Stockholm has long been the de facto fashion capital of Scandinavia. Now the trio of fashionista friends behind a new shopping district in the trendy Södermalm neighborhood is working to make the industry more sustainable. Founded by Stina Löving, Mikaela de Verdier, and Therese Forsberg, the newly dubbed Hornsgatan Slow Fashion District is home to 19 secondhand and vintage storefronts in and around the main thoroughfare of Hornsgatan. Shoppers can scour racks of items from indie brands such as Katja of Sweden and Sighsten Herrgård as well as early-gen H&M pieces. “We wanted to build Stockholm as a slow fashion city,” says Löving, who creates new designs from cast-off vintage materials. “We saw the potential in Hornsgatan to work with local stores to push for slow and secondhand fashion.” The collective supports small makers of ceramics, candles, and upcycled jeans for kids by giving them platforms within existing shops to help build their businesses. There are also themed shopping weeks and pop-up events throughout the year. A map and self-guided shopping tour launched in April to make it easier for visitors to navigate among shops selling everything from vintage Italian clothing to recycled gym bags. Clothing rental and tailoring and alteration services in the hub also contribute to promoting a circular fashion economy as the way of the future.
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