Swedish artist Fredy Clue has collaborated with textile designer Ida Björs to make history by creating Sweden’s first unisex folk costume, Bäckadräkten.
Bäckadräkten is an innovative unisex folk costume project that debuted at the Textile Museum of Sweden on June 30.
It is a combination of knee-length trousers and a skirt, and a vest and a bodice.
The non-binary costume is aimed at creating a more open world with respect and curiosity for one another and style and identity.
Clue wants people to play around with this costume and not be limited to how they can style it.
“This folk costume is just one way to work with norm criticism. The real work continues with us learning to listen to oneself and others. I hope that you keep on playing with this costume. What do you want to change to make it fit you? Use your colours or patterns from your town, make it even more fluffy/straight/big/beautiful, maybe it needs a pair of pants? Or a coat?”
It took them almost six months to create the costume from scratch, and the most challenging product to make was the livstycke/vest.
“The fabric for the livstycke/west is from Ljusdal. It is handwoven, and we luckily found that this is exactly the template of colours that we are using. Our inspiration comes from the transgender flag, white, pink and blue.”
And to complete the outfit, Helena Karlsson Skotjänst Rättvik made the shoes especially for Bäckadräkten.
The Bäckadräkten is exhibiting until August 28 at the Textile Museum of Sweden.