In keeping with the brand’s ethos, there was nothing splashy about Totême’s anticipated runway debut at Stockholm Fashion Week. An intimate affair, the 18-look collection was shown in Elin Kling and Karl Lindman’s design studio, an oasis decorated in the mid-century style located in Vasastan, a leafy, residential section of town.
Kling, who first made a splash as a fashion blogger, is known for rigorously editing her look. “I have always been very strategic when dressing,” she’s told Vogue. Among the collection’s sure bets were a double-breasted midi-length trench and a perfect coat for packing: hooded, with a drawstring waist, and made of 100 percent recycled black polyester.
This travel-ready collection had less of the freewheeling spirit of a Talitha Getty than the control of a Slim Keith, especially when it came to a series of A-line midi-length looks, including a very versatile strapless LBD. It was easiest to imagine Kling in the white cotton shirt and khaki pants with twisted seam combo or the cropped black trousers paired with a red smock jacket or tan tunic, pieces which combined Totême’s Scandi take on minimalism with just a whisper of artiness. The most relaxed looks were pajama-inspired pieces and djellaba-like dresses, some of which were accessorized with logo-patterned terry towels worn like shawls, perhaps to remind the audience that Totême is a lifestyle brand.
