«I make garments that tell a production story», interview with Stem’s Sarah Brunnhuber

«I still can't believe it happened,» says Sarah Brunnhuber, founder and creative director of the Danish brand Stem. A few days ago, the designer won the WESSEL & VETT prize, the country's biggest fashion design award. In the space of just a few years, the brand has made enormous strides in the creation of zero-waste weaving techniques, a theme close to Brunnhuber's heart, and now, thanks to the financial support provided by the award, she will be able to further expand her business. Guided by the philosophy of «form follows technique», Stem's creations are characterised by large fringes and wrinkles formed by the zero-waste production devised by Brunnhuber during her formative years. The designer's profound knowledge of sustainable weaving shines through in each of the brand's designs, which are based on a principle of environmental responsibility. By sewing clothes directly on the loom, the designer explains, it is possible to minimise waste and create unique designs that communicate their story by touch. Now, with the financial support of the WESSEL & VETT award, the designer will be able to devote more time to the launch of a Stem weaving mill in Denmark, a project that would expand the brand's sustainable production and make it kilometre zero.

Brunnhuber does not want to limit herself to the creation of sustainable clothes that bear the Stem name: the brand's main aim is to offer alternative solutions for all brands that aspire to a more sustainable production system. Having always encountered problems with manufacturing centres that demanded minimum quantities, the London-based designer launched a sales programme based on pre-orders before thinking about setting up her own weaving mill. Stem's production and business model has already attracted the attention of some established brands looking for collaborations such as Ganni. «The idea for Stem was always to be a collaborative brand, what always got me really excited was thinking about applying the technique to other brands and other aesthetics,» she adds, «but a big focus is on circularity,  I think it's important for every country to take their textile waste seriously. The industry needs to produce 75 per cent less to reach our climate goals, and it seems impossible to achieve with the current production system». In addition to being full of cute details such as fringes and colourful wrinkles, Stem's designs are proving to be a timeless classic in Danish fashion: as Brunnhuber recounts, when she walks around Copenhagen with garments from her collaboration with Ganni, she is stopped on the street by passers-by who want to compliment her, even years after the collection came out. «Ganni was such a good example of seeing that the technique can work in a really commercial context as well. And I'm super proud of those pieces»

Another of Stem's most innovative projects concerns elasticised wool, a material whose composition has always required the inclusion of polyester or other synthetic fibres. In the ‘Elastic Wool Collection’, garments are made of 100 per cent stretch wool thanks to a ‘super high twist’, explains Brunnhuber. «This year I've actually industrialized the yarn, so I'm now developing the industrialised version of of that collection.» With an impressive portfolio behind him and a new series of initiatives in the pipeline - from shows at Fashion Week to immersive exhibitions, in which he shows garments from Stem's collections alongside fabrics, and of course upcoming collaborations - Stem is constantly expanding. And if for traditional fashion, the company's 'slow approach' might seem counterproductive from a commercial and communication point of view, Brunnhuber says that the brand's real strength lies exactly in the time it dedicates to each customer. «The brand's communication is based on trust and authenticity, and the community that's growing up around Stem understands what I am doing and appreciates my work,» she adds. «I make garments that tell a production story: it's about creating value around the creation process by telling it in an engaging way.» For a truly sustainable brand, adds Brunnhuber, it is absolutely necessary to question the structures that make up the fashion system today, even when it would be easier to submit to the status quo. «Don't compromise your values just to fit in, things have to change.»