Student Profile : Fanny Vilhelmsson

Ena Fleischhacker: What brought you to Paris instead of staying in Sweden where there is currently a rising fashion scene and how would you differentiate the two?

Fanny Vilhelmsson: It has always been a dream of mine to study abroad. I was born a city rat; I love the pulse and pace of Paris. There are so many opportunities to be inspired, Paris has become something like my muse.

I'm from Gothenburg, a small city in Sweden, and I felt that I had become too comfortable there. I wanted to broaden my horizons and challenge myself. When I first arrived here,

I thought the fashion scene was slightly stuck up and elitist; I didn't think there was much room for smaller brands. However, once you get to know the smaller circles, which I am still discovering, it's a lot of fun. There are so many voices that I think should be heard here.

Ena: What got you interested, and made you decide to pursue a career in the fashion industry?

Fanny: As an only child I was drawn to activities I could do on my own, drawing was one of them. I found a sketch for the next H&M summer collection from when I was five years old. My mother worked in the fashion and design industry, so I grew up around fashion. Every time we walked the streets, I paid attention to the clothes people wore. I was fascinated by the idea that all these shapes and colours could trigger such emotions in me. I realized that this is my form of expression and that there is nothing I would rather do. There are only two fashion schools in Sweden, and luckily for me, one of them is in Gothenburg. Fashion school can make you doubt yourself a lot and you wonder if you are good enough or if people would really like to wear it. In the end, my doubts made me focus on the fun of fashion. If I see the fun, maybe others will see it too.

Ena: What inspires you and your creative process? Is there a connection between your work and your Swedish heritage?

Fanny: When I was younger, my main sources of inspiration were Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen. Now I'm more concerned with the people I see on the street who express strong character through clothing. The majority in Sweden dresses in shades of gray and beige, which feels like a uniform. I want to oppose this in my work. Yet, I have done projects where I embrace my heritage. My family has a house in a small fishing village, and my father's family are all fishermen.

I portrayed the memories I have of this house in several projects. I have taken up the aesthetic of the fishermen and given it my own twist. The fishermen are a perfect example of male stereotypes. It's dirty and wet, and I wanted to turn it into something precious and beautiful.

One of the projects consisted of deconstructed fishing cages and an eight-meter-long silk fabric draped around it. Inspired by the beautiful colors of the Swedish west coast, such as the granite stone, the sun, and the sea, I painted the silk fabric myself. The fish cages were lobster cages that I had brought back from Sweden.

It was a fun experience to pick them up at the airport.

For another project, I learnt how to make fishing nets on YouTube. It took a while, but I felt connected to my ancestors, like I was doing their work. You'd be surprised how many old men on the internet are teaching how to twist fishing nets!

Ena: How would you describe your creative evolution?

Fanny: Like many others, I had my first encounter with the fashion world through the big houses. I drew Chanel logos everywhere and wore only black, elegant clothes. After a while, I realized that this just felt like a costume and didn't represent who I am. My creative process has become more fun and experimental. My color palette is more unexpected, and I like to have fun with my collections. I am currently working on a collection called "Silly fragility".

It's about clowns or the fact that we are all clowns in a way. Clowns are the embodiment of humanity. They show vulnerability and take certain situations and emotions to extremes, which is why they make many of us uncomfortable.

Ena: Last year you worked on an underwear project that switched the narrative of a misogynistic and sexist interview with Björk. Do you see fashion as a rebellion against sexism and how do you feel about entering a still quite male dominated industry

Fanny: I love this question.

I think we are moving away from it, but the male gaze is still there. The main issues are the narratives and the lack of representation. The place of empowerment in fashion has long been reserved for white, thin women, and I don't think it’s doing any good for the feminist revolution. Fashion is a tool that could be used for the feminist revolution but isn't used as such often enough. I'm not scared or intimidated though, because it's just about finding the right people to work with. I believe that the fashion industry is a very collaborative industry, and am confident that I will find people who share my views.

Ena: To that, what does inclusive fashion mean to you?

Fanny: It's all about the representation. If garments are meant for all bodies, then they need to be shown on all types of bodies. A big problem we face is the lack of knowledge about designing for different body shapes.

Right now, people feel comfortable using only one type of mannequin. Everyone, including myself, needs to start challenging themselves more so that we can create a better space for everyone. I think Hillary at Collina Strada does a great job with inclusion in such a fun and obvious way. I was lucky enough to intern with her last summer and work on the collection that was shown at NYFW.

Ena: As you don't limit yourself to just fashion with your creativity, do you have a preferred form of art?

Fanny: I don't want to limit myself to one artform. I have two passions, I want to pursue both of them. I think at the core it will always be fashion because it involves so many other creative elements like drawing, styling and photography. However, it's a great feeling to share music with others and make people dance as music. Music has always touched me deeply. I started making different playlists at a young age and thanks to my father, I was always open to different genres. I never thought I would have the opportunity to be involved in the music scene, but during COVID I learnt how to DJ and I fell in love with music.

Ena: Would you like to share about Book Club Radio and Libertanga?

Fanny: I came across Book Club Radio last summer. I instantly fell in love. They organize house parties with their friends, record the sets and post them to Youtube. I was enchanted by the ambience, it felt so safe and inclusive.
The DJ isn't in front of the crowd and there's no filming with phones allowed, it's all about the music and the moment. Later that summer I went to New York for my internship, texted them I loved their parties and energy and would love to join them.

I went to one of their events, got to know them and they invited me to play. It felt like a dream to be part of something like that. I got some good reactions, and it gave me some validation after wondering if I was any good at this DJ thing. Libertanga is my party at Club Pamela in Paris.

I had the opportunity to organize a few events there. I saw how free and glamorous Studio 54 was and wanted to recreate that atmosphere in a modern setting. I decided to play house music rather than music from back then. At the end of the night, I want people to have danced their arse off.

Ena: Is there an intersection between your interest in fashion and music also in terms of inspiration?

Fanny: I've always enjoyed going to clubs or events with music to get inspired and take a break from everyday life. When you find your spaces where you feel safe, which is not a given in clubs, you get inspired by the people you see and by the music itself. I often go to parties because of the DJs and to see how they express themselves. It gives me both inspiration and energy. Now that I DJ myself, I even consider it research when I go out. DJs are artists and their clothes are important. In both fashion and music, I'm always looking for fun characters and curiosity.

Ena: Is there a specific brand that would be your ultimate goal to work for?

Fanny: While 11-year-old Fanny would immediately say Chanel, I find it harder to answer this question today. I always thought I wanted to work for a brand or start my own, but now I'm not so sure.

I am someone who thrives on collaboration.

In both fashion and music, there is that one person on top of the hierarchy you look up to. I used to think that I wanted to be the person up there, but now I want to work with people I respect in an environment similar to Collina Strada. A small brand that has something to say and is passionate about what it does.

If the brand is passionate, I will be too.