With her fall collection for By Malene Birger, Maja Dixdotter proved once again that she is a designer who can see the forest for the trees. Her vision for the house has been clear from the start, but to witness the new lineup in the beautiful interiors of the brand’s main offices (high ceilings, white walls, light wooden floors) confirmed just how thought-through and consistent that vision is.
Less has always been more for this designer, whose take on minimal dressing is a “warm” one, thanks to the bohemian touches she often uses. More recently, Dixdotter has started to move toward an even greater simplicity, both in the way she works and the way the clothes look, and it really showed in this offering.
Dixtotter wore a black double-face wool dress with a slit detail on the sleeve, accessorized with a sandy-colored crochet scarf. The dress was something she had perfected by wear-testing and refitting over the course of almost two years. “It’s just an example of how, if you have enough time, if you don’t stress through things, and if you try really to work in a pure way and not think trends—I try to never think trends—then it really gives a good result,” she said. Dixdotter’s interest is in setting a recognizable style.
In making the season’s lookbook, Dixdotter created something of an analog feeling by printing photographs—completely unretouched, she said—photographing them again and then arranging them in a way she described as “a little bit scrapbook-y.” This seems a wonderful way to describe how By Malene Birger’s simple pieces come alive through styling. You can add something you already own or just pile separates on top of each other. One of the looks on a mannequin consisted of about five pieces of smoky gray cashmere, one of which was a hood with long ties, worn as an overskirt.
The double-faced wools, the teddy-like knits, the reversible brown leather to sandy-colored shearling coat (which was surprisingly light), and the blanket-fringed jacket and skirt were all soft to the touch. Plus they looked warm, which is not to be overlooked at a time when electricity rates are soaring and heat is being used sparingly. This lineup of cozy chic clothes from By Malene Birger keeps the home fires burning.
