Tiger of Sweden Enters “A New Era” with Its Fall/Winter 2018 Collection

Sharp Staff September 13, 2018

A tiger cannot change its stripes, they say. Well ‘they,’ evidently, haven’t checked out Tiger of Sweden lately. This fall, the Stockholm-based fashion house is embarking on what it calls “A New Era” — that is, a fresh creative direction for the 115-year-old brand following the arrival of new creative director Christoffer Lundman. To mark the occasion, they’ve introduced a rebooted logo, and a head-turning Fall/Winter 2018 collection to go with it. They’re looking forward — but also looking back.

The brand has replaced their old logo — a rather ’80s-looking silhouette of a tiger’s face in a black square — with a minimalist drawing of a walking tiger. The illustration draws on one that Lundman found in Tiger of Sweden’s archives, used on the original range of ‘Tiger’ suits produced in 1926. A new, generously spaced word mark accompanies it, drawn from a 1960s marquee and boasting the same Roman font as letters typically used on official Swedish buildings and currency.

Tiger of Sweden’s latest collection similarly nods to the past. It’s inspired by Stockholm’s legendary Filmhuset (“the House of Film”) building, home to one of the city’s largest cinemas and to the Swedish Film Institute. The structure’s radical architecture – robust, sharp lines contrasting the rolling fields of the of the Gärdet plain outside – but it’s what happens inside that truly matters: a temple of creativity and imagination, filled with cinemas, production companies, set designs, and studios. It’s here where Ingmar Bergman filmed his masterpiece, Fanny and Alexander. That innovative energy is weaved throughout the brand’s newest threads.

The resulting looks pay homage to the art of cinema by carrying a sense of unrestrained imagination and romance. Lundman takes the label’s sportswear in a more luxe direction, sharpening up the silhouettes and implementing materials like wool and silk. He focuses on a more streamlined, classic palette – black, navy, grey and camel – while allowing the fabrics themselves to bring life to pieces, in lieu of any pops of colour.

In a way, the house’s new era lifts its heritage to the forefront. It prioritizes craftsmanship, Zapruder-like attention to detail, and above all else, intrepid creativity. Just as when they formed in 1903, the brand is still unwilling to compromise. Still throwing caution to the wind. Still riding the tiger.

See the full FW18 collection here.