GUEST SELLER - THE URBAN HIPPIE
Marrkt talks with Guest Seller Svante aka @theurbanhippieswe
(M)I’m intrigued how it all started - have you always been interested in authentic wear, or was there a particular trigger for you to transform your wardrobe and create the urban hippie persona?
(S) When I turned 60 I had a life crisis and started searching my roots. My forefathers were fishermen and small time farmers. I looked at photos of their style. That created my interest for authentic wear and I transformed my style totally. At the same time I changed my lifestyle. Started training, went vegetarian and stopped drinking beer and wine. Because of that I lost weight and felt I was ready to live longer.
(M)How do you feel your style has developed since the beginning to how you dress now? Have you found certain styles you feel especially at home with?
(S) In the beginning my style was very much workwear. But over the years I have broadened the style as long as the garments and brands feels genuine. I love all kinds of military garments. Some of my forefathers were soldiers and fought in WWII for Finland. I have Finish roots.
(M) You’ve bought a lot of pieces over the years, it’s great to see how those items wear and age - What are your top 5 favourite items in your wardrobe right now?
(S) Top 5? Hard to tell. I love garments such as the M-65 from Real McCoys and also jackets and pants from Nigel Cabourn. If I wanna dress more casual Italian brand 1st Patrn is great. I like to mix. Always wanna look a bit rugged, not too clean cut. Goes fine with the wrinkles I get in the face. Turning 70 next year. My motto is ageing with energy and style.
(M) What next the @theurbanhippieswe, any exciting projects or travels in the pipeline?
(S) I’ve been filming a lot with an other elderly guy, a senior reporter within popular culture. The ambition is to make a documentary for Swedish national TV, and perhaps also other countries. I feel blessed that there’s an interest for an elderly guy like me. I’ve been in TV, radio and in several magazines, also internationally. When I walk the streets of London or Tokyo some guys comes running and want to take pictures with me. So amazing! My followers on Instagram (51K at the moment) are mostly young guys. Worldwide. They write to me that when they get older they wanna keep my style.
For me it's not a thing pretending to be young. I just wanna move the line how and elderly man should act and look. Look at the Rolling Stones. Amazing guys. I say to myself that as long as I’m younger than Mick Jagger its cool.
