• Intelligencer
  • The Cut
  • Vulture
  • The Strategist
  • Curbed
  • Grub Street
  • Subscribe to the Magazine Give a Gift Subscription Buy Back Issues Current Issue Contents
    Subscribe to New York Magazine
  • Subscribe
  • Profile
    Sign Out
The Cut
  • Style
  • Self
  • Culture
  • Power
Style
  • Fashion
  • Beauty
  • Shopping
  • Design Hunting
  • New York Weddings
  • Parties & Red Carpet
  • Fashion Shows
  • Cathy Horyn
Self
  • Health & Wellness
  • Motherhood
  • Advice
  • Sex & Relationships
  • Science of Us
  • Horoscopes
  • Ask Polly
Culture
  • Books
  • Television
  • Movies
  • Music
  • Celebrity
Power
  • Politics
  • Work
  • Money
  • Rebecca Traister
More
  • Latest Stories
  • Video
  • About Us
  • The Cut Shop
  • nymag.com
  • New York Magazine
  • Intelligencer
  • Vulture
  • The Cut
  • The Strategist
  • Grub Street
meet the new designer
July 29, 2013

Rodebjer: A Minimalist, Handmade Brand That Meryl Streep Has Worn

By Julie Ma

Share

  • Share
  • Tweet
Photo: Courtesy of Carin

Carin Rodebjer grew up on an island called Gotland in the Baltic Sea. “Where Ingmar Bergman used to live,” she specified, while taking a moment out of her vacation to chat with the Cut about her eponymous line. Though the designer didn’t necessarily grow up glued to the pages of Vogue (like one famous flame-haired editor who also grew up on an island), she was always interested in clothing. She began designing and making patterns for her own outfits at age 10, and her mother and her stylish circle of friends — “bohemian, artistic types,” she says — taught Rodebjer everything she uses in her own line, from appreciating the beauty of the handmade (sewing, knitting, handcrafting) to understanding the importance of fabric quality; her mother would use only natural, non-synthetic materials, like wools, cottons, and silks.

When Rodebjer packed her bags to leave her idyllic surroundings for New York in her mid-twenties, she brought her minimal eye to classes at FIT, and, ultimately, to her own business. She launched her first collection in 2000 to follow her “inner mission,” which she describes as “democratic luxury.” “I wanted to do something holistic,” she explains, “something that’s aesthetic but emotional and intellectual as well.” Her fall-winter 2013 collection achieves that with its striking silhouettes, luxe materials from Italy and Paris, handmade knits of wool (shorn right off the backs of her mother’s friend’s sheep), and splashes of whimsy. Click through the slideshow to see Rodebjer’s collection, including curly haired sheepskin jackets; knits with voluminous fringe collars; embossed, elegant sweatsuits; and flouncy pink chiffon tops. Perhaps you’ll see why Meryl Streep is a fan. Below, the Cut spoke to the designer about her fashion influences, her appreciation for the handmade, and the ideal Rodebjer woman.

You grew up on a remote island — when would you say you first got interested in fashion?
I think I’ve always been interested, at least in clothing. When I grew up in the countryside, I didn’t know any people being designers. No Swedes [ed. note: Gotland is technically in Sweden] were designers at that time [laughs]. It kind of exploded in Sweden in the last ten years, this fashion scene. I knew I was interested and I was quite obsessed with clothing and sewing and making my own designs. I tried the business in Sweden first, but I didn’t see an opportunity to work with fashion. But when I moved to New York, I realized that that was what I wanted to do. Fashion was everywhere and being a designer was quite a normal profession to have.

What was your inspiration for this collection?
The inspiration was nature. It’s been nature-oriented lately. I think I moved to New York and I started longing for nature [laughs]. I looked back at my childhood, at the isolated environment I lived in, and I looked into nature. But it was really my childhood and the perspective of a child — that’s why we had all those structures and details going on, and there’s a little bit of mysticism.

How would you say your line’s aesthetic has evolved over the years?
It’s evolving because we’re getting bigger and the company’s growing so much. It’s still the same kind of core in the collection — classical pieces with the outburst of fun — so it’s quite minimal in one way, but it has explosions of energy in between, and I think that it’s been a core that I’ve been following all the time. It might be a little more sophisticated now because we have more means. It’s the first time we have a possibility to show the ambition and balance that we have within the company.

Tell me about knits — was there a reason this collection had an emphasis on the handmade?
Especially with the fall collection, I was super obsessed with the handmade thing because I wanted to create a closer, emotionally engaged garment made by hand. The knits and fringes are all handmade. I like the extra generosity of the handmade. I just realized, I was also obsessed with what’s exclusive today. Money isn’t really exclusive any longer. I wondered, What can be exclusive? It’s what’s in your mind that can be exclusive nowadays. This extra about things being handmade — it adds an extra dimension.

Who would you say is the woman you’re designing for?
Rodebjer has always been about openness. I think the kind of women I relate to is a kind of a strong, self-reliant woman who knows what her ideas are and what she’s about to do. There are a lot of New York women who would be perfect for Rodebjer. Women I love, I’d say are like Kate Winslet and Cate Blanchett. I had Meryl Streep wearing Rodebjer once. She’s an amazing woman.

New York boutiques that stock Rodebjer include Bird, Honey in the Rough, and Assembly.

Shop: Flat Sandals

  • Topshop, $50

  • clio, $185

  • Jeffrey Campbell, $50

  • Rag & Bone, $145

Related

Rosie Assoulin’s Voluminous, Structured First Collection
View
1 / 33 Photos
Photo: Courtesy of Carin
Photo: Courtesy of Carin
Photo: Courtesy of Carin
Photo: Courtesy of Carin
Photo: Courtesy of Carin
Photo: Courtesy of Carin
Photo: Courtesy of Carin
Photo: Courtesy of Carin
Photo: Courtesy of Carin
Photo: Courtesy of Carin
Photo: Courtesy of Carin
Photo: Courtesy of Carin
Photo: Courtesy of Carin
Photo: Courtesy of Carin
Photo: Courtesy of Carin
Photo: Courtesy of Carin
Photo: Courtesy of Carin
Photo: Courtesy of Carin
Photo: Courtesy of Carin
Photo: Courtesy of Carin
Photo: Courtesy of Carin
Photo: Courtesy of Carin
Photo: Courtesy of Carin
Photo: Courtesy of Carin
Photo: Courtesy of Carin
Photo: Courtesy of Carin
Photo: Courtesy of Carin
Photo: Courtesy of Carin
Photo: Courtesy of Carin
Photo: Courtesy of Carin
Photo: Courtesy of Carin
Photo: Courtesy of Carin
Photo: Courtesy of Carin
1 / 33

Tags:

  • meet the new designer
  • rodebjer
  • fall winter 2013
  • knits
  • sweden
  • q&a
  • carin rodebjer
  • gotland
  • minimalism
  • meryl streep
  • slideshow
  • More

More Galleries

in memoriam Dec. 30, 2020
30 Incredible Fashion Moments From Pierre Cardin  Remembering a creative visionary. 
By Andrew Nguyen
rest in power Dec. 23, 2020
A Photo Memorial for an Iconic Model  She passed away suddenly at the age of 50 this week. 
campaign trail Nov. 18, 2020
‘Tis the Season for New Fashion Ads  See the best ones from Gucci, Prada, Versace, and more. 
By Emily Burns
nyfw spring 2021 Oct. 26, 2020
How a Great Collection Comes Alive  Christopher John Rogers launched its first-ever online shop, along with a new campaign. 
By Andrew Nguyen
campaign trail Sept. 24, 2020
See the Fashion Campaigns for Fall 2020  From Prada, Michael Kors, Celine, Louis Vuitton, and more. 
By Andrew Nguyen
nyfw spring 2021 Sept. 22, 2020
See the Coach Spring 2021 Collection  Worn by Megan Thee Stallion, Kate Moss, Cole Sprouse, and more. 
By Andrew Nguyen
fashion Sept. 16, 2020
The Stunning Awkwardness of Face Masks on the Red Carpet  Celebrities tried to make the best of a strange situation at the 2020 Venice Film Festival. 
one word one shot Sept. 15, 2020
72 Designers on Their Spring/Summer Inspirations  Just in time for Fashion Week. 
By the Cut
red carpet Sept. 8, 2020
This Red Carpet Was Totally Surreal  But also amazing. See all the looks at the Venice Film Festival. 
By Emilia Petrarca and Andrew Nguyen
in memoriam Aug. 31, 2020
Remembering Chadwick Boseman on the Red Carpet  His style was bold, risk-taking, and always impeccable. 
the wedding files Aug. 21, 2020
The Design-Minded Couple Who Didn’t Want to Try Too Hard  The bride got a wonderful surprise the morning of her wedding. 
By Kaitlin Menza
the wedding files Aug. 14, 2020
A Costa Rica Wedding During the Rainy Season  Thunder roared during the toasts. 
By Kaitlin Menza
the wedding files Aug. 7, 2020
A San Francisco Wedding at a Big, Empty Pier  The bride changed into crushed-velvet pants for the disco-infused reception. 
By Kaitlin Menza
the wedding files July 31, 2020
An Elopement Among the Lupines in Iceland  The late afternoon was spent snapping photos near waterfalls and black beaches. 
By Kaitlin Menza
the wedding files July 24, 2020
A Pennsylvania Potluck for 280 People  “I looked at her for the first time and had this feeling like, You. I know you.” 
By Kaitlin Menza
milan fashion week July 22, 2020
Behind the Scenes at Gucci’s Virtual Show  Instead of models, members of the design team sported the eccentric collection. 
By Andrew Nguyen
the wedding files July 17, 2020
A Dance Party Under Puerto Rican Palm Trees  Bad Bunny blasted and pitorro flowed. 
By Kaitlin Menza
the wedding files July 10, 2020
A Zoom Wedding Only Two Digital Creatives Could Produce  The couple coordinated multiple video segments, breakout rooms, and a dance party. 
By Kaitlin Menza
the wedding files July 3, 2020
The Anti-Spectacle Wedding That Turned Into a Spectacle  Brooklyn Bridge Park was the site of their first date, proposal, and wedding. 
By Kaitlin Menza
the wedding files June 26, 2020
A Night at the Philadelphia Museum of Art  The flowers were specially treated to protect the masterpieces. 
By Kaitlin Menza
  • Style
  • Self
  • Culture
  • Power
  • Newsletters
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Help
  • We’re Hiring
  • Press
  • Trademark
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Ad Choices
  • Do Not Sell My Info
The Cut is a Vox Media Network. © 2021 Vox Media, LLC. All rights reserved.