When I hear the word Viking, it generally conjures up cliches of a somewhat barbaric but immensely fascinating Scandinavian civilization known for exploring, raiding, and conquering their neighboring countries. It's hard to believe that all the peace-loving and mild-mannered Swedes I know descended from the pillaging Vikings, and I imagine that if my husband were born during that time, he would be relegated to doing the 9th Century equivalent of desk duty (deck mopping, perhaps?) while all the other dudes sailed out to battle. Even though the Vikings left behind a somewhat violent legacy, they also were known for their culture, their folklore and myths, and their intense burial rituals and tales of the afterlife. Jimmy jovially likes to tell me about how Valhalla, Viking heaven, involves an endless horn of mead and a giant pig that is sacrificed for feasting on every night, before resurrecting itself in the morning. Sounds good to me!
I'm guessing this aspect of Viking life was what inspired the very sweet Swedish label Minimarket for their fall collection, which focuses less on the battle stories, although those are cool, and more on the charming tidbits of quotidian life. The designers created several prints, including a languid one inspired by the tradition of burying important Vikings with peacocks, and another print inspired by the beautiful glass beads used for trade during that time period. There are also plenty of cozy knits and furry hats in damp colors and soft fabrics, which are perfectly suited for keeping warm during the harsh Scandinavian winters. To fully get a feel of the collection, I suggest taking a peek at the lush lookbook video that they put together below. As you can see, the Swedes are all about staying warm while keeping their cool.
Minimarket – AW11 – Vìkìngì from Minimarket on Vimeo.
-Tiffany
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