An Interview with Fredrik Wikholm
Can you give me a little background about Uniforms for the Dedicated? How many people are involved in the brand and when did it all begin?
Uniforms for the Dedicated serves as a platform for musicians, illustrators, artists and designers who are continuously invited to contribute with their innovations. Uniforms first took form in 2001 as a traveling snowboard collective. Today, the label has evolved into a co-creative design & music network, expanding with each new project. At this point in the process, 12-15 people are in some way involved in music, fashion or arts. Four core members work full time and these are the people who were behind the shaping of the concept and starting up the company/collective.
The primary purpose of Uniforms has never been merely fashion. Instead the foundation of what we are today took form years ago – a group of friends traveling the world snowboarding. Later we realized we wanted to continue the creative journey together and fashion became the tool we gathered around. It allowed us to apply and combine various expressions such as art, design, and music. Sure we had no previous experience in clothing design or production at start (yeah it’s been a long ride) but in the long run I believe the incentives and diverse backgrounds of ours work to our favor.
The first Uniforms collection saw the light of day in spring 20908 and the first music release under same name came in January 2009.
It’s interesting to see that your common bond has been through snowboarding. Would you say that your overall theme among art, fashion and music are all intertwined and complementary or do they contrast each other? With so many heads involved how do you keep things in an orderly direction?
They do complement each other based on the synergies they create and for us, central in our existence, they´re all based on the same value-based foundation that Uniforms embodies. However there are contrasts due to the fact that music, fashion and arts evolve in their own pace alongside each other, thus generating a life of their own. Many heads…many great ideas! All the heads create a great filter hopefully leading to a thorough debate on the products that we put out on the market. Important however is that everybody fits in nicely and know where their responsibilities lie. Common goals are our reason for being.
In terms of arriving at a concept for each collection, what have you guys utilized in the past? What about this 2009-2010 fall/winter collection?
In spring/summer 2008 we saluted the Clown Union Strike by launching the Street Circus collection. Clowns on strike for better wages need to be supported and praised for the joy they spread.
In fall/winter 2008 we created the Underground Loop, a united group of people who pushed the passion for table tennis one step further by starting the Underground Loop movement, taking the sport from its Olympic glory down into basements, abandoned warehouses and club houses where sound systems pump out electronic beats.
For spring/summer 2009, the Sound Effects collection gave birth to the idea of letting music and fashion fully interact, integrating a collection soundtrack in the clothing. The SS09 illustrations and design tell the story how music shapes environments. As a result the illustrations are oceans of various motions and emotions.
