TFI Talks: Rika Studio's Ulrika Lundgren
Thrilled to share a bit of Rika's world with you!
It’s the best feeling when you meet someone and you immediately click. I went to visit Ulrika Lundgren, the founder of Rika Studios clothing, at her boutique in Amsterdam to show her some of my jewelry. One hour turned into three, and I left inspired by her work, her almost stringent commitment to designing concise, evolving but never too different clothing collections, her partnerships with other female-founded brands, and her warmth and charm. She’s one of the few designers I know who has managed to create pieces that are at once modern and classic, but have an energy and playfulness (her use of color) that feels uncontrived and at the same time, very cool. She is also strategically kept her brand small, which to me, makes it special. There is so much sameness out there these days; the search for designs that are unique is elusive but also a constant goal, and I feel Rika Studios meets that criteria.
We chatted so much I didn’t get to try on enough of her clothes (my wish list includes more of her neon Mia tees, the Mackintosh trench, the Stevie leather jacket and an Inez sweater—or two). If you’re lucky enough to be in Amsterdam and she’s in her shop, introduce yourself, you will be glad you did. (You can also reach out to them online to get help with ordering.) Here, Ulrika answered some of my pressing ?s.
Before you started Rika, you worked mainly on interiors and fashion styling. Can you give us a brief roundup of your career prior to launching Rika?
Correct. I graduated from school where I studied interior concepts and was first an interior stylist. I moved from Sweden to study in Amsterdam and worked as stylist for Elle Decor/Italian Vogue/World of Interiors. For fun I started to make vegetable dyed leather bags I called star bags at a small atelier. Models, friends, boutique buyers around the world started to request them and good friend Helena Christiansen had a little party in NYC for the bags and that’s how it started. I meet Sarah from Colette Paris and she took the bags—this was close to 20 years ago.
The star bag became very popular around the world. I don’t make the bags anymore, but it was nice at the time. I moved on and started making tailored, hand-crafted clothes in Italy with a small family atelier using Italian yarn and fabrics. My goals never changed: I like to work small, meaning no big productions, and to create exclusive, handcrafted items. The small family ateliers feel they are part of the projects.
I mean I’m not an educated designer, I follow my instincts and the inspiration of women around me and what I prefer to wear. My ladies in Italy and I create the wardrobe I want. Technically l have people to help me with drawings. I would say Rika Studios is a small family business running exclusive, limited projects.
How did Rika magazine come about?
Rika Magazine came later and to date, I have done 20 issues. I created the magazine after a few years into being busy with the Rika clothes to communicate art, fashion, talented people and interviews (with no advertising).
For each issue, I come up with a theme and let people express themselves around that. I created a small team in based in London and New York, and together we have been able to get the greatest artistic people to join the projects. The magazine comes out twice a year as a limited edition/collector’s items. Photographers such as Jack Davison, Alasdair McClellan, Viviane Sassen, Bibi Borthwick, Mark Borthwick, Inez and Vinoodh, Jeremy Everett and Coco Capitán have been part of of our community.
I love that l can look at an older issue and it still feels so relevant. It’s how l see my project—it’s not fashion, but you create something that’s always inspiring to read or view. It comes from people’s passion and what they love to do. The magazine is our baby.
After Covid, Rika magazine was 10 years old and l wanted to find another way, so we created Rika Studios Paper, to catch up with the creative minds we worked with over the last 10 years and invite them as guest editors to create special collaborations.
The last paper, No. 8, was with Inez and Vinoodh. It came about after I was in Milan visiting Inez and Vinoodh for one of their exhibitions. As a gift, l had our atelier knit Inez a cashmere jumper with her initials on the sleeve. After a year or so, Inez told she wore her jumper every day and could I make her another color. Our project was born. We created sweaters in 10 limited-edition colors inspired by the flowers of Inez and Vinoodh’s garden in the Hamptons with our recycled Italian cashmere. They shot them at the villa of Inez’s uncle, artist Eugene Van Lamsweerde, outside Paris, including family portraits in the gardens. Rika Studios Paper x Inez and Vinoodh launched in Paris last February and the project continues, that’s what’s so beautiful about it.
Next, Rika Studios Paper No9 is with architect Sophie Hicks, shot in London that will launch in July.
What is the inspiration behind your designs? Who is the Rika woman?
I go on intuition, what l see and feel. Our wardrobe is not fashion but more simple elegance and bit Scandinavian thinking as, of course, I’m Swedish. I prefer simple designs you can dress up and dress down, day or night. And always about great quality. Then, you work it with elegant accessories.
At the moment l love to watch ladiesonmadisonavenue on IG. Soo fab !!! And elegant and their replies, “Ohh, this jacket l got 1972, etc.” I feel we have a lot to learn from these amazing women.
My Rika woman is very much like me, I think she respects good quality, simple silhouettes, and likes to know where and how her clothes are made. Often when a client shops with us, she comes back because she feels comfortable in my wardrobe. Like Yves Saint Laurent said, “If a woman is comfortable with herself, clothes look beautiful on her.”
I know that you believe in a wardrobe of fewer, better things, your collections evolve slowly and many designs are constants. Why is this important to you?
My grandmother had table linens and clothes she kept for perhaps 30 years; she took such good care of her home and wardrobe, things never aged.
I try to create clothes for women today and invest in teaching them how to best take care of their suits, shirts and knits. I love it when clients come back saying they have pieces from years back and still love them.
You approach color—something I have a hard time wearing (though I do have your Mia tee in Apple and wearing it makes me happy), in a very modern way. How does color inspire you and what draws you to it?
Yes, with a simple style such as T-shirt, you can pop up a tailored wardrobe that is in basic colors. I often play with colors in cashmere knit or jersey. My Mia T-shirts are a classic that carry over each season, they make me happy. A black suit and the pop of an apple green tee under your cream cashmere jumper gives you complete : ). That twist of added color into a wardrobe has become my signature.
Where else do you draw inspiration from ?
I’m old school! I love print. I still love sit down with art books and magazines, collect beautiful images, and hang them on the wall. Something comes alive in your mind! You don’t know at the beginning what it’s going to be, but it grows and then suddenly you get an idea.
Travel is also a way to find inspiration. I was just in Rome and it was super inspiring—the old and the new, the classics and the passion for small details.
Through your magazines and with the other objects from different women designers in your boutique, you seem to take a collaborative approach to your work. Why and what do you love about it most?
True, the Townhouse in Amsterdam is a house of things we love. Here, I curate an experience for clients so they can see how we define our taste and style with art, wardrobe, jewelry, books, beauty, scents and accessories, all handcrafted. Mackintosh created the perfect trench coat exclusively for us in a Fawn color. We collaborated with Terra, a local brand, for our handcrafted smart penny loafers. We carry the Italian crafted bags of Susan Szatmary, who is Swedish, and together we designed the Voltaire belt. We love Port Tangier sunglasses and beauty products from Kjaer Weis that we carry every day in our handbag and jewelry. No big labels, just elegant, handmade designs with beautiful craftsmanship.
The Rika pieces you wear every week: The pop color Mia T-shirt, a cashmere Inez and Vinoodh sweater, the Jerry jacket—a classic suit jacket but Rika Studios, and Rowan pant.
Pieces you're wearing this summer: Onassa shorts, Smart Pennys, striped shirt, the new Steve leather jacket (an early fall launch, which our clients loved and immediately almost sold out and will be restocked end of July/early August.)
x Jennifer
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I LOVE all things Rika and occasionally cross my fingers and order something from them (which so far has worked out!) This truly seems incredible, but once upon a time they actually rented their two upstairs rooms out as a hotel. Truly the dreamiest stay ever. Fantastic decor! I spent hours on the window seat watching the canal, the bikes, the people, everything, go by. We literally had the keys to the store to come and go at night. It was such a gift that they trusted us so much!