MATTIAS KARLSSON
Mattias Karlsson grew up in a small community in the north of Sweden, far from the fashion world of which he has been a part since the late 1990s, and which was first introduced to him through magazines like L’Uomo Vogue,
The Face and Arena Homme +. What started as a fascination for self-exploration through fashion and style soon became a way to combine his interests in art, film, photography and style. After studying art in Stockholm, he left for London where he continued to explore the potential of storytelling through fashion images. “You can fit anything and everything into an image. With photography and style combined you can tell any story you want, yet it will always reflect the time in which the image was created.” For L’Uomo
Vogue, together with photographer Paul Wetherell, his long-time friend and collaborator, Karlsson creates a narrative of elegance based on inclusiveness and diversity. “Through the images for L’Uo
mo we want to explore what elegance is to each person we photograph, and to us.” Karlsson continues, “elegance is defined not by gender, social class, age or time but by personality.” Bringing people together from different backgrounds, countries and cultures, he lets each character tell their own unique story. “Focusing on daywear, I want to show the elegance of the clothes people from all walks of life wear every day.” Contributing to publications like
Another Man and Luncheon (of which he is fashion director), Karlsson puts together classical garments in a witty take on good taste. An undertone of theatre and humour is part of Karlsson’s styling repertoire, visible, for example, in his playful work for Hermès and dramatic campaigns for Giorgio Armani. Having been involved in fashion for two decades, the context and environment in which the images are created have become as important to him as the current trends. On the future of the fashion industry, Karlsson reflects: “It is in the nature of fashion to constantly transform, but it is up to each of us to choose our own way to navigate the changes and together with friends and colleagues find our own path.”