It’s a truth universally acknowledged that renovations always cost more and take longer than expected—even for a charmed couple like Totême’s Elin Kling and Karl Lindman. The pair had planned to present their Fall collection in their new flagship during Stockholm fashion week, but the space wasn’t ready in time, so the clothes were presented in the harmonic, and very Scandinavian, environs of Totême’s office.
The images published here were taken in the new store, the design and decor of which are inspired by Kling and Lindman’s memories of New York. The very dark palette of blacks and grays, and the leathers, seem to clock the fast pace and hard edge of the city. On the racks the offering felt lighter, and in general it would be nice to see more exploration with color.
Kling describes Totême as a “slow fashion” brand; it’s also a determinedly niche label. Range matters less here than a clear, and personal, point of view—the brand is, after all, a reflection of Kling’s look. “We’re not for everyone,” she says. “We have a [certain] style and we have to make our customer feel like she can rely on us for that.” As Totême is a destination for minimalistic “uniform” dressing, change is incremental, and silhouettes are often revisited and refined rather than abandoned. The smocked ivory “wedding dress” introduced for Spring appears in a new cinnamon-hued iteration; it’s also been lengthened and given puffy sleeves. Keeping it company are several other after-five looks. The brand’s familiar wrap coat is back, too, this time in a quilted pattern. Scandi chic is built around layering, and you’ll see jackets hung on shoulders over a coat in the lookbook. A tailored jersey suit—new for the season—can work as a set or as separate pieces. Slow and steady seems to be winning the race for Totême.
