STILL MONKI-ING AROUND

Lerima viscose t-shirts; black Peter Pan collar Silvia tee; long sleeve purple Paloma; lambswool Piccolina; sporty Sally sweater

One of my favourite brands from Sweden, Monki, now offers online shopping. I am most excited about The Karolina jacket below. Simplistic with cheap prices and international flare, Monki is not a brand to be missed.



Everything is so cute from each piece down to their whole look and styling! Check out my open love letter to Monki from last summer. My only itty-bitty recommendation for Monki designers? Less polyester, more natural fabrics.

AFFICTIONADOS: THIS IS WHAT IT IS

In Malmö, Sweden, Carl Nordström is a DJ and Producer disguised under the name Affictionados. His latest album, "This is what it is" is an eight-track journey into the mind of a producer who can't make up his mind about what genre he falls into. What artist can, after all, label himself?

The album feels like a film score with its mystic quality and fusing of genres. If I were a director I would want to make Carl's music work in my film. It's so gracious with a very listenable quality that mass audiences would immediately understand. Directors of the world, take note.

Naturally, I have listened to "This is what it is" on repeat like most of Carl's other work which is a great combination of soul, jazz, blues, funk, folk, world and hip hop. All of his work loops and loops in my head, stirring my imagination. Throughout the heavily curated and layered album, Christine Owman makes guest vocal appearances adding a mysterious, slightly haunting element to the whole package.

My favourite track would have to be "My Mind Goes" featuring Swedish hip hop artist Bracey Hansun. It is the most unexpected song on the album but doesn't feel out of place. Bracey Hansun raps about coffee a lot in this song for reasons unbeknownst to me.

For Carl, the intention is not to sound like something specific but rather to make new music without limits and boundaries. If “soundscapes” was ever a genre, then this would be what it is.

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Affictionados on Facebook
Revolving Records
Christine Owman on Facebook

Christine Owman in Toronto for Indie Week:
October 13 (tonight) at Nocturne (550 Queen Street West), 11:15pm, $6
October 14 at Free Times Cafe (320 College Street), midnight, $10
October 15 at The Peacok (365 King Street West), 12:45am, $10

ACNE OR DEATH: DRESSES $200 & UNDER

Realization of the day: The most I want to spend on a casual dress is $200, and I would like to avoid polyester. The dress would be special, not an item you wear every day, and something you cherish for decades.

$200. Not always, just once in a while. This is coming from someone who is usually broke, and whose mother is a seamstress. This is also coming from someone who goes to Fabric Land to touch natural fabrics and says, "Yes, I WILL learn how to cut patterns better! Yes, I WILL avoid polyester for life! Fuck paying for clothes! I just need a personal tutor..."

I start to online window shop when I receive a 40% off email from Swedish designers and master drapers Acne. In reality, I don't think I have ever purchased a dress for $200 except as a bridesmaid this summer. Clad in clementine, the dress was perfect was it not polyester and satin. I would wear it out in a heartbeat, and I managed to keep it wine-stain-free. But you know, in case I ever get a real job with a real salary, I would consider these Acne dresses. Only two of them contain polyester, but the styles are irresistible. Clad me in tencel, silk, modal, and wool! See also: rayon, linen, cotton, cashmere...

I am 5'0", by the way, unlike most sultry Swedes who model Acne clothing. Will my body find chemistry in the clothes? My credit card can only tell.


$162, 100% tencel; $174, 100% polyester


$90, 100% tencel; $102, 100% tencel


$190, 100% silk; $174, 100% polyester

Click on images for a direct link to the Acne Outlet, if you dare.

MY UNDYING LOVE FOR MONKI

In September, I wrote an open letter to Monki, one of the best contemporary fashion companies to come out of Sweden. Since then, Monki has opened shop in Amsterdam and Hong Kong. I wonder if Toronto will ever become cool enough for Monki, but until then, I'll be planning my (shopping) trip to Stockholm for these fall/winter 2010 goods. Just the website itself excites me with it's uber-cute cosmic illustrations. Monki, I love you. Can I work for your magazine one day? I will relocate to Stockholm instantly; it is the city of love affairs.



Monki is an entity derived from mixtures of old chemicals, forgotten in the ruins of old fabric factories in the city of oil and steel. Monki is also a store concept and women's clothing brand. Unique illustrated prints on clothes, packaging and stationary continuously tells stories from the world of the Monkis.



Monki also has a magazine that comes out every season. Essentially, it is a catalogue with the added bonus of daringly twee photo shoots, cute articles and interviews with cute people, and awesome illustrations. My favourite part of the recent issue was an interview with Yelle, who calls herself a feminist but without any attachment to an organization. Monki is always after creative and original people, and it doesn't seem so forced, which is why I think it's great.




Some of the most creative and youthful photo shoots I've seen! All taken from the website. See Monki.com for more unique styling solutions.

AN OPEN LETTER TO MONKI IN STOCKHOLM

Dear Monki,

Where have you been all my life? First, I arrived in Stockholm, Sweden two years ago already knowing about the magic of Cheap Monday. I discovered the cheap Gina Tricot when I was both in Stockholm and Malmo. Then when I came back home – 6 months later – I discovered 5th Avenue Shoe Repair, another Stockholm-based company known for its intricate cuts, interesting shapes and translucent tees. I was sad to miss out on window shopping at the flagship in Stockholm. But then the unbelievable happened.


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You, Monki, seeped into my life when I was least expecting it – during a time when my travel bug was really intense, jumping out of my skin, especially for Scandinavia. There you were with your beautiful and amazing clothes that were a hybrid of avant garde and ready-to-wear. Suddenly, I reminisced. I remembered Cheap Monday, 5th Avenue and even thought about Ann Sofie Back, Maison Martin Margiela, Commes Des Garcons, Christpher Kane and Alexander Wang in the meantime. Those are some of my favourite designers, and I feel like you embody them in some weird way or another.


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Monki, I am pretty sure you and I are meant to be. It’s just a matter of planning my trip back to Copenhagen and Stockholm so I can fully take advantage of your amazingness. Until then, this entry comprising of melting saliva will have to suffice. And maybe that’s for the better because lord knows I can’t be hoppin’ around spending 30 euros here and 15 euros there as a jobless new grad with no closet space left. I mean, it’s getting a little ridiculous.

Sincerely,
Erin Pea


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P.S. Okay, so I guess if we’re truly meant to be I’ll have to see what kind of material you’re made out of and if you fit my non-sleek-and-slim, antithesis-of-tall-Swede body.


Click on thumbnails for larger images

P.P.S. Your web design? Super freaking cute.

SCANDI REDUX

This month's musical redux goes out to the early winter we have been facing in the Greater Toronto Area this October. Apparently mother nature decided to skip out on autumn and was just like, "Whatevs. Ya'll can start hibernating now". There's nothing that will keep us warmer than the delicious dance tunes of the following people.

Kid Kishore/DJ Hvad is a DJ based out of Copenhagen who is known for his eccentric mixes that incorporate Bollywood, Punjab breakcore, hiphop and nauseating sound effects all into one. A little geometric and a little politically incorrect, he puts on a live show that you kind of have to dance to. Hvad?


Kleerup has my heart. I'm honestly the biggest fan of Kleerup's pop-infused beats that are catchy as hell. He could orchestrate a Coca-Cola commercial with debut track "Hero". Other favourite tracks include "Until We Bleed" featuring Lykke Li, "With Every Heartbeat" featuring Robyn, and "3am" featuring Marit Bergman.


Familjen still brings it. We recently celebrated our one-year anniversary of me purchasing Det Snurrar I Min Skalle (The spinning in my head). I'm surprised he hasn't gained fame in North America yet but that's probably because he sings in Swedish. Oh, and be sure to check out his remix of "If I Had a Heart" by Fever Ray on the Myspace page. Impressed!


The Touch have gotten a little shaky over the years but if you are into electro and possibly Ed Banger then The Touch is worth a listen. I could never find their album because I think they are strictly for da club.


CFCF (aka Mike Silver) is a producer from Montreal who recently came out with the album "Panesian Nights". Funk-infused and a little Chromeo-80s-cheesy, CFCF is a hot piece of joke worthy of your attention. CFCF is for fans of Chromeo, poppin', Crystal Castles remixes, and The Drake Underground. He deserves an honorable mention here as he is the only non-Scandinavian artist featured this month under Scandi redux. Yeah, I cheated a little.