Backstage interview with Astrid Andersen

Kicking off what has promised to be a great season for Menswear, Astrid Andersen presented her vision for Autumn/Winter 2019 at London Fashion Week Men’s this weekend in spectacular swagger and style. A Copenhagen based designer who combines sports-luxe athleisure wear with fur, Andersen spoke to me backstage after the show and gave some insight into working with fur and incorporating fur into her collection, as well as her work with Saga Furs over the years.
 
Q. Your choice to work with and show fur is important to the fashion community, how do you feel fur elevates and accentuates your sports-luxe collection this season?

A. Since the beginning of my brand I have welcomed working with fur and I’ve always wanted to tie that into the aesthetic of sportswear and streetwear, and for our generation to have that element of luxury. I’ve always tried to incorporate the use of fur in my collections in new and different ways, as especially in menswear, the fur coat can sometimes mean a limited style or only a few looks, so this need for variety was important to me and the narrative of the brand.
 
Q. Touching on the closing piece of your collection, the blue fox fur coat, how did that go from concept to runway?

A. The technique we used to create and make the coat was developed at the Saga Furs Design Centre, which is a huge benefit for smaller designers like me, as I don’t always have the budgets to play around and experiment with such a material as fur, so Saga Furs gave us that “playground” to test things out. The piece itself is actually quite a traditional technique, but obviously incorporating a colour and silhouette that is relevant to my brand and the collection itself.
 
Q. And my last question, working with Saga Furs, how has your relationship grown with them?

A. I mean its been such a natural progression as a relationship, with my studio being in Copenhagen, so its easy for me to go there to the Design Centre, but the support is just incredible and there is so much love and appreciation for one another that it makes it so enjoyable to work alongside each other.
 
In review, Astrid Andersen AW19 showcased the diversity and multifaceted nature of fur and its relevance to every fashion narrative. The standout pieces being the blue and grey long fox coats, stole the show and reflected the fluidity and flow of the satin sports-luxe aesthetic the designer has cultured on her runway season after season.
 
Article and interview written by Alex Guiste, London based fashion writer, for Saga Furs January 2019.