Graduates 2021: Kasper Wahnstrom: Fashion Design with Business Studies

Swedish undergraduate student Kasper has spent the last three years studying Fashion Design with Business Studies. His work is inspired by the idea of communality and functionalism.

“What attracted me to the fashion design course at University of Brighton was the fact that it included business studies. The course allowed me to be both creative as well as understand different roles and aspects of the fashion industry.”

Hi Kasper – please tell us a bit about your work and your influences?

“My final collection is inspired by the idea of communality and functionalism during the era of ‘Folkhemmet’ in Sweden’s history. ‘Folkhemmet’ is the poetic name for the political concept of modernising Sweden between the 1940s and the 1960s.

“The aesthetics of functionalism was explored and incorporated within the tailoring aspects of the collection, by looking at placement, displaying functionalism and construction of garment. Choice of fabric and pattern was inspired by furniture and interior design of the time.

“From the concept of communality, communal laundry rooms emerged in Sweden in the 1950s. The communal laundry rooms were about democracy, accessibility and exists almost exclusively in Sweden. Through this idea, a research and concept around draping hanging clothes emerged, which was integrated in the collection in the form of hanging and reconstructed shirts.”

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How have you found your course and time at Brighton?

“I have enjoyed my time as a student at University of Brighton very much. It has allowed me to grow, both on a personal level but also in terms of creativity and skills. Brighton is a city is also a very pleasant city to live and study in. It is a very creative, youthful, and active city.

Being so close to the sea has always been very important to me, mainly because I grew up near and in the South Swedish archipelago.”

How did you choose your course – why did you choose to study Fashion? 

“I have always appreciated fashion, as a medium to express and communicate creativity. What attracted me to the fashion design course at University of Brighton was the fact that it included business studies. The course allowed me to be both creative as well as understand different roles and aspects of the fashion industry.”

What are your plans after graduation?

“After my graduation I want to start my career within the fashion industry. I am however determined to stay in Brighton for a while, I am not quite ready to leave yet. I am also considering doing a master’s degree within the next couple of years.”

Visit Kasper’s website at www.kasperwahnstrom.com 

Follow Kasper on Instagram @kasperwahnstrom

Find out about studying Fashion Design with Business Studies BA(Hons) at Brighton.