Kerstin Lokrantz came to Wahls in 1951; she had already worked as a fashion model for Wahls but was hired as a designer after graduating from Beckmans College of Design in 1949 and interning at Belvén’s coat factory. One of the first assignments she received was to design confirmation dresses.
At that time, one was expected to wear something feminine, silky, and sleek to underscore the solemnity of the occasion. But when Kerstin Lokrantz showed that one could wear cotton with embroidery in church, it was almost shocking with such a fresh approach. After a few more collections from Wahls featuring new ideas like summer dresses in simple stripes, cotton for festive occasions, embroidered edges in unexpected places, pockets in all directions, unconventional slip-ons, and to top it all off, Kerstin added super-wide belts in black patent leather or saddle girth around the waists. It was new and unconventional but not challenging...
Read more on Kerstin Lokrantz Instagram
Pictures:
Report by Kerstin Heintz in Damernas Värld 1956.
