I first spotted Swedish designer, Simon Ekrelius' work at the On|Off showrooms at Fashion Week earlier this year and fell instantly in love. The powerful shapes and structures he creates juxtapose with such delicate, sheer fabrics they create a dialogue between strength and fragility.

I am sure you will agree with me when I say how you can just instantly fall in love with a designer. Of course everyone has different tastes, some people will love this and others may prefer something like Ralph Lauren. Even those who don't know much about designers will know what it is they like shape and colour wise. I think that's when a designer really succeeds, when people are instantly drawn to what they see.

Ekrelius' autumn/winter '10/'11 collection, Stardust, was inspired by architect and artist, Le Corbusier's Phillips Pavilion and this is strikingly evident with the jutting lines creating angular, spiky silhouettes. Of his architectural influence, Ekrelius says, "Sometimes I just take the feeling of the architecture and sometimes the whole story, I reflect on the energy as well as on the base and silhouette."

Quasars, dark matter and metallic streaks spill across silk, wool and organza in gunpowder black, silver and sun yellow. There is an earthly, yet other-worldly mood to the mineral-like forms and shapes.

Raised in Stockholm, Ekrelius studied fashion design, art-history and illustration. He graduated from Tillskarar Akademin in Stockholm with a collection using plastic and moose suede and it was voted one of the best of ten student collections in Sweden's SIFA competition. In what seems a bizarre about-turn of thinking, he launched an eponymous couture line before switching to his current R-T-W line in 2006. "I like my work to be more accessible and I really appreciate seeing my work being used and loved which is why I created the R-T-W line".


Simon Ekrelius is available from My Sugarland

Art direction: Sasha Rainbow

Photography: Jenni Porkka


 

Posted on May 28, 2010 at 4:29:12 by The Real Runway