Meet The Designers: TOVE
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We met when we were both buying and designing at Topshop. This was during the brand’s heyday, when it really was an incredible place to work. We had an amazing atelier where we were able to create what we wanted with a relatively free reign. As time progressed and we became Head of Design and Head of Buying respectively, we spotted a gap in the market. Luxury was becoming more expensive and less attainable, and the contemporary market was opening up – albeit a lot of the brands in that space weren’t delivering on quality or sustainability.
We saw the opportunity to create something very modern and feminine. At the time, you had Chloé and Zimmerman were leading the way when it came to the feminine aesthetic and then there were more androgenous brands like The Row – with not a lot in between. We stumbled across the name Tove – a common Danish girl’s name meaning strength and beauty and knew it was the one.
We knew the brand had to be sustainable. The materials and fabrics we used had to be beautiful as well as natural, so they could degrade easily at the end of their lifespan. That’s why we use a lot of organic cottons and silk – they feel incredible on the skin but they also degrade naturally. We also partner with mills in Italy where we source lots of recycled fabrics.
Everything about our lives is really aligned. We’ve worked together for so long now, people always say we're of the same mind. At the centre of it all is friendship – we’re so similar and that counts for a lot. We also have children that are close in age and our husbands are in similar jobs, so there is always plenty of understanding and compassion
For us, fashion is about ease. Clothes shouldn’t be too complicated or too trussed up. The relaxed feel is really important to us. If it’s something for the evening or red carpet, then there’s definitely a level of modernity to it, too – but it’s never too much.
We’re not a noisy brand. Our strategy is focused on the long term, which is why our customers range from 20-somethings to 60-somethings, which is something we’re really proud of. The Tove woman is confident, intelligent and worldly – the way she moves through life is a little bit different and she’s not a slave to trends.
We work in a very instinctive way. Our sources aren’t so much people and places – for us it’s more about the silhouette. It’s about how you want to feel that season and how our customers are evolving. We want the Tove woman’s wardrobe to be a seamless extension of her lifestyle, so we respond to what she’s asking for and what she loves. The collections are also designed build on one another – each is an extension of the last.
Versatility and timelessness is at the core of everything we do. We have pieces in the collection that you could wear to an event but that would also look great on the beach on holiday. It’s all about pieces that look modern now but that you could pull out of your wardrobe in five years’ time and people will still be asking you where it’s from.
This summer’s hero piece was the Freja dress. The jersey bodysuits have also been standouts. The jersey collection is growing rapidly for us and it’s a really beautiful Italian fabric that we use. The Sydney bodysuit has been particularly popular. And the silk sets – super clean and modern – are so versatile. The Ceres dress looks great on everyone – I remember Ashely Graham and Amanda Gorman looking great in it.
For SS23 which is previewing at Paris Fashion Week, we looked at what’s going on right now – for example, there’s this big ‘going out’ shift, and it’s all quite overt and revealing. For us, the initial conversations revolved around what ‘sexy’ looks like to the Tove woman and how we can carry that through the collection.
Shortly after fashion month we’ll hopefully launch our first pop-up store in Mayfair. It will be such a great opportunity for us to connect with our customers and show the breadth of what we do. –The brand launched just before the pandemic, so runways and pop-ups haven't been an option for us until now, which is really exciting.
Our beautiful knitwear is new for this season. It’s amazing quality and has our signature ruched detailing on it. We’ve also just launched a new denim collection with really strong sustainability credentials. Everything is made from recycled and repurposed cotton, it uses less water in its production and it’s made in Italy in a lovely factory. For any woman, finding the perfect pair of jeans is a lifetime endeavour. We wanted to offer something sustainable where the fit was great and the quality was beautiful.
Our pick from the denim capsule include the Marlo jeans. They have that rigid denim feel but with an element of stretch, so it’s not super tight. It’s like a slim straight cut but fits around your bum and hip without clinging to your leg. The Linn – a straight-leg in an indigo wash – is super clean and really refined. Finally, the Sophie is fitted around your hip and bum but has a more of a boyfriend feel – whilst still being really flattering.
Visit Tove-Studio.com
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