Born in Colombia, sister and brother Ana and Pablo Londono came to Sweden as political refugees in 1991. Both went on to study fashion design – Ana in London and Pablo in Amsterdam – and now they have created This is Sweden, a fashion exhibition aiming to examine the experience of being a non-white person in Sweden.
Pablo lives in Amsterdam where he works as a designer while Ana moved back to Sweden after finishing at Central St Martin’s College. From her studio in Fruängen she works as a freelance designer, illustrator and consultant.
“I moved back to Sweden after seven years in London and realized it had changed. I had followed the political debates and the last election, so I knew about the popularity of the Sweden Democrats and the racist climate that was spreading around the country. But it was different when I sat in the subway, wondering which of my fellow travelers who might be thinking I should ‘go home’ – even though I thought I had just moved home, says Ana.
The Londono family ended up in Sweden in 1991, waiting for years on end to get a residence permit until they were finally allowed to stay permanently. Even though Ana (born 1983) and Pablo (1986) were just kids, they realized how important their appearance were in relation to how they were perceived. In the show, they want to combine stereotypical images of what is Swedish with elements from other parts of Sweden’s cultural variety. In creating the silhouettes they have been inspired by the other immigrant kids they grew up with, who used what they could find in the thrift stores or at the recycling station el Chute. But, they also want to show their appreciation for the Nordic imagery they have grown up with.
The Londono siblings has always been interested in fashion. Their mother used to sew their clothes and Ana used to join her, making clothes for her toy animals and Barbies with the left over fabric. Pablo started taking evening courses for adults in fashion drawing when he was just 12 years old. After attending fashion college both have landed prestigious designer jobs. Pablo studied design at Gerrit Rietvield Academie in Amsterdam and has exhibited designs in places like KTZ in London and W139 in Amsterdam. He has previously worked at Blender Institute and Aitor Throup. He now works as a designer for G-Star Raw. Ana went to Central St Martin’s in London and was until recently designer for V Ave. Shoe Repair and has previously worked for Gareth Pugh and bespoke tailor Joe Allen.
“Many of us have been worried about the financial crisis, leading to how fashion companies might have a hard time surviving right now. But This is Sweden has made me realize it’s time for fashion to rethink itself. Mass production, bad quality and the hysteria of creating two to three collections per season feels old,” says Ana. “The fashion world has had enough of it, and needs a new generation of creatives to rejuvenate the business.”
The idea for a collaboration between the pair was always there, but they were never in the same city, or even country, for long enough to do so. But last fall the timing was perfect. They both lived in Ana´s studio for six weeks, during which time they designed and made the collection.
So far the reception has been great, from the press as well as from partners in the project who wanted to join in and help out. This is Sweden grew and became multidisciplinary – besides the fashion collection it now includes a graphic novel and a short film. They are even developing special furniture for the exhibition. The show, including ten silhouettes, aims to challenge the idea of the Swedish identity, in a time when far-right political parties are growing in size in Europe. How does the power of racism and nationalism in parliaments affect the traditionally ”non-political” fashion world?
“The project started as two siblings designing and making a collection and now it has grown into a small movement where designers and artist work together for a goal: to reclaim Sweden in the 2014 elections,” says Pablo.
And after that accomplishment is out of the way, what does the future hold for the pair? While Pablo dreams of a peaceful life on a farm, Ana says that she used to be the sort of person to want to plan everything – but that was before she heard the Spanish saying ‘if you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans.’ Now she tries to take the future as it comes.
They both know that succeeding as young and upcoming designers isn’t easy. So how do they do it?
“Hard work. There are no shortcuts,” says Ana.
Pablo agrees and adds:
“Being nice to people.”
The exhibition shows that they probably have done that last part well. The list of collaborators in the non-profit project lists at least a dozen people. Their mutual efforts will be shown at the exhibition at Nau Gallery on Hudiksvallsgatan 4B between May 23-25th. If you happen to miss it – don’t worry. This is not the last we will see of this creative duo.
