Founded in Stockholm by Alexis Holm and Anna Stenvi, GRAM Footwear offers a unique take on modern, casual footwear. Paying great attention to every detail, the brand is oriented around the concept of weight; with each shoe being named after its weight in grams. Simplistic and elegant, Alexis and Anna have managed to draw inspiration from their Scandinavian background to create classically timeless footwear, with luxurious materials and in limited numbers. We caught up with them in Sweden to talk about GRAM, design, and take a look at the upcoming Spring/Summer 2010 lineup.
LH: First off Alexis, how did you and Anna meet?
AH: It all started back in 2005. We worked at the same company at the time, I thought she was gorgeous, bought her a drink, and she agreed. A few months later we were both tiring from lack of creativity at work and we started discussing alternatives.
LH: Was that the defining moment when you said “We need to start making shoes…”?
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AH: I think we’ve always known that we’d start something of our own. There are three kinds of people in the world: those of us who are content with the equation of work equals money, the ambitious type that strive higher and reach senior positions, doing their very best to perfect someone else’s dream, and then there’s people like us. We would never sell our time solely for money, and we’d never compromise our dream by chasing others. It’s just the way it is. That the defining moment finally arrived in April 2005 was most likely because the situation had reached its tipping point.
LH: Tell me a little about Scandinavian design aesthetics… how are they reflected in GRAM’s design?
AH: They’re all over everything we do. We’re profoundly influenced by what people commonly refer to as the Scandinavian design aesthetic, not because we read about it or picked it up along the way, but simply because it’s a part of who we are. It’s never been scientifically proven, but the popular theory is that “the Scandinavian aesthetic” was born out of bad weather, high taxes and good old Swedish modesty.
LH: Speaking of bad weather, I see a couple sweaters released back in 2007. Are you looking at developing a larger range of products, or will you continue to focus solely on the footwear?
AH: Focus will always be on the footwear. But having said that, we are a very design-driven company, so there are elaborate plans for every conceivable type of accessory tucked away inside our heads. When the time is right I guess we’ll let them out.
LH: What are the hot lifestyle trends right now in Stockholm or Sweden?
AH: We don’t really have any ourselves so we haven’t been properly briefed on the latest. Swedish people are generally quick to jump on anything healthy or overly technical, so probably some iPhone app that balances cholesterol intake…
LH: So what are the main differences between Swedish style, American style and Japanese style?
AH: Well, Swedish style is minimal as we all know. Careful colors, asymmetrical cuts, functionalistic unisex styling in every shade of grey imaginable, and full of clever twists on classic pieces, often so subtle they barely register. American style I’m not so sure of, and since it’s such a massive country I wouldn’t even dare venture an opinion. Just comparing NYC to LA style is proof enough… In my opinion the Japanese have simple taken American workwear, British Prep and a large portion of their own heritage and just mashed it into this amazing expression of creativity that everybody loves, myself included.
LH: You both must have a pulse on the latest and greatest releases from other footwear brands, have any caught your eye as of late?
AH: We always keep an eye on Common Projects, Visvim, Gourmet, Acne, Opening Ceremony, etc. They all do great stuff and are also similar to GRAM in one way or another. Otherwise we tend to discard most of the new brands that come along. To us they’re all hype and no product. It’s good to see though that the luxury brands like LV and Lanvin are finally putting some effort into their collections. We like products that don’t compromise, and that they certainly are.
LH: What are the best and worst things about living in Stockholm?
AH: Weather of course is second to none in being the number one reason for packing your bags, other than that there are plenty of reasons to hang around. After all, Stockholm made it to no. 6 in Monocle’s list of most liveable cities. NYC and Milan weren’t even in the top 50…
LH: If you had your choice of any celebrity spokesperson to represent GRAM, who would it be?
AH: It would have to be someone we admire and respect. Can I pick Jun Takahashi at Undercover…?
LH: What do you think will be the ultimate look for 2010? Let’s start with you Anna…
Anna: Comfortable classics like a duffel coat and beige suede shoes accessorized with hand-printed textiles and carefully picked jewelry.
Alexis: Thick soled shoes, garment wash and large back-packs with heavy leather trim…
LH: I’ve always wanted to ask this question to shoe designers… what are you wearing on your feet right now?
Alexis: Red Wing loafers.
Anna: Hand-made desert boots from Kumla Shoe museum in Sweden.
LH: Finally… shoelaces: essential or over-rated?
AH: Essential and under-rated. Shoelaces are the most integral part of the look of a shoe and too often designers discard them as boring or plain, opting for crazy Velcro straps or huge pieces of elastic tape… For us the challenge lies in designing something fresh and interesting within the confines of what people perceive as a “normal” shoe. That’s why GRAM will always be about creating the new classics of our time.
