The first time I stepped into an & Other Stories boutique in London — and then subsequently, Los Angeles and Seoul — I was mesmerised by what can be described as a dream wardrobe, understandably so when your hear why. Cosy, and with soft natural light filtering in through floor-length windows, the space wasn’t packed to the brim, but instead lined with clothes thoughtfully placed on racks that sat between cushy sofas and rugs, with neat little nooks that housed shoes, jewellery and accessories. Each display felt perfectly curated and picked out just for me, the hopefully-discerning shopper, whether they’re grouped according to colour, trend, or a straight-up vibe; stories, if you will.
Stockholm-founded fashion brand & Other Stories can also be summed by one curious phrase — “wardrobe treasures” — a personal favourite of mine used by Shawna Trunk, Concept Designer of the brand’s Los Angeles Atelier, when she was in Singapore for the opening of their first-ever store in Southeast Asia. Fast-forward just several months later, and we’re now celebrating the launch of the second & Other Stories store, an inviting new space at Raffles City Shopping Centre.
“Our collections are built around inspiring fashion stories. All our lines are diverse, ranging from masculine tailoring to feminine chic, and designed to provide endless styling choices of lasting wardrobe treasures,” said Shawna, who also tells us how her and her team are endlessly inspired by vintage clothing shops and flea markets. The idea of treasures not only denotes cherished pieces we’d want to hold on to as long as possible, but the joy of hidden finds, something that the brand gets right, thanks to a peculiar way of designing their collections.
Compared to the other brands within the H&M Group, & Other Stories stands out for its diverse range of sophisticated styles, neither too utilitarian nor too on-trend; think coveted and elevated staples that make fun additions to a capsule wardrobe. In particular, these are designed by & Other Stories’ three ateliers in Paris, Stockholm and Los Angeles, which reflect the styles and cultures of their respective cities.
A look from L.A. tends to be more flirty, bold and feminine, while a Stockholm staple tends to focus on strong silhouettes and city-girl cool. Parisian style, on the other hand, indeed does bear the je ne sais quoi of French-girl chic, with timeless and simple, yet flattering, apparel.
Artist collaborations are a big part of the brand’s DNA as well, and often explored via in-store artist residency collaborations that happen during pop-up events or with art scattered throughout the creative floor space. & Other Stories’ Raffles City boutique, for instance, sees local artist duo RIPPLE ROOT’s hand-painted art brightening up shelves and display corners, as well as prominently featured across the store’s store-front windows.
Before you head down to admire this season’s Spring/Summer 2023 apparel of romantic flowery dresses, and pops of sage, lavender and cornflower blue, we hear from two key women at & Other Stories, who tell us more about why the brand’s making such an impact across the region.
Lina Söderqvist, Managing Director at & Other Stories, shares on how Stories’ store design is vital to their success, while Shawna Trunk, Concept Designer at the Los Angeles Atelier, talks about dressing for one’s own style, and her top picks for a season-less capsule wardrobe.
How does & Other Stories compare with sister brands H&M, COS and Monki?
Lina: “Stories’ ambition is to be unique towards all competitors, so we consider many brands when defining our uniqueness. Our three design ateliers in Paris, Stockholm and Los Angeles is one major thing that creates this uniqueness. Thanks to this set-up, the customer can find a wide range of styles, colours, prints, cuts, fragrances and gifts at Stories — all captured with different perspectives and inspiration sources.”
How would you say the Los Angeles atelier is different from the one in Paris and Stockholm?
Shawna: “Having design ateliers in three different cities, brings a genuine diversity to our expression and collections. A big part of the inspiration comes from the cultures in each city. Where I’m based, the Los Angeles Atelier collections captures the sassy, stylish and joyful LA girl. The collections are flattering and feminine, can be dressed up or down, ranging from modern classics to bold statement pieces.”
And yet, what are some core design tenets that keep the design language cohesive across all the ateliers?
Shawna: “Our collections are built around inspiring fashion stories. All our lines are diverse, ranging from masculine tailoring to feminine chic and designed to provide endless styling choices of lasting wardrobe treasures.”
How do you and the team do market research for upcoming collections?
Shawna: “We love to go shopping for vintage clothing when creating upcoming collections. There are so many amazing vintage shops and flea markets in Los Angeles, the inspiration is never ending.”
Does being “on trend” matter to the brand — why or why not?
Shawna: “& Other Stories is a one-stop styling destination and we’re all about saluting one’s individuality rather than dictating how anyone should dress. Our customer is a woman with a love for fashion who creates her own style. She wears things that make her feel good and that reflect her personality.”
Does the brand still believe in brick-and-mortar stores — how would you describe the ‘& Other Stories’ store experience, especially the one in Singapore?
Lina: “Yes, the digital and physical stores work together and are equally essential for us. As shopping behaviour is constantly changing, different platforms offer different possibilities. The interior of our stores acts as an extension of our design ateliers in Stockholm, Paris and Los Angeles, which provides an inspiring experience for our customers. We constantly draw inspiration from these cities’ creative and inspiring environments but also look at how we can speak and connect to our local customers when designing and creating our physical stores.
From an architectural point of view, we’ve looked into localising the store(s) by utilising more natural architectural materials known to Singapore, such as wood, enabling the store environment to feel feminine, warm yet contrasting. We also have more and bigger plants here to reflect Singapore as a garden city – bringing the feeling of the outdoors in our store.”
The idea of building a capsule wardrobe has become quite popular these days. What are your top 3 clothing picks that would fit in?
S: “I tend to mix feminine pieces with polished and tailored pieces, which is especially easy to do within the three different atelier collections at & Other Stories. The majority of my wardrobe is neutrals but I love to play with a bold colour or print once in a while. While I may vary on my fashion identity day to day, one thing is for sure — you’ll never catch me without my gold jewellery.”
& OTHER STORIES, located at ion orchard, #03-24/24A/25/26, and raffles city shopping centre, #01-02/2A.
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