Sandra Backlund refers to a Swedish designer and Sweden's knitting artist extraordinaire. Sandra Backlund first discovered her calling in fashion as a student at Umea University in northern Sweden. After studying more theoretical subjects such as art history, she enrolled in a textile class.
Sandra Backlund graduated from Beckman's School of Design in Stockholm and started her eponymous label in 2004. Since then, she has taken the Swedish fashion scene by storm, sweeping up awards such as the 2008 Swedish Elle Award and the 2005 FutureDesignDays award for up-and-coming talent.
Backlund has also caught the eye of the international design community. In 2007, she won the Festival International de Mode et de Photographie in Hyeres, France, which she says was probably the moment she realized just how successful she had become.
She also collaborated with Louis Vuitton on several knitwear pieces for their Fall/Winter 2007-2008 collection and worked with Franca Sozzani of Vogue Italia for the Protege Project, a competition where five (5) young designers are mentored by prominent figures in the fashion world.
Backlund describes her design aesthetic as "a combination of science fiction and sheltered, warm pieces of fantasy.” Her sculptural knitwear employs fantastical shapes and silhouettes. She enjoys exploring the human form through fashion: "Designers have always used things like corsets and shoulder pads to shape the body _ I"m just doing it with wool. I consciously dress and undress parts of the body to seek dynamic shapes. I like the softness together with the sharp silhouettes
In January 2008, Sandra Backlund launched her first solo collection at Stockholm Fashion Week. Her current collection (Fall/Winter 2008-2009), "Last Breath Bruises,” are anything but the average sweater. Her handmade, slightly outlandish attire features heavy architectural construction and large silhouettes. They features sombre, architectural pieces in dark colors such as blue, green and burgundy.
Her upcoming line (Spring/Summer 2009) lightens things up considerably, with inspiration from a recent trip to Miami.
Backlund does not create her garments based on patterns, but designs as she knits. Handicraft methods are of great interest to her and each of her pieces is meticulously handmade.She experiments a lot with different materials and techniques. Backlund often sequesters herself in her studio with her knitting needles. For her, solitude is a way of life, as her passion for her work comes at the expense of her personal life. However, she says the long hours and repetitive movements of knitting have begun to take their toll.
She has recently come to accept the fact that she can"t do everything herself, and is trying to find ways to lighten her load. Backlund is exploring the possibility of collaborating with an Italian knit specialist to produce more wearable, commercial pieces, and would like to focus more on accessories, such as bags and hats.
Website: http://www.sandrabacklund.com