{"id":147,"date":"2011-08-17T06:04:16","date_gmt":"2011-08-17T06:04:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/theduanewells.com\/?p=147"},"modified":"2018-07-29T03:04:56","modified_gmt":"2018-07-29T03:04:56","slug":"gay-news-frontiersla-breaking-gay-news-the-style-of-stockholm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theduanewells.com\/staging3\/gay-news-frontiersla-breaking-gay-news-the-style-of-stockholm\/","title":{"rendered":"The Style of Stockholm"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Style of Stockholm\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Duane Wells<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
8\/17\/2011<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>

<\/p>\n

\"\"I\u2019ve got a little issue. It seems that I have contracted a fashionable new strain of Stockholm Syndrome. I use the term \u2018fashionable\u2019 to describe my particular version of the psychological affliction, because rather than a group of sympathetic bank robbers, I am instead being held captive by the style of Stockholm. I fully admit that I not only identify with my chic captor but I fully bow down to it and embrace it. If loving the style of Stockholm is wrong, then sign me up for a bad romance.<\/p>\n

Like many people, when I think of stylish cities my mind generally tends to wander in the direction of traditional stalwarts like Paris, Milan and London for obvious reasons. After all, every season streams of images from Fashion Week runways in the aforementioned iconic fashion capitals add new pages to the fashion bible that dictates what those of us who give a damn about style should and shouldn\u2019t wear and how we should wear it. But after my recent return visit to Sweden, I will without question be adding Stockholm to my short list of stylish epicenters.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s funny, I had previously visited Stockholm during the winter when temperatures were below freezing and the city was blanketed with snow. My eagerness to stay warm and avoid wiping out on the city\u2019s icy sidewalks probably explains in part why Stockholm\u2019s style quotient didn\u2019t quite jump out at me upon first introduction. I mean, you don\u2019t see much when you\u2019re constantly looking down to watch where you\u2019re stepping and praying to Judy mother of Liza for a slip-and-fall-free day. So, no, I didn\u2019t connect the style dots in Stockholm sooner, but I really should have because Sweden is actually a case study in style and Stockholm is its undeniable star. Let\u2019s not forget that even though Sweden has a population smaller than Los Angeles County, it is a global force to be reckoned with when it comes to style.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t believe me? Just think for a second.<\/p>\n

Ever shopped at H&M? Bought furniture from Ikea? Or sidled up to a J. Lindeberg store in search of the perfect outfit? Have you ever ogled a Volvo with envy, bought an Electrolux appliance, read a Stieg Larsson novel or lusted after Marcus Schenkenberg, Alex Lundquist or Fredrik Ljungberg? If your answer to any of these questions is \u201cyes\u201d (and I know that it must be if you\u2018re reading this article), then you\u2019ve been touched by the undeniable style of Stockholm and my guess is that you\u2019re better off for it.<\/p>\n

On the streets of Stockholm, the urbane sophistication that is the hallmark of Swedish style is in evidence at every turn. Just as in France and Italy, style is clearly not simply an option for the Swedes, it is part and parcel of who they are. With that in mind, I set out to capture some of that uniquely Stockholm style on my recent visit, and after painstakingly trudging from boutique to antique store and bar to restaurant and back again, I came up with the following insights on some of the very best the city has to offer.<\/p>\n

Design<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sleek, modern and contemporary are just a few of the buzzwords that best characterize Stockholm\u2019s design aesthetic, and the city\u2019s hipster S\u00f6dermalm neighborhood is one of its best showcases. At stores likeDesignTorget<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0you\u2019ll find quirky, innovative products that are long on both style and function.<\/p>\n

With imaginative new products arriving on DesignTorget\u2019s shelves every week, you\u2019re guaranteed to find some \u2018I\u2019ll just die if I don\u2019t have it\u2019 items on every visit. Then, after shopping DesignTorget and some of its equally cool neighbors, do yourself a favor and pop into\u00a0Urban Deli<\/strong>\u00a0at nearby Nytorget and have an authentically Swedish lunch in a space where rugged Lower East Side Manhattan edginess meets cool, sophisticated Stockholm minimalism.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re in the mood for heavy duty shopping\u2014as in the kind that requires shipping\u2014head a little north to \u00d6stermalm and stop in at\u00a0Svenskt Tenn<\/strong><\/a>, a legendary design institution in Stockholm for over eight decades. It is here in this massive space that the latest trends in Scandinavian interior design are hatched. From beautifully crafted furniture to everyday housewares, Svenskt Tenn speaks Swedish style like no other.<\/p>\n

\"\"A personal favorite I discovered was a family-owned silversmith called\u00a0Rey Urban<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0on Silbyllegatan in \u00d6stermalm. It\u2019s a little pricey, but when you consider the quality of the items and the fact that every glorious silver item is made by hand (and that you can custom order anything you want from candleholders to card cases), well, let\u2019s just say that if you or someone you love is due a treat, this would be an excellent place to find it.<\/p>\n

Finally, I would be remiss if I didn\u2019t give a nod to the\u00a0H&M Home Store<\/strong><\/a>. And yes, in case you didn\u2019t know, there is such a thing and, no, they have not opened one in the United States yet, which makes a visit to the Stockholm flagship store all that much more fun. Part store and part gallery, discovering the H&M Home store for the first time is just as jaw-dropping an experience as the first time you took a gander at a price tag at an H&M retail store\u2014and the products are just as fun.<\/p>\n

Fashion<\/strong><\/p>\n

When it comes to fashion, Stockholm is all about clean lines and great, almost architectural fit. As with interior design, S\u00f6dermalm is home to shops with a decidedly more urban appeal like the trendy\u00a0The Local Firm<\/a><\/strong>, some of whose wares you may have seen in stores like American Rag and Urban Outfitters in the U.S. Great jeans, sweaters, T-shirts and the like abound at this sartorial gem.<\/p>\n

Others worthy of note include\u00a0Sivletto<\/strong><\/a>, a converted garage space where you can do a bit of vintage shopping, get a haircut and a have a cup of coffee without ever leaving the building. Lovely and efficient. How brilliant is that?<\/p>\n

Meanwhile uptown in \u00d6stermalm, Birger Jarlsgatan is sort of like the Fifth Avenue of Stockholm. Along this bustling thoroughfare, you\u2019ll find swank upscale boutiques chock-full of Stockholm fashion. One notable fashionista treasure located just off Birger Jarlsgatan is\u00a0Sture Gallerian<\/strong><\/a>, a smart collection of boutiques, many of which sell items that are singularly Scandinavian and thus not likely to be seen back at home on anyone but you.<\/p>\n

Personally I always leave a little piece of my heart at\u00a0Acne Studios<\/strong><\/a>, a Swedish brand based in Stockholm that in my opinion epitomizes functional sophistication and modernity. From footwear and accessories to jeans and outerwear, Acne scores big fashion points. It\u2019s actually one of the few stores about which you might find yourself the slightest bit conflicted. On the one hand you wish they would open an Acne outpost near you, but on the other you\u2019re grateful on behalf of your bank account that they haven\u2019t. [Note: Here\u2019s a little tip\u2014if you\u2019re looking for a bargain, try the Acne Archives in Vasastaden where they sell samples, pieces from past collections and re-designed secondhand garments at prices that won\u2019t make you blush.]<\/p>\n


\nFood, Folks & Fun<\/strong><\/p>\n

Finally a quick note about Swedish cuisine. What does Swedish cuisine have to do with style you ask? Well it\u2019s all in the presentation and there are more than a few hotspots that celebrate Sweden\u2019s individual and ever-evolving style. Along Grev Turegatan in \u00d6stermalm you\u2019ll find several popular watering holes like\u00a0Grodan<\/strong>, which is one place to see and be seen for lunch or afternoon cocktails. Meanwhile\u00a0Salu Hall<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0is the ideal place to sample local Swedish delicacies in the confines of a Neo-gothic structure that is more than a century old.<\/p>\n

That said, several of Stockholm\u2019s hottest, most intriguing dining spots have one thing in common\u2014they\u2019re all a part of the F12 Group. Spawned by the dizzyingly diverse culinary imaginations of celebrated chefs Danyel Couet and Melker Andersson, the F12 Group operates the most buzzed-about restaurants in every district of Stockholm. There\u2019s the vibrant and whimsical bistro\u00a0Rouge<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0in Gamla Stan where the mood is young and lively and the food is decidedly French;\u00a0F12<\/strong><\/a>, the namesake of the group, where Chef Couet does fine dining with Swedish flair;\u00a0Kungsholmen<\/strong><\/a>, a waterfront lounge and dining room that gives new upscale meaning to the idea of \u2018food courts\u2019; and a host of others with more opening soon. Each restaurant in the F12 family has a different theme, impeccable food and a waiting list for reservations\u2014so book early if you want to get a table. More importantly, every F12 restaurant contemporizes any preconceived notions you may have had about the style of Swedish cooking without sacrificing an iota of integrity.<\/p>\n

Bottom line: From design to fashion to food, folks and fun, Stockholm has definitely got a style complex. And that\u2019s not only a good thing\u2014it\u2019s downright addictive in every single sense of the word.<\/p>\n

Find out more about Sweden at\u00a0visitsweden.se<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0FrontiersLA | The Style of Stockholm<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Style of Stockholm\u00a0 Duane Wells\u00a08\/17\/2011\u00a0 I\u2019ve got a little issue. It seems that I have contracted a fashionable new strain of Stockholm Syndrome. I use the term \u2018fashionable\u2019 to describe my particular version of the psychological affliction, because rather than a group of sympathetic bank robbers, I am instead being held captive by the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":88889,"featured_media":595,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1277,1550],"tags":[1134,1185,1197,1198],"class_list":["post-147","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-livingwells-style","category-design","tag-travel","tag-europe","tag-style","tag-design"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/theduanewells.com\/staging3\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/147","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/theduanewells.com\/staging3\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/theduanewells.com\/staging3\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theduanewells.com\/staging3\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/88889"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theduanewells.com\/staging3\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=147"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/theduanewells.com\/staging3\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/147\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2678,"href":"https:\/\/theduanewells.com\/staging3\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/147\/revisions\/2678"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theduanewells.com\/staging3\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/595"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/theduanewells.com\/staging3\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=147"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theduanewells.com\/staging3\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=147"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theduanewells.com\/staging3\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=147"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}