The House of Dagmar’s glam-over continues. To mark their first 20 years, the sister-run Swedish label opened a beautiful new flagship in Stockholm last year. At 21, the brand shortened its name to Dagmar and hired a new design director, Rachael Proud, who was behind Raey, Matches’ in-house brand.
“I think we bring out different points from each other,” says creative director Sofia Wallenstam of working with Proud. She describes their collaboration as the meeting of soft/classic and hard/edgy. The new store, with its warm wood floors and Giacometti-like furniture, was the starting point for a sophisticated resort collection. The choice of Malgosia Bela as the model added to the sense that this was a grown-up collection.
“The woman that we design for, she is interested in fashion, but not in that young fashion,” said Wallenstam, referring to trendy pieces of the moment rather than forever pieces, like Dagmar’s buttery soft leather column dress that clings to curves. This brand always delivers a well-cut suit; this season’s is in a textured gray material that recalls OG Jil Sander. An authoritative trench is cut in shiny black “reptile,” and there is a tomboy feeling to the volumes of a bomber as well as a slightly oversized khaki jacket shown with a crisp white shirt. Satin shirt cuffs attached to the long sleeves of a silk dress with a small, unexpected dip in the back, create a sense of languorous ease.
“It took 20 years,” said Wallenstam, but “I think we are in a place where we always wanted to be. The brand is finding its roots, and we’re realizing exactly what we’re doing and who we are doing it for. It feels like our woman has become really grounded.” And she’s never looked better.
