Twelve Monkis

While I was in Stockholm, I discovered many brands and shops I didn't know. As I was walking down Gotgatan, I saw a shop that looked really cool, with great window graphics and cool interior design. I looked up to see the name and it sounded familiar... Monki... I remember I had seen it on Swedish fashion blogs, including on my favourite, Niotillfem, but that's about it.

Monki is aimed mostly at teenage girls (although at 30 I found a LOT of things I liked, if not every single item in the shop, call me immature, I don't care) and it bases its concept on a magical fantasy land inhabited by little black creatures with dual personas. That's a pretty heavy concept for a high street shop, right? It is like Topshop saying they are a mythical beast who lives in a secret forest with fairies. Totally far fetched for a UK chain, but also totally normal for a Swedish one.

The concept behind the brand is displayed all around the shops, and there is a lot of research in the branding. Each shop is like a magical land! The mind blowing shop design is by Joel Degermark and Catharina Frankander from Electric Dreams Studio (where the photographs come from).

Apparently Monki have recently been bought by clothing giant H&M so maybe we will be seeing some Monki in the streets of Europe soon! I really hope so, because I have rarely seen a high street shop that best suited my style. I only came back with a tee-shirt and a dress, because I had a limited budget, but I could have bought so much more. Below are the two items I brought back. So far I have been living in this dress and tee-shirt (not together though!).

Images from Monki

If you have a look at their current collection, you will quickly understand why I fell in love with the brand, and why they absolutely MUST open shops in the UK. The designs are all pretty simple, with great attention to details, beautiful colours... and so far they seem like good quality too. And so cheap! Gosh I love Stockholm <3.

Here are this week's links à la mode, as picked by Ashe Mischief...

• 39thandbroadway.com – NYC vs LA – The Fashion Week Debate


• Fabulous Finds Gal – Who doesn’t love a gorgeous pin-up? The pin-up poet’s gorgeous and creative new amazing book and insightful interview with the author.


• Fashion Dare – A Nautical Nod


• Fasshonaburu – Everyone has a list like this, places to go before you turn 50, a “bucket list” of things to do before you kick it, etc. Well, it sounds shallow and superficial (and by “sounds” I mean “is”), but I have a list of things I want to buy before I enter my nex


• HiFashion – The Lazy Girl’s Guide to Good Health


• Hong Kong Fashion Geek – Wide-leg pants and how to make them work for you


• Independent Fashion Bloggers – Not Buying It: How has the recession affected your fashion blog?


• Mademoiselle Robot – A London Girl’s shopping guide to Stockholm.


• Meilily – Island Style Pick: Wood & Bead Bracelet


• Our Ocean – A colourful review of the clothes in An American in Paris.


• Retro Chick – Lulu Guinness Holiday Resort 2009 Collection


• Shop Diary – 2 days ago 1stdibs.com, the renowned antiques site, just launched a vintage couture, fashion and accessories designer section.


• The Capitol Fashionista – Modern Fashionista Travel with Vintage Luggage: What better way to add a little touch of class than packing it all up in vintage luggage.


• THE COVETED – Gorgeous New, More Affordable Denim from A|X and a $500 A| Gift Card Giveaway


• The Fashion Planner – ShoeDazzle – Review of Kim Kardashian’s shoe club.


• the musings of ondo lady – Mention the word Biba and you can bet that any decent fashionista will go all starry eyed. This is because along with Mary Quant, Diane von Furstenberg and Twiggy, Biba is right up there as one of the iconic fashion brands of the 60s and 70s.


• The Recessionista – 2 days ago Essential Summer Style Tips–Tips for essential summer wardrobe staples: Tips from The Recessionista Blog and Jones’ New York Style Guru Lloyd Boston


• Think Thru Fashion – Agate Accessories: Find affordable ways to wear the trendy crystal.


• threadbared – How the Uniform Project highlights fashion’s one constant — the tension between individuality and standardization


• tickle – Fresh Catch! tickle grills the designers of Delirius, a line as flirty as NY girls


• Unfunded – All Eyes on Hayden Panettiere and Lace!