The Swedish Fashion Council: Industry in metamorphosis

The fashion industry is in a state of metamorphosis. In Scandinavia, the industry is relatively young, unconventional and agile compared with larger and more established fashion centres, and has become fertile ground for experimentation. As Nordic design gains traction, it is evolving into a powerful platform for new and more sustainable practices, while continuing to push sartorial boundaries.

With its robust creative sector, strong focus on innovation, and proximity between policymakers and industry leaders, Sweden is in a unique position to lead this transformation, and spearheading this is The Swedish Fashion Council. By promoting, innovating and educating the industry, the organisation is accelerating the transformation and actively shaping the future of fashion.

Here, Scan Magazine’s editor Lena Hunter and Swedish Fashion Council’s CEO Jennie Rosén discuss the seismic changes taking place, the innovations on the Swedish scene, and how they translate in a global context.

Lena Hunter: What sets the Swedish fashion scene apart from those of other European cities?

Jennie Rosen: The new Swedish fashion scene consists of innovative business models founded on sustainability, in combination with creative excellence and the merging of many different cultural expressions.

Jennie Rosen, CEO, Swedish Fashion Council.

LH: What are the key challenges at hand and the opportunities ahead for the Swedish and global fashion industries?

JR: The fashion industry is facing a fundamental transformation. The system built on constant production and overconsumption is finally being dismantled and rebuilt in a more sustainable way.

As part of the changing industry, we’re seeing an accelerated second-hand market with an exponentially higher growth than the traditional fashion market; we’re seeing the rise of digital fashion and the exploration of new revenue streams; new business models are creating circular systems within the industry; and vast technological implementation is drastically changing everything from the production phase to shopping experiences and the development of large-scale textile sorting facilities.

While these changes are very interesting and impactful, they are just a few early-stage examples of the broader transformation. What we’ve seen so far is only the beginning.

LH: Which of the young brands that have been supported by the SFC [Incubator] initiative are you keen to highlight?

JR: All of the brands in our incubator combine an innovative business model with creative excellence and a disruptive vision, and all have the potential to play a determining role in shaping the future of fashion both nationally and globally.

Hodakova and Rave Review, who have released unique collections together with Gucci Vault, are two of our incubator brands who are attracting international recognition. Rave Review is also the first Scandinavian brand to be nominated for the LVMH Prize.

AAJIYA

SFC [Fashion Transformation]

Last year, SFC launched the first edition of our Fashion Transformation report. The report examines the transformation of the fashion industry from a 360-degree approach, looking at macro-economic and consumer trends, the rapid growth of the second-hand market, the rise of digital fashion, the fourth industrial revolution and the acceleration of advanced technology being used in the industry, and the importance of diversity as well as the political initiatives we need to drive the transformation forward.

The report features quantitative data as well as interviews with key industry players such as Achim Berg who’s head of McKinsey’s global luxury, fashion and apparel group, Izzy Farmiloe who’s strategy director at Dazed and Amber Slooten who’s co-founder and creative director at the Fabricant.

The report lays the foundation for our work and our view of the future of the fashion industry. The report was published in book-form, ahead of the international release, to present a creative translation of the key findings.

SFC [Incubator]

Our incubator is where we help build the brands and businesses that will shape the future of fashion. Since 2018, SFC [Incubator] is supporting the most innovative players on the market. The incubator focuses on emerging brands and creators who combine creative excellence with an innovative business model and a disruptive vision. The participants are hand-picked by SFC and receive coaching from a 360-degree approach following an initial needs analysis.

SFC [CTF]

CTF is a cross industry collaboration between SFC and the forest trading company Ekman. The event gathers the entire supply chain of MMCF and aims to drive innovation within sustainable materials. It is an example of how different industries and stakeholders will have to come together and work towards a common goal in order to transform our business-as-usual.

Read more about SFC [Incubator] www.swedishfashioncouncil.se/incubator