itants, and while some would call it a dreadful
of bending to commercial forces. Since the gas
stench, to us, it is home.
large advertising campaign. The idea was to paint
Cardigan: Leslie, Item no. 141 804 Dress: Agnetha, Item no. 141 610
Jacket: Bill, Item no. 141 013 Shirt: Gulliver, Item no. 141 406 Shorts: No.3 vintage, Item no. 141 206
Coat: Claudia Item no. 141 515
Tee: Terry, Item no. 141 100 Jacket: Cody, Item no. 141 001
Dress: Ottilia Item no. 141 612
Singlet: Adina Item no. 141 605
Dress: Frannie Item no. 141 611
SWEATER: BODIL ITEM NO. 141 809
SHAI: MAKER OF ART AN INTERVIEW WITH ARTIST SHAI DAHAN BY MARINA MILOJKOVIC.
Marina: What are you working on right now?
preneurs, kind of letting them get in to their
initially approached me I really liked the idea and
business and let them stay rent free at this hotel
it was nice to see a brand trying to do something
Shai: It feels like I’m working on a hundred
while they develop their business. I know they’ve
like that rather than just be “oh, ok let’s just
things right now, you know. It never feels like it’s
advised and assisted young entrepreneurs and
do something artsy because it’s trendy for one
enough I guess. I’m currently working on a couple
done great work with other people, really trying
season.” They want to do a long term thing and
of different projects. One of them is the project
to help them sort their businesses out.
I really really dig that. They asked me to come a
with Elvine. For the last couple of years I’ve done
long and we are working on that now.
a collaboration with them, a couple of t-shirt
So when they came to me about this art project
designs and stuff like that. They initially approached
we said “let’s make some kind of platform, a
A part of it was me going out and doing a mural
me with doing an art project that they’re cur-
stage for up and coming artists”. All the work
to just kind of launch the announcement of this
rently working on. The project, is about them
I have done through out the years as an artist
thing. So that was quit fun. We were able to find
wanting to help give exposure to up and coming
they saw it as an opportunity to work together and
a really cool location and paint something that
artists and kind of help people. Elvine has in the
have me kind of play a lead role on the project.
I’ve never really done before which is painting on
past done more than just clothes and that’s
An ambassador of sort. I have interactions with
a side of a house. And I think that the funniest
something I’ve always really liked. I enjoy brands
different artists and I know both the art side
thing about this whole thing was the reaction.
who not only make a product and sell it, but
and the gallery side. From exhibiting in multiple
First, the reaction of the people in that area,
also thinks more about a culture and how they
cities in Sweden and around the world that they
who were walking by and they were stopping to
can make a difference. I know Elvine has done
kind of felt like it would be easier for me to use
ask ”why is there a guy on a ladder painting on a
different things in the past. They’ve done a hotel
that platform to help these artists and help them
side of a house?” But the more interesting part
project where they gave hotel rooms to entre-
figure out how they can develop. When Elvine
of it was the reaction online. Andreas, who was
www.elvine.se/story/shai/
the guy who was photographing the process of
art is another persons vandalism. And that’s the
said ”What would it take to make this happen?”.
my murl ended up posting a quick photo on insta-
thing, you can’t really draw where the line goes
I went and had a meeting with him, and then I had a
gram which ended up on a website called 9GAG.
and that’s worth discussing I think, where do you
meeting with the city people and I had a meeting
Within like 48 hours it had over 3,000 shares. But
draw the line?
with building owners and about eleven months
then you go in to the comment section and, well, the comments are hilarious. Because nobody knew what this was for, nobody knew it was me, my name wasn’t even on there, nobody knew that it was for Elvine and that we had permission from the owner of the house. They didn’t know that the place was being torn down in a couple of weeks, and that’s why they said it’s ok to paint. All they did was jump to conclusion that this guy is doing an illegal thing on a side of somebody’s house while they are out at work. It is funny to see the reaction things like this can create.
later, here we are. We’re going to officially host it
“YOU WANT TO SEE HOW PEOPLE INTERPRET THINGS AND THAT IS WHY I DO WHAT I DO, THAT’S WHY I DO THINGS ON THE STREET.”
and we are bringing twelve international artists. We are bringing these artists from around the world, here, and the buildings that we are going to paint are going to be large scale buildings. I think the smallest building we have is three stories high. Everything else is four, five stories high. M: Is it going to stay like that? After the festival. S: Yes, it’s going to stay like that. Or, I mean, we hope it will stay. There’s always the possibility of somebody saying ”oh, nope, that’s not staying”. But we have permission from the building
M: Do you want to work like that? Getting reSo when I do these things, it’s with the intention
owners, they’ve been very supportive, they
to get people to talk wether it’s good or bad
stood behind us. The city is supporting us, the
S: Yes, Yes I do. I mean, that’s why we’re artists.
because in the end of the day, you at least want
tourist office is supporting it and it’s already
In the end of the day, art is not only made for me.
a conversation to be made as long as people are
been announced publicly by press release and
If it was just for me then, A) I wouldn’t be doing it
talking about it. It feels like the zero tolerance is
the newspaper and the reactions has been very
on the streets, and B) I wouldn’t try to do exhibi-
a form of censorship and to me I feel like things
positive, which is fantastic because we were very
tions. In the end of the day, you want a conver-
never get accomplished by censorship. When you
worried that within 24 hours somebody would
sation. You want to see how people interpret
add censorship into things it just creates a law
come forward and ruin this project and kind of
things and that is why I do what I do, that’s why
that kind of says to people ”this is how it is, and
shut it down. But it shows that there is progress,
I do things on the street. Not only to force a re-
we are not allowed to talk about it”, and I feel
that we’re doing something and making progress.
action, but try to find people and see what they
like, why aren’t we supposed to talk about it?
It was one of those things, when I had this meeting,
would say or do. It’s more about getting people
I think that street art tends to get a really bad
at the very early stages I got a lot of people say-
to think outside of the box a little and look at
representation for things here in Sweden and
ing ”well maybe we should go for something small
things differently.
I feel like it deserves more credit than that.
scale” and I said ”why?”.
actions and so on.
It’s done wonders for countries and cities that are neighboring us. Murals are all over Berlin, in
I remember being a kid my mom tried to feed me
Norway and in London and Paris but Sweden, not
vegetables little by little and I would spit it out
S: In some ways, yeah. Specifically in Sweden, yes,
so much and why is that? Why isn’t anybody
as a force to just, you know, you give it to them
because there’s such a strong zero tolerance
taking the first step and saying ”we need this”.
all at once, then let them get used to it. I think
in Gothenburg and Stockholm. When I first got
So to me it’s about doing that. Projects like the
that, that’s how we did it. Let’s just go with
here, I’ve been doing some art on the streets in
Elvine project, and some of the other projects
twelve buildings, twelve artists, go big and it’s
New York and when I got here there weren’t any
I’m doing tends to try to push those boundaries.
been great. It’s also been interesting to see the
murals, there isn’t a public art culture. There are
I do get a lot of resistance sometimes, wether it’s
comments and reactions of people on both
some artists, some great ones, but it’s not as
from politicians or cities or building owners. But
social medias as well as online on websites that
expanded as it is in New York and L.A where you
for every one person that have negative side of
have announced this festival. A lot of people are
see it on every corner. I spoke to multiple people,
things, I get ten great responses and that makes
confused by why this hasn’t happened before
including artists as well as people who are in this
me feel confident, and continuing and trying to
in places like Gothenburg or Stockholm. The
culture like gatukonst.se and it seemed like the
do what I do.
reaction has always been like that, those are
M: Do you want to start a debate about something?
zero tolerance has been a really difficult wall
the big cities of Sweden, why are we not hosting
to go through. So I kind of said “screw that”, we
This led to one particular project I am working on.
it there. Honestly, that’s the same question I’m
should try to draw attention to it because no one
It is a passion project because it comes from me
asking “why hasn’t this been done before? and
really understands why it’s there. I really feel like
trying to show people the positive side of public
why hasn’t it been done in a larger scale in places
the zero tolerance is a very old fashion rule, as
art. I’ve been working with this for roughly a year
such as Stockholm and Gothenburg?”. I don’t
if it says ”we don’t like graffiti, so let’s just throw
and happy to say that Sweden will be finally have
know if it’s because of the zero tolerance or not,
every type of public art into that”. The fact that
its first street-art festival, right here in Borås.
but we are doing it now.
I do murals, legally here in Sweden, I have people
Sweden has never had a festival involving murals,
say ”wow, that’s amazing” but if I would do the
so it is a great project to look forward to. It’s
Like I said, I’ve been going through eleven months
exact same thing, the exact same mural without
a project that I half mentioned in a newspaper
of people telling me ”this will never happen, you
permission it becomes a crime and that’s a little
article or somebody ask me ”what’s some of the
should just give up” and I don’t take “No” for an
bit silly to me. I don’t think I’m harming anybody
things I’d like to see accomplished” and it just
answer. So it was one of those things where I was
by adding value to the community. Of course,
went from there. I basically got a phone call from
going to keep on trying and there was a lot of
there are two sides of every coin. One persons
the Chief of the Modern Museum in Borås, who
times where I just felt this is never going to happen,
I’m 100 % sure it’s not going to happen and here
event called: Life Rolls On, where they asked me
old neighborhood on 39th street and 3rd avenue
we are now. So, it’s quit exciting, it’s going to be
to paint a surfboard and they were going to
because that’s just where it all started, that’s
phenomenal.
auction it off during their dinner gala thing and
where I walked my dogs, that’s where I did everything.
they came back to me in the end of the evening M: When is it?
saying ”Your surfboard with the artwork on, it sold”
M: You’ve mentioned your wife. How did you meet?
and I thought ”great!”. I asked them for how much S: It’s september 4, 5, and 6th of 2014, so next
and he told me and I knew that, that was all going
S: My wife, she is the reason why I do what I do.
year. It’s a three day festival and it’s one of those
to charity so that made me very happy and then
When we moved here, it was one of those things
things where you realize suddenly, you are about
they said ”yeah, I don’t know if you know this person
where I was supposed to have job interviews as a
to make a small difference. Not just for the city,
or not but it was Jason Mraz that ended up buying
graphic designer and I was doing my art when we
but for the culture itself in our society here in
it.” Mraz, who is now an international musician,
were in New York and L.A. but mostly I was doing
Sweden. Because in the end of the day, if this
I was like ”wait, what?” and they told me he bought
it after work. So I would have my job, and then
goes well, which I hope, it might open places like
it. That was something that got stuck on me, I was
go home and make small painting and send it to a
Gothenburg and Stockholm and Malmö to start
so excited. And I still get that, strange enough.
small group show. When we moved here and I had a struggle with getting a job, which was some-
opening themselves up for these large scale festivals. We want buildings, and we want them to stay there. Much like, Gothenburg have a famous building with a mural of people running on the side. M: Yes, we call it ”löparhuset”, which is like, the running building. S: Yes, that’s what we are going for. Something that in 20 years from now, people can go and look at. That’s the only mural I’ve seen on that large scale. M: It’s always going to be a reference to society. You don’t just do anything.
”ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU DO SOMETHING ON A LARGE SCALE, IT’S A LOT HARDER FOR PEOPLE TO TAKE IT DOWN.” M: Let’s talk about New York. What’s your favorite New York spot? Talk about New York..
thing we both were very concerned about when we moved here. Anyway. She said ”look, I believe in your art, why don’t you just take 6 months off and focus on it and see where it goes”. During those 6 months I was fortunate enough to get my very first solo exhibition in Gothenburg at a place called Artspace+Us Gallery and from there it’s all history and she is the reason I kept on going. She kept saying ”stop stressing yourself with these job interviews. I believe in your art, try that”, so I owe everything to her and I fell in love with Sweden when I got here the first time, the nature, and all that. I love nature. You can ask my wife now, when we drive to go see her family in
S: Yes, especially when you do something on a
S: Wow, too many of them. Here’s the thing. I grew
Kalmar and there’s dears on the side of the road,
large scale, it’s a lot harder for people to take it
up in Los Angeles and I moved to L.A. when I was
I still go ”Honey! look! a deer!”. I’m in my 30’s and
down. It’s going to be a major switch for Sweden
10 and I was there until my mid 20’s. But for some
still get excited by seeing deers and I think that’s
and for the art culture here. I don’t care if people
reason New York, I fell in love with it. Man, she
because I never had that. It’s the same with people
remember my name 10 years from now, that’s not
is a bitch, but I love her. I think mostly because
in Sweden who say ”wow, you been to New York?”
important. It’s the projects that I do and what
it really fitted what I wanted. L.A. for being as
You always want the things you didn’t have as a kid.
gets left behind that’s more important to me.
great as it is with the weather and all, I have a very
A good example was when I did my Palestine trip.
energetic lifestyle as you can see, I’m always
It was totally out of my own pocket, totally out
doing 10 things at the same time. New York kind
of my own will and just go, sneak into Palestine
of felt like the right place.
and paint a mural and I was just going to come home and post a photo of it on Facebook and
M: So, what’s next? S: I like to start fresh. When I was in New York. I started doing bird guns, which was basically
M: People always want to know about New York..
that was going be that but somehow it progressed
birds with guns to their head, which felt very New York. So when I came here I kind of felt like, wow,
into me being at TEDx t and speaking about it and
S: ..and you know New York, there’s a reason to
I can get a fresh start and paint whatever I want.
telling the stories of the people there to a larger
wanting to be there. To live there, to breath it in.
So I went and did ”dala horses”. I did my very
audience, but that wasn’t my original intention.
New York will teach you a lot about yourself.
first ”dala horse”, ironically enough, on a building
That to me, if in 10 years from now, people forgot about me, thats fine but the people that got to
across the street from where my art studio is M: If you have to pick 3 favorite spots in New York?
hear the story about what I had to go through to
now. That was one of my very first ”dala horses” and the local newspaper here put a photo of it
accomplish that, the people who heard the Pal-
S: 3 favorite spots, hmm. Grey Dog Café, the
on their front page, like ”what the hell is this?”
estine people stories on TEDx or even the people
best brunch place. Brooklyn, just because I love
Because they’ve never seen anything like it and
in Palestine who got to see the mural, that’s some-
Brooklyn. There’s a special feeling in Brooklyn,
it was the same with Gothenburg so it eventually
thing you can’t take away from them and to me,
just walking across the Brooklyn bridge. And
became something I kept doing.
that’s much more important.
strangely enough, Central Park. Which is not really a park, it’s a man made park. I adore nature
M: Do you get inspired by nature?
M: So you started of as a graffiti artist. What was
but at the same time I adore the city and that’s
your first ever painting, on a canvas?
the only place in the world where I’ve ever been
S: Yes, I do quite a lot. For a long time my art has
where you can stand in a place that’s surrounded
been all about animals. There’s a certain attach-
S: On a canvas, I don’t remember the first. But the
by trees and then behind the trees you see nothing
ment of emotions for animals. That’s why the
very first that sold to something that was really
by skyscrapers. If I were to go back today. The
horses I paint do so well, because people, it’s one
memorable for me was in Los Angeles. I did a charity
first thing I would do is to take a cab through my
of those animals people feel attached to and
there’s beauty in that. We feel connected to them.
M: Do you have any role models, or favorite artists?
When you paint animals, everyone can connect.
legally and illegally, every exhibition, every S: I got a lot, haha.
My next show is about Africa. So, I go through themes. My last show was all about the 1920’s
since. A part of every art I’ve ever made, both mural. They’ve been in Palestine, Poland, Stockholm, The Ted stage, everywhere and I still wear
M: People who inspire you..
and all of the artwork had traces of something
them. There are holes everywhere, but the paint on them are from paintings and murals
from that. Very Downtown Abbey. The idea was
S: Yes, for one. My mom and my dad, absolutely.
to take something almost boring, where the
As far as favorite artist, it changes all the time.
clothes were always grey and bland, and proper
I find different inspiration in different artists.
and make it a bit more interesting with bright
But I feel like the things that inspire me the most
graffiti colors that are messy and not very proper.
is not only artists but also events, or places.
S: My family. I’m really looking forward to getting
But the next exhibition theme will be all about
Palestine, Africa, friends, stuff like that.
a house, and creating a family. That’s the one
M: What’s your passion besides art?
piece I haven’t created yet.
Africa. I’m flying there in the end of October, to work with a charity called Prokect Playground.
all over the world.
M: What’s your dream project? Is it the festival? M: What do you never leave the house without?
They help kids through play, teach them how to paint, make music and play football. I’m going
S: To be honest with you, there’s a list. I don’t
there, and I will paint a mural on the side of their
have it with me but normally I do. A list in my
S: Inspiration, I never come here without inspira-
school and hopefully, if everything is good, I will
wallet with projects I want to do, for my career.
tion, I don’t come here to paint if I don’t want to
be able to travel around where the kids live and
Some of them are insane, some not. Speaking at
paint. oh, and my phone.
paint there as well. The idea was first to do a
TED was one of them, doing a show at a museum
single painting and auction it of, but I wanted to
was one and recently now, the festival. The list is
M: Last question, you moved around a lot. Where
do more, it didn’t feel enough. So I’m taking time
always changing.
would you move tomorrow?
M: Your favorite piece of clothing?
S: To move, hmm. Ireland. I don’t know why. It’s
to go to Africa and do that and get inspired by the kids there, come back to the studio here and
the only place that’s green, not green, but more
paint about 10 paintings which will tour between Gothenburg, Malmö and Stockholm and every
S: Strangely enough, my shoes. With paint all
”nature-esque” than Sweden. My dream is to
painting that gets sold, all the money will go
over them. It’s shoes that I’ve had ever since we
move to the middle of nowhere in sweden and
100 % to the kids. That’s how I evolve, when I do
moved to New York. I needed good sneakers.
just paint, and be close to nature.
things like that.
Those sneakers had been a part of my life ever
Shai in front of his art in Sävenäs
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