Top 5 shows of Stockholm Fashion Week SS26

Northern Europe, perhaps more than any other region of our continent, has its own taste and language. While the most immediate association with Scandinavia and its style is often minimalism and normcore, in recent years several brands have shown the world why Northern Europe is not only a place of order and cleanliness but also a homeland of death metal — with the Swedish city of Gothenburg literally giving its name to a distinct subgenre of the music. Today, however, we focus on another Swedish city, naturally Stockholm, where a short local fashion week just ended. A large number of very young brands (or if not very young, at least incredibly fresh) showcased collections that may have lacked the dazzle of Milan or Paris, but were far more noteworthy for their coherence of vision and pure, unfiltered style. To help bring their story beyond the often narrow scope of Southern European fashion discourse, we’ve selected the five best of these brands and their collections.

Here are the 5 best shows from Stockholm Fashion Week SS26.

1. Past Tense Studio

Founded just two years ago by Victor Lindh and Adrien Forray, serving respectively as creative director and operations director, Past Tense is perhaps the most “classic” brand on this list. Creative director Lindh has a strong pedigree: former Menswear Designer roles at Neil Barrett and Axel Arigato, two years as creative director of Norse Projects, and now this project co-founded with his business partner Forray. The SS26 collection, titled At Least the Sun Shines, is a small masterpiece of simplicity and vision: both the color palette and the garments on the runway are highly essential, yet beautifully proportioned — structured and relaxed at the same time. The sandals shown, a kind of hybrid between mules and a post-industrial take on the fisherman model, are strikingly modern in a rough yet convincing way. At its most radical, Past Tense soars — a great addition to the grunge minimalists making Scandinavia so exciting today.

2. Imaskopi

The latest collection from Imaskopi could be described as a meeting between the characters of Where the Wild Things Are and rave aesthetics. Picture devil-horned headpieces, legwarmers, and thick, felted knits that sag and stretch; veils and cloaks layered over outfits that Kate Moss could have worn at Glastonbury. Founded in 2020 by Nelly Skog, and entirely focused on hand-knitted garments, all genderless and strikingly dark and decadent, the brand’s collections evoke a world that feels almost childlike — innocent, but undoubtedly nocturnal and rebellious. From a product perspective, Skog’s work demonstrates remarkable inventiveness: her scarf-sweaters, gossamer cashmere longsleeves, and accessories are hypnotic and suggest stories that go well beyond their material traits.

3. SEAMS

Founded in October 2023 by the very young Dustin Glickman, who also serves as creative director, SEAMS began in the world of jewelry and poses the question: What if the White Walkers from Game of Thrones or the Nazgûl from The Lord of the Rings made jewelry? This year, Glickman’s narrative deepened as he presented his first clothing collection with great results. His creative vision is laser-focused: two or three recurring themes, a wonderfully punk attitude, a sharp and confident touch expressed with honesty and, above all, without pretension. The brand carries a strongly youthful energy — idealistic, perhaps even naive — but this authenticity allows Glickman’s enthusiasm to shine and shows restraint in letting creativity run wild without going off track.

4. Jennifer Blom

Shifting from co-ed collections to pure womenswear, we find Jennifer Blom, a designer who has dressed Sweden’s Crown Princess Victoria on several occasions, to name her most high-profile client. Moving away from the gothic or minimalist tones mentioned so far, Blom presented a collection full of lightness and romance — flowing, brightly colored dresses with fascinating constructions, rare nonchalance, and a series of prints, decorations, and details that genuinely stirred emotion. Perhaps the most established brand on this list, with 15 years of experience, Blom has a more mature and international vision and could confidently appear on the Paris Fashion Week calendar. Certainly a brand that deserves rediscovery on this side of Europe.

5. Fayette/Norling

We return once again to the darker side of punk with Fayette/Norling, a brand founded by Lovisa Norling and known for its vegan leather jackets with truly fantastical proportions: some cropped with towering, wall-like collars; others with shoulders that outdo any '80s power suit; fur hoodies paired with Lolita-style lace bodysuits; bombers with sleeves hiked up, dressing a character halfway between a boxer and a ballerina; combos of pea coats and maxi skirts as black as Nosferatu’s cloak. The heavy-metal spirit is strong, the drama is total, and the heart is definitely in the right place. Best of all, the brand doesn’t just sell these jackets (they also rent them), but customizes them too. Think of a couture atelier — for rave-ready outerwear. Who could resist?