Our Legacy has made great leaps and bounds since they stepped on to the scene in 2005. Watching the Swedish brand progress over the years, they have consistently curated collections of classic pieces providing poignant depictions of fashion and function. While most brands are more concerned with what "trends" are most prominent, Our Legacy continues to focus on experimenting with fabric and fits, resulting in some of the finest, more innovated garments on the market today. With their Spring/Summer 2012 "Splash" collection, a line of select garments produced in a limited run, having recently hit the shelves at selected dealers, we were able to catch up with one half of Our Legacy's founding party, Jockum Halum.

 

Adrian Carter: Since Our Legacy's inception in 2005, the brand has seen significant growth over the years. How would you say the response has been to Our Legacy as of late?

Jockum Halum: We have, over the last couple of collections, tried to make the range slightly wider to meet a bigger demand from our customers. The combination of the carechteristic Our Legacy wools and cotton fabrics,indigos and melanges together with more technical fabrics and cuts has made our line more complex. We are seeing an increasing steady growth for the coming AW12 season.

 

AC: You guys also have a beautiful new brick and mortar designed by architect duo Arrhov Frick located in Jakobsbergsgatan 11, Stockholm. How is that coming along?

JH: Maybe we are a bit stoneage in that aspect, but we believe in real physical stores, to create full fledged Our Legacy environments to show our full collections within. We just opened a brick and mortar in Gothenburg on the Swedish west coast. We are really proud of how both the new Stockholm store and the Gothenburg store turned out. Our architects are a crucial partner in this, and Arrhov/Frick are as reliable as an old Volvo, but with aeshtetics of a MB G-wagon, they create timeless pieces that feels both luxurios and raw at the same time.

 

AC: In my own personal opinion, I believe Our Legacy is probably one of the best depictions of fashion and function in today's contemporary menswear market. Could you explain the thought process that goes into creating an entire collection?

JH: Our head of design, Cristopher Nying, has a fantastic eye for the shape of things to come. His creativity and ideas, together with our whole teams constant wearing and tearing of the collections, and our pushing of what is wearable without going over the top is what makes our brand and collection into what it is.

 

AC: As a huge fan of the brand, I've found the look books to consistently be one of the strongest facets of Our Legacy's presentations, as they are always well thought out and while fashionable, the manifestation is still wearable. What is the overall message you guys try to convey through this avenue of presentation?

JH: Thank you! As the lookbooks really are the only thing we do when it comes to classical marketing, they are both really important for us, but are also a channel where we need to show what the whole company is about. We all have different ways of putting pieces together from the collection, and we all get inspiration from so many areas, and I think that is what is showing in the lookbooks. We are also spend way too much money on photo-books, both old and new, such great form of getting inspiration and information. Our lookbook-making has also gotten us the chance to work with photographers that we really admire, like Vivian Sassen, Oliver Helbig and now for AW12 with Takashi Homma.

 

AC: For the Splash capsule collection, you guys worked with talented art director Tony Cederteg. Could you walk us through the process of what brought the relationship to fruition and expound on the direction of the shoot?

JH: We are really close, and can work very spontaneously with short lead-times. Tony has a great eye for composing and curating photos, but the process is very direct on the in season shoots. Collection arrives, we gather some friends to model, Tony loads his Yashica compact camera w ASA 400, I throw some outfits together and we hit the streets. It´s all made to feel very sudden and fun and real, just like the pieces in the collection.

 

AC: The nautical theme behind the look book is evident, but how does it tie in with the overall theme of the collection and where did the inspiration come from?

JH: It's like when a collection has been in the store for four months, it's getting a bit dry and need some moisture, so we add a little splash! Naw, on the real, Tony has been really obsessed with swimming lately, doing laps, saunas, spas, that whole bag....

 

AC: Many people frown upon the thought of all over prints these days, but contrary to popular belief, it still has potential if done right. All over prints seem to be something you guys visit in most garments and execute with impeccable taste. How are you able to pull this off and make it cohesive with the rest of the collection?

JH: We see and treat our patterns and prints as accent-colours. You can go all out, or just show a little pattern sticking out somewhere, but we make them to highlight the other pcs in the collection really.

 

AC: What would you say is your personal favorite pieces out if the collection?

JH: The shawl collar zip shirt, and the culture shirts.

 

Adrian Carter