Swedish Hasbeens Announces 2011 Autumn/Winter Collection

In a world imploding on itself with stereotypes, mass production, cheap labor and bad materials, who will show the light for future generations? Who will take us by the hand and lead us to a better tomorrow? To a world of equality, sustainability, creativity and quality. We know now that it’s the generations of the past. The Hasbeens. In you we place our trust and our hearts. Gently guide our steps and we will follow you. To a Brave New World.

A World of Equality
“Why do we become so disorientated when we deconstruct gender stereotypes using fashion? In society today it’s the fashion industry that fuels the gender divide between a man and a woman. Why did our parents care less about this than we do? Men and women are different. When we want to be. Therefore we are launching our new Unisex models for men and women.” says Emy Blixt, creative director and founder of Swedish Hasbeens.

A World of Sustainability
Swedish Hasbeens materials will always be natural and sustainable. The people who make the shoes will always have good work situations. This makes the shoes good for the people who wear them, the people who make them and for the nature where they came from and will return to. Quality means sustainability. Therefore, Swedish Hasbeens shoes will last and you can feel it when you hold them in your hand. For higher quality. artisans make Swedish Hasbeens’ shoes in the old traditional way by hand in small factories that have made shoes for decades.

The Company
Swedish Hasbeens, one of Sweden’s fastest growing fashion brands, makes retro-inspired, environmentally friendly leather shoes and bags, influenced by original models from the past. The company has been famous for their original clogs based on high heels from the 1970s. Their mission is to become the leading retro shoe brand in the world and is now taking a step towards that by launching a new broader shoe collection, moving beyond wooden soles. ”I find inspiration in some great democratic values that we have in Sweden, for example equality, freedom of speech, and sustainability,” says Emy Blixt. The collection will include the new unisex boots as well as the old classic models in updated colors.

Since the start in 2007, Swedish Hasbeens has enjoyed tremendous growth. This spring 2011, the company has as the first Swedish fashion brand teamed up with H&M for a design collaboration of a limited edition of shoes.

In 2006 Emy Blixt went to the closed-down clog factory in her childhood village in southern of Sweden and discovered their old stock of 300 clogs from the 70’s and started selling them to her friends. Swedish Hasbeens started in 2007 when Emy Blixt and Cecilia Wingård-Neuman realized that modern shoes lack the colors, the natural craftsmanship and quality that the traditional shoes once had. The challenge was to produce the shoes in organic materials with new fashion designs using the old production methods from the 70’s. Since then Swedish Hasbeens has moved on to other product categories like boots, bags, belts and children’s shoes, all based on retro-inspired fashion with high demands on organic materials and sustainable production.

Swedish Hasbeens’ products are now sold in more than 20 countries with US being the largest one. Some of the world’s most influential stores carry their products and Hasbeens has received a huge amount of editorial coverage in media like ELLE, Vogue, Nylon, Lucky Magazine. Several very fashion aware people have also started to wear the shoes. Sarah Jessica Parker wore them on the set of Sex and the City 2 and others who have been seen wearing the shoes include Maggie Gyllenhaal, Kylie Minogue, Robyn, Nina Persson from the Cardigans and of course Dolly Parton.