This Blue Blooded Q&A series is a collaboration with Long John. The series is sponsored by Bluezone, the independent show for denim and sportswear by Munich Fabric Start. Register for the next show here!
Get to know Mats Andersson, a face from the Blue Blooded Portfolio
Indigofera is not like any other denim brand out there. It’s got a unique vibe to it, which I talk more about in this brand profile I did earlier.
The brand launched in 2009. At that time, I was working part-time in one of the brand’s first retailers, [ei’kon], and I still wear my Norris shirt (below) from their first collection. So, we go back, Indigofera and me.
Name:
Mats Andersson
Location:
Sweden. I live in the countryside outside of Stockholm, in a place called Saltsjö-Boo.
Profession:
I’m working every day on my brand, Indigofera.
Instagram:
Mats’ path into the denim business
Thomas: How did you get into (the world of) denim?
Mats: I started collecting vintage denim and jackets in my early 20s. Selvedge stuff and whatnot.
T: What was your first pair of jeans?
M: Don’t know or remember, but I had Lee, Levi’s and unbranded stuff in my wardrobe from a young age, around the time I started in school, as I remember it.
T: When did you know you were ‘hooked’ on raw denim?
M: That was the only thing available when I grew up, so I was hooked if I liked it or not. And I did! Never had thought jeans should be in another way. But I do remember my first pre-washed jeans, that was a hoot.
T: What is your favourite thing about raw denim?
M: I love the crisp feeling of putting on a pair of unwashed jeans. A pair of well made raw jeans have longevity and durability built in to the product. That means they will function in my daily life for many years if I treat them well. They will age with me and will look beautiful doing so.
In the end, it solves a problem and that is you have to wear something every day, and with a good pair of jeans, you do not have to think so much in the morning what you gonna wear.
Mats’ views on the denim business
T: Which denim brands inspire you? And why?
M: There are more but I’ll give you three:
1) Iron Heart for their consistency and vision of what they want be and are. Like us, they develop many fabrics that are unique to them. I respect that process.
2) Kapital for their playfulness with indigo, and in general digging into old techniques of fabric and sewing.
3) Levi’s because of their branding and being one of the brands inventing this category we call blue jeans.
T: Which denim retailers inspire you? And why?
M: There are too many to name them all, but I’ll give you three again:
1) Second Sunrise in Stockholm, Sweden.
Working with craftsmanship as indigo dyeing, hand mending in the store, and mixing that with a unique vintage selection and great brands from across the world.
2) Standard & Strange in Oakland CA, USA.
They are at the forefront in the US market, creating interesting collaborations with the brands they carry and introducing new brands to the US market from Japan and Europe.
3) Burg & Schild in Berlin, Germany.
They were early on with the biker culture and developed the heritage scene, evolving and bringing interesting brands to the German market. Always strong look and was early with an online store in Germany.
Mats defines his denim style
T: What do you never leave home without? And why?
M: Proper boots, jeans and a T-shirt. It always saves the day. Well, I do need my phone also …
T: List 3 of your favourite garments or accessories and (try to) explain how they define your style
M: I often wear a leather vest over my T-shirt. Good layer piece and extra pockets; great style too, it can bring up anything you are wearing a notch or two.
Engineer boots because they’re practical and protective, and because they look good and give your outfit an extra kick.
My Havstad hat, custom made for me in Oregon by Cate Havstad. Fits like a glove and always gives my posture a push. Stylish and functional when I travel, whether it rains or the sun shines, it protects me.
On the Hunt For Raw Selvedge Jeans?
Want to learn more about Mats? This Blue Blooded Q&A is a collaboration with Long John. Read his answers to the 10 ‘what’s your favourite’ questions at long-john.nl.
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Featured image by Martin Jahnke from Blackdays.
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