Linda Fagerström: Katja of Sweden – an artist with the courage to rule over their inheritance – Helsingborgs Dagblad

Linda Fagerström if the icon Katja Geiger that changed the Swedish fashion industry.

– I wanted to make clothes for the modern women, for modern architecture, convenience and quality. As described Katja Geiger his artistic vision in an interview with The Catherine tower castle 2012. And of course, she managed with it. Katja from Ekeby and Landskrona Katja of Sweden and a change in the Swedish fashion industry.

Her design appealed to the 1950 – and 60-century modern women who loved Katja of Sweden signaturplagg: comfortable, soft garments are in jersey, which was called the 3T – an acronym for wash, dry, take on. Convenient and easy. Handy but far from rekorderligt.

the Garments in knalliga colors with large, striking patterns was at the time. Mary Quant made at the same time great success in London with his characteristic style: A-shaped short dresses, miniskirts and high boots – all in ärtgrönt and blood – or ubåtsgult, as in the Beatles ‘ Yellow Submarine. From the Marimekko studios in Finland came skjortklänningar and dainty jackets in polka dots, orange and gredelint: to and with Jackie Kennedy purchased. She, shortly thereafter, was portrayed by Andy Warhol in during serigraphs, printed in his New York studio, The Factory.

“Indira”. From the retrospective Katja of Sweden-exhibition at Kulturen in Lund.Image: Lisbeth Westerlund

New York was also Katja Geigers city. She chose the front of the traditional modemeckat in Paris when she studied in the 1940s. Skånetösen came to the united states, where the young popular culture exploded during the post-war record. Back in Sweden they continued american influences seen when she is together with her husband, Rod Geiger started the company Katja of Sweden in Huaröd in 1953.

the Essence of her designs was always about the body’s movement in the room. To seamlessly be able to move, to with ease take on everyday life – yet with an undeniable air of glamour. Katja Geiger, herself a mother of small children, designed the garment for other moms: quickly went vällingfläckarna to wipe away from the easily cleaned jerseyn and you were ready for a night out. Katja of Sweden, the garments worked as well in the nursery as on the cocktailbjudningen. The inspiration was also in the folklore, the Swedish folkdräkterna and childhood simple garments – a heritage she combined with the bravery of a Nancy Sinatra or Diana Ross.

In connection with his last interview a few years ago she did not want to let themselves be photographed. Better to let the images from his youth with the characteristic, strict, stylish hairstyles, and the graphic eyeliner-painted eyes become recollection. An artist aware of himself and his legacy, with the courage to rule over their inheritance – much like the queen as the pretentious artist witness: Katja of Sweden.

Katja of Sweden

Karin Hallberg, known under the name of Katja of Sweden, was born in 1920.

Education:1938-40: the University textillinje.1940-42: Beckmans.1946-47: the Parson’s School of Design, New York.

Career at a glance:To 1953. Lived in the united states. Was a success with clothes inspired by the Nordic countries and the costume.1953: Back to Sweden and Huaröd.1955: Kollektionsvisning at the H55 in Helsingborg, sweden.1958-1974: footwear design for the Golden Gripen1954–1975: Cooperation with MMT in Malmö.1962-63: Inspirationsresa to Västafrika1966: Display in Paris. Success.1976-96: the New successful career in the united states as heminredningsdesigner with textiles, ceramics and glass.1996: Moved back to Skåne.

Rewritten:”Fashion and design without borders – a biography” by Katja Geiger and Lars Åhlander came in 2000.