The Art Of Going Viral

AVAVAV first found success on the runway but it is creative director beate karlsson's inimitable approach to fashion storytelling that will take them right to the very top

- JAMIE LEE

In the 2010s, fashion insiders started arguing over the reasons why fashion had stagnated. What they didn’t know then was that it was merely the calm before the storm. When the 2020s hit, the industry was rocked — by a global pandemic, an ongoing recession and most prominently — the Internet’s increasing influence. It seemed like the digital realm was determining what was in, and what was out — and becoming a major threat to seasonal runway shows.

Yet the return of regular programming during SS’23 reminded many that the value of runway shows lies in their ability to inspire — and spark creativity. Show standouts include Bella Hadid’s spray-on dress moment at Coperni, Sunnei’s and Gucci’s use of twins to question identity as well as models deliberately falling on the runway at AVAVAV’s show during Milan Fashion Week.

For AVAVAV’s 28-year-old creative director Beate Karlsson, becoming a fashion designer was a no-brainer. Born and raised in Stockholm, Sweden, the designer had always been interested in creating things with her hands, from art installations to jewellery to clothes. Having grown up in a family of music lovers — Karlsson’s second dream was to be a musician — her parents were naturally supportive of her decision to work in fashion. “It was never a question of: ‘Should I study economics?’ I’ve always been set on the creative field because it’s just much more for me,” she explained.