Meet the Viking Supershoes: interview with designer Rebecca Björnsdotter

“I want women to feel brave, beautiful and strong as a bear when they wear the shoes”, says Swedish born designer Rebecca Björnsdotter, who just launched a new and fresh collection of shoes for this season (http://rebeccabjornsdotter.com). And I have the feeling that we should take her word for it, as long as her name means, literally… “bear’s daughter”.

More on Rebecca Björnsdotter, on http://rebeccabjornsdotter.com.
The products could be found in www.thebridgeco.uk (Europe, USA), www.xshowroom.cn (Asia), http://rebeccabjornsdotter.com.

With a passion for fashion since she was only… two years old and an inspiration point that comes from Nordic and Viking history, Rebecca talked to me about her start in fashion world, at London Fashion Week, after she graduated from London College of Fashion, about Scandinavian roots and her passion for Viking and Sami Art and about… which shoes should be expelled from the history of fashion.

Your first love story with fashion begins with… My mother giving me a pair of crimson red patent leather shoes that she bought while visiting relatives in Venice for my 2nd birthday. I believe that´s when my obsession for shoes started. I knew very early on that I wanted to work in fashion. I had a curiosity for making my own garments from the age of 12, I absolutely loved the process. I studied fashion design at upper secondary level, I was very much into making historical costumes back then. In the final year I could not find any matching shoes for the costumes so I decided to make my own shoes. I knew from that day on I had found my true calling. I went on to study at Cordwainers at London College of Fashion where I absolutely fell in love with the construction of making shoes. For me it´s always been very important to be part of the full process, from design, development to the construction to see the final product.

The inspiration point for the collection is… Since I´ve always had very much interest in Nordic – and Viking history and nature, it became my key inspiration point for my brand. The collection has also a link to my surname Björnsdotter which translates into Bear´s daughter. I want women to feel brave, beautiful and strong as a bear when they wear the shoes.

The favourite period in the fashion history is… The 18th century, I absolutely loved the dresses.

The timeless pieces of shoes that everybody should have… A pair of classical pumps. They can literally turn every outfit into a smashing hit. From red carpet to casual jeans and a shirt.

AW17 collection presents an elegant yet edgy, fashionable yet natural and global yet typical Nordic look with dark chocolate, golden brown, dreamy prune, poppy red and rich metallics. Quality leather or suede is used throughout; reindeer fur details, pewter wire braid-ing, Swarovski crystals or the Björnsdotter logo grid adorn select pieces.

The piece that should be expelled from the fashion trends (in terms of shoes) is… It´s always tricky, as people can take on the look by simply styling it very well. But I´m having a bit of a hard time with Uggs and Crocs.

Your signature piece is… It would either be the sandals ANNE or TILDA, they represent the brand perfectly. Anne with the Nordic inspiration, the mixture of materials in contrast to the other. The handmade pewter braiding with detachable leather braids. The Tilda sandal has a logo shield covering the heel. It brings out the Nordic goddess.

If your designs would be a city / a song / a season they would be… City: Stockholm – it has the historical beauty and nature, women are strong and brave! Song: Beyoncé “Girls run the world”. Season:  Spring/Summer, I love strong colours and nature is in full bloom in the spring/summer.

Rebecca Björnsdotter, for short… I am a graduate from Cordwainers at London College of Fashion and a Swedish luxury shoe designer. I design Nordic inspired shoes for brave women. My AW-17 collection can be found at Printemps and NK.

Designer Rebecca Björnsdotter

The products could be found in www.thebridgeco.uk (Europe, USA), www.xshowroom.cn (Asia), http://rebeccabjornsdotter.com

Photography: http://rebeccabjornsdotter.com

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