Heroes of Menswear: J.Lindeberg’s Jessy Heuvelink

J.Lindeberg’s head designer Jessy Heuvelink on marrying his rock and roll style with Scandanavian simplicity.

One Colour to Rule Them All

“I’m very much into the monochromatic wardrobe. I love the idea that you can combine five or six different tones of navy blue in one outfit. Your suit might be a really dark navy, your shirt might be a jeans-inspired chambray, your tie could be a purple-blue and your socks could be another tone of blue, even. The same applies for greys, for military greens, for browns—and its also very stylish to combine navies and black.”

Flowers Are Great—in Moderation

“When you think of summer clothing, whets more summery than florals? Not so mind-blowing, I know, but it’s not something J.Linderberg has really done before. The floral element I put into the women’s collection was very graphic, but the one I used for the men’s is more masculine. I made florals that look like camouflage. From a distance, you’ll say, “what is that?” There’s something going on, but you don’t really see that it’s flowers until you come close and realize that it’s actually small roses. Small, intricate petals woven in Italy right into the fabric. We’re playing with sophisticated materials and bringing those elements into the collection, because in the end, I don’t really know many guys who want to wear a floral suit. Its all about finding the balance.”

The “Candinavian” Collection

“I love being in Stockholm because it’s so stylish, but everyone has the same sense of style. Going to New York and London, you see the poor and the super rich and everything in between, from the hipsters to the Chanel-clad women or Armani guys, all mixed together. Some of my best inspiration comes from sitting on terraces in those cities and people watching. This is my first time in Canada—I saw a lot of stylish people on the street and realized what a cool city Toronto is. One thing [Sweden and Canada] have in common is the weather: it’s beautiful and warm in the summer, but the winters are equally cold. So, I think the whole collection is perfectly suited to a Canadian lifestyle. Candinavian, if you will.”

It’s All in the Details

“The silhouette is the silhouette—especially for J.Lindberg, where we’re well known for a modern cut—but it’s the details that change. Especially in tailoring. Labels are getting wider, for example, which gives a little bit more power. As the fashionable young man gets older, his style develops, and I think the wider lapel speaks well to this development.”

Style Is Forever

“I don’t like to talk about trends. I like to talk about style, because that’s something you have. Trends come and go. You have to stay true to your own DNA and not be chasing after fads. If you’re a creative person at the forefront, you have to be prepared to give people what they may not be ready for, but will be soon. And you always have to push the boundaries, because if you only give people what they want, you stand still.”