Innovative, edgy, unique, inspiring and experimental are some of the words that describe the work of Swedish knitwear designer Sandra Backlund. Backlund's latest collection "Last Breath Bruises" is no exception. Her work seems to blur the line between fashion and art. It's hard to believe that she graduated from the Beckmans School of Design in Stockholm only 4 years ago.
"My work is very personal to me. I improvise and allow myself to loose control and see what happens if I do not think so much about practical things. The human body is always a starting point. I am really fascinated by all the ways you can highlight, distort and transform the natural silhouette of the body with clothes and accessories. I build my garments by hand from a couple of basic bricks which I multiply and attach to each other in different ways to discover the shape that I want. In that sense I approach fashion more like a sculptor than a tailor."
The inspiration for this collection began with a
fall down the stairs. "I did not even take one step onto the stairs, I just fell from the floor upstairs to the floor downstairs. The next thing that I remember is I am sitting in the armchair upstairs again beaten black and blue and then my father called and told me the heartbreaking news that my beloved grandmother had just passed away. She took her last breath at the exact same moment that I fell down the stairs. It felt so strange to me but as my parents said, my grandmother and I have always had a special connection, so I guess it is not that strange after all."
To see more of Sandra Backlund's amazing designs visit her website at
www.sandrabacklund.com.