Prints might not dominate the streets of Stockholm as much as they do in Copenhagen, but there is a long and illustrious history of textile and print design in the Swedish capital. Josef Frank’s expressive prints for Svenkst Tenn, made in the 1930s and ’40s, are celebrated the world over, and in the 1970s a collective called 10-gruppen took control of the production process so as to make room in the market for their designs, which were artful and bold in contrast to the more minimal patterns that were commercial at the time. The work of Lisa Sander, a freelance fashion and print designer, broadly fits within this tradition, being largely nature-inspired and graphic. Sander describes herself as being “steeped in tradition,” and what makes her pieces stand out is her approach: “I’m in it for the playfulness,” she says.
Sander traces her interest in the arts to when she was a 15-year-old working placement in an art school in her hometown of Västerås, Sweden. It was while studying at Camberwell College of Arts in London for a year that she discovered the world of textiles, a subject she explored when enrolled at Konstfack University of Arts, Crafts and Design in Stockholm. For her master’s project, Sander invited Carin Rodebjer to be her tutor. She became a Rodebjer employee in 2010, after working with H&M and Whyred. In 2021, Sander left Rodebjer to follow her dream of making “art and bespoke fashion pieces.” She’s working at the moment on a project with First Aid Kit.
“The pace that prevails in a fashion company does not make room for needlework and slower processes,” Sander says. Working on an upcycling project for the Swedish label Diemonde, she took the brief further than the fabric. Inspired by the title of a past Diemonde collection, “Flowers Growing in Concrete,” Sander pieced a dandelion—a plant sturdy enough to grow in urban settings—on the back of a jacket. “I find so much inspiration in nature, obvious as it may seem,” she says. “I love looking at plants in all their stages of life, especially wilted ones. I am fascinated by buds and seed pods.”
Nature reminds us that time is required to nurture. Ideas need similar care, and Sander describes herself as being in “the slowing-down camp” of fashion. “I want us to make and own fewer, more treasured objects. I would like less greenwashing in fashion and more responsible production.” In her decade-plus in the industry she’s observed big changes. “I feel like there is a desperation to convey to people that they need all this new stuff while a lot of people want to stop, slow down production, and work with what we’ve already got,” Sander says. “I feel like the world is split between super-consumerism and non-consumerism, and so is the fashion business. When I started out things were much more in sync, from high to low trends, they were more universal.”
It’s the individuality of Sander’s work that makes it so eye-catching. There’s a sense of the hand and an appreciation for all things tactile. In terms of colors, the designer says she likes “to combine them in a way that makes things zing.” Her advice for making life do the same is to focus on a single task or thing. “Everyone should try making something with their own hands, or even just mend a hole. It is the most soul healing thing, especially if you spend your day in front of a screen,” she says. Finally, she add, “I also recommend looking at plants, very close-up.”
