TALENT TO WATCH: SWEDISH FASHION DESIGNER JADE CROPPER

vor 3 years

For AW22, Jade Cropper debuts at Copenhagen Fashion Week.

As a part of the next challenging current industry standards in aesthetics and sustainability, she gracefully combines these two factors producing her 0002 collection is exclusively from waste and recycled materials crafting it at her Stockholm studio with great love for detail.
Today we´ve peeked behind the scenes of the Swedish fashion talent and are excited to share more from the designer herself.

How did you become interested in fashion?

I have always loved and felt a desire for being creative, but it wasn’t until I started making clothes that I felt at home and a certain joy that I never experienced before. I’m quite an introverted person so it became my way of expressing myself.

Who inspired you the most on your creative journey?

I want those who wear Jade Cropper to feel comfortable in themselves, and I’ve always admired and been fascinated by people who dare to express who they

are. For me, my grandmother has been a big source of inspiration – her strong and independent character, attitude, and approach to life.

You maintain a hyper femme aura while also featuring shapely expressive silhouettes. How do you find the bliss point?

I think it is a lot about the way I use asymmetry in my designs. I want to make clothes with shapes and cuts that make whoever wears them feel empowered and comfortable in their own body. It’s about enhancing how we look, not hiding it.

Do you draw any influences from Scandinavian design into your work?

I like Scandinavian design, but I wouldn’t say my design is typically Swedish. I draw influences mostly from non-European design.

Do you identify with the creative landscape in Sweden?

I grew up with creativity mostly from the African American and African communities. My grandfather was an artist from New York, so I grew up with artists from all over the world around me in his studio in Stockholm.

Where do you see your designs being worn?
All over the world, no boundaries.

How do you approach the sustainability factor with your key material,leather?
Actually, leather is a side material, and I happened to get hold of waste leather. Instead of it getting just thrown away, I decided to do something with it. I would consider my key material to be recycled mesh.

What is the role of denim in your designs?
This time I wanted to make some more casual items that might be easier to wear every day, and I got hold of waste denim. I was interested in seeing if and how I could make some denim pieces that would add to the Jade Cropper world.

Are you planning to expand into menswear?
The connection between clothes and identity is something that I find interesting, so menswear is something that I might explore in the future. Right now, I’m focusing on developing my brand and my production.

What is your next milestone with the brand?
So far, most of my production has taken place in my studio where I did everything by hand. Working really close with the Swedish Fashion Council incubator program, Swedish Fashion Talents, I have also been able to develop my business. Now, I look forward to possible collaborations to be able to scale up and develop my production, still staying true to the Jade Cropper values. I would never compromise on quality and try to be as sustainable as possible, from either an environmental or human point of view.

Interview Yuliya Maltseva

Picture courtesy of Magnus Bach