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Danish Knitwear Designer A. Roege Hove on Building a Brand
Our love for the sultry knitwear universe created by Amalie Roege Hove is no secret, and this month, we had the utmost pleasure to interview the designer herself. Along with other Nordic fashion talents, including Berner Kuhl, Louise Lyngh Bjerregard and (di)vision, her fashion brand A. Roege Hove will be competing for the prestigious Magasin du Nord Fashion Prize.
The award, set up by the Wessel & Vett Foundation, unveils Danish talents to the Nordic and global arena, with a panel of recognised industry leaders assessing the finalists on based on “design talent, innovation, creativity, business entrepreneurship and sustainability credentials.”
Nina Wedell-Wedellsborg, founder of the prize event and board member of the Wessel & Vett Foundation, said: ““Denmark is an outward-facing country, and this prize has a global perspective. Our intention has always been to promote the originality and calibre of young Danish design globally, as well as to equip our newly established designers with the skills and support to build sustainable brands with a future. We are extremely proud to see past winners establish international reputations on the fashion scene, and I wish the same success to the 2021 winner.”
With further ado, we give you our exclusive chat with Amalie – on how she went from a concept to a fully-functioning business, who her product is intended for and future plans.
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Amalie, this is clearly a very exciting and progressive time for your brand, with the prize nomination and your CPHFW debut. How are you feeling?
I’m really overwhelmed and excited – but I try to enjoy this time as much as possible, because really everything is changing right now and the pace is a bit extreme for all activities in our little studio. I’m so happy with what we have achieved and beyond grateful to receive this recognition from both CPHFW and Magasin Du Nord Fashion Prize!
When you look at your brand in 2019 vs. where you are now, what thoughts and reflections come to mind?
Back then it was more about an idea, and everything was about knitting – now I have build a business and brand around it. In a way it’s still all about knitting, but now I have such a clear vision for the brand and for each season that goes by. I truly think we now make a better product in terms of aesthetics and quality, and that’s such a crazy journey to look back at.
Your take on knitwear is really unusual. What inspired you to interpret knitwear that way and how do you yourself describe the style and technique you use?
For materiality and tactility I have always enjoyed unusual materials, with the ability to create a life on its own. So when I fell in love with machine knitting, it was quite natural for me to try all sorts of materials on the machine – it has really been a very intuitive process for me. My material and technique, which is cotton and nylon in a rib setup, is such a perfect combination between shaping and being shaped!
What is your intention with how the clothing should be worn or styled, and by whom? It is, after all, a little transparent 😉
My intention is really just for people to play around with our styles and integrate them into their wardrobes. The styles change so much depending on the wearer, and what they combine them with. As a knitting geek, I of course enjoy seeing the knit on a body with nothing else because you see different details in it – but it’s designed to be used in so many various contexts, and I truly enjoy seeing our customers different take on it!
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What sustainability practices have you/are you planning to incorporate into your company and products?
Sustainability is a naturally integrated part our everyday life in the studio and our processes at our factories. However we always try to find new ways of improving and trying to be curious and critical about the ways we do stuff around here. Our production is key, because I believe we should make the best possible product, but also only produce what is ordered. We create many of our styles with little waste, really taking full advantage of the opportunities the knitting machine offer.
What’s in it for A. Roege Hove in the next 5 years or so?
The future is always a bit undefined for me, however I really just want to grow in the pace that the brand allows us to – I’m never afraid of saying no to any opportunities, because I would rather wait and then do it when we are able to do it right. I don’t want to force anything, and I would rather keep it a bit smaller and smarter.
And finally – from one upcoming designer to others, what’s the best way to utilise your skills and experience when thinking of setting up your own project or brand?
That’s tricky. But I think for me, the best part has been that the process of coming to this point has been quite natural in the sense that I have always done what I felt like doing. My best advise is that new designers shouldn’t feel like there is something they need to do. I really advocate for focusing on what you are good at – even though its seems like a niche thing, I believe we send a much better design out into the world this way and that’s really key for new brands. Of course a lot of hard work is really needed, because you do have so many tasks and things to learn when making a business. I guess a good advice is also to recognising your weakness, because there is nothing better than being able to add someone to your team that has a passion for just that – you can quickly spend a lot of time on things you are not good at.
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The 2021 Magasin du Nord Fashion Prize winner will be announced at a special ceremony on the 28th of October. Stay tuned for the results and cross your fingers for your preferred winner! You can also cast a vote for an additional audience-voted award here.
