There can hardly be a brand out their that is more Swedish than that of Björn Borg underwear, which bears the name of the world-famous tennis legend and finally gave non-Swedes a reason not to confuse us with Switzerland any more.

But for the last four years the head designer for Björn Borg is Brit James Lee, a London native who started off his career working in art, which, alongside , music, contemporary fashion and ”all things Swedish”, is still his passion.

He has a masters degree in Fine Arts from Goldsmiths College in London, and to find a way to continue working as an artist he started his own clothing brand that he spent seven years developing and building. Inspired by the London music scene, his clothes have been worn by the likes of Pete Doherty, The Klaxons, Bloc Party, Calvin Harris, CSS and New Young Pony Club. The brand took off and his stock went higher and higher in the fashion industry, landing him a plum position at Björn Borg in the process. These days he lives south of town in Hägerstensåsen, so we caught him in the middle of working with the Björn Borg show at Stockholm Fashion Week.

After swapping art for fashion, what is your relation to art today?

I paint a lot in my spare time and it’s a constant source of inspiration for me. In my work I am constantly inspired by art when designing new collections.

How did you end of working with Björn Borg?

I met my wife who’s Swedish and decided to join her in Sweden. I was then offered the job at Björn Borg and it’s been a great experience since. Today I am heading a team of designers in Stockholm and Amsterdam, designing everything from underwear, sports apparel, footwear and bags to eyewear and fragrances.

What is the main difference between living in London and Stockholm?

Stockholm has nice warm apartments; it doesn’t feel like you’re camping, which certainly brings an added quality to life. In London there’s always a window that won’t shut properly or wind blowing through some crack in the ceiling.

What do you think of the Stockholm fashion scene?

I like it. For me it’s nice with a smaller city as it makes for a closer fashion community, which is easier getting to know it. Swedish fashion is obviously really respected around the world and it’s a privilege to be part of that.

And what about the art scene?

I haven’t come to that part of my Swedish integration yet. I’ve been busy trying to get to know the people, customs, language and such, making Stockholm my home. But this scene is something I’m looking forward to exploring in the near future.

How long have you been interested in fashion and design?

I was into art for as long as I can remember and got into fashion after starting university and being in London was a big inspiration.

Could you describe the current state of play in fashion?

One of the main trends that we’re working with is with colours. For this collection we’ve produced quite a monochrome collection, which is interesting as this is quite different from the look associated with the brand. Something that we always try to do though with our products is make people feel active and attractive and this fits with the general trend in sports fashion that is present in the market now.

Where do you tend to find inspiration in your work?

From travelling, as you obviously get to see different places and new cultures. But I always enjoy being forced to sit on a plane or a bus for hours, as you can’t use your phone or do much else other than read, think or watch films. I always find these are always great opportunities to be inspired or have a chance to think about things in different ways.

What’s your plans for the immediate future?

To evolve the Björn Borg brand together with the design team here. I’m really interested in exploring the crossover between sports and fashion that is happening right now in new and exciting ways.

Having moved here from England, what’s has become your favourite thing about your new hometown?

One of my favourite things to do here is going to Skinnarviksparken after work during the summer, sitting on the rocks looking over the city and having a beer. It’s a really beautiful city.