Anna Teurnell is in top form. The Swedish designer—who has just been named creative director of Filippa K—landed a resounding one-two punch with knock-out pre-fall and fall collections for her namesake label (which she will continue to lead). Launched just three years ago, Teurn Studios is a sleeper brand that should be better known; especially as fashion’s focus has turned to “real” clothes. The quality of the materials and vision here are top notch, and come at prices that are less than “luxury.”
The knee-jerk reaction, based on the brand being based in Stockholm and the designer’s preference for suiting, clean-lines and neutral colors, is to describe Teurn Studios as minimal, and yes, that’s part of the story. But rather than offer a twist (an overused words with implications of wringing something dry) on more classic-leaning pieces, Teurnell’s mission is to offer, as she said on a call, elegant clothes but “always with a bit of surprise.” One of this season’s a-ha moments, the choice to add a touch-me-soft wool leopard print into an otherwise mostly monochrome offering, was contextual. Pattern, aside from menswear checks and pinstripes (both of which made appearances this season) is unexpected here—all the more so because young Bob Dylan was one of Teurnell’s touch points. (She had been watching a disastrous 1978 interview he did with a Swedish reporter in which the performer wears a leather jacket not unlike Teurn’s popular taxi-driver topper.)
This wasn’t the only ’70s reference in the collection which included a pair of culottes paired with a black leather bow-blouse and snakeskin mules, as well as slimmer straight-leg pants. With years of experience behind her, Teurnell’s vision is confident, exacting and complete; she seems to have a total look in mind when designing, going from head (jewelry is a recently added category) to toe. For example she styled a cashmere sweater and pair of boyish jeans made of contrasting materials front and back with a heel, subverting the casualness of the parts. This collection elicited desire, which it so happens, is the title of a 1976 Bob Dylan album, fancy that.
