Stylein returns to international wholesale: “We had to build our home market first”

Since its founding in New York in 2001, the Swedish label Stylein has evolved from a young idea into an internationally sought-after brand. Founder Elin Alemdar is responsible not only for the design but also for the strategic direction, collection creation and brand communication.

Together with partner Ulrika Fohgelberg Nordén, who has shaped the brand's growth as head of sales and product since 2010, Stylein has attracted the attention of luxury retailers such as Selfridges, Harrods and Liberty. Now the label is also expanding into Germany. The first locations are the stores of the luxury department store operator KaDeWe Group – KaDeWe in Berlin, Alsterhaus in Hamburg and Oberpollinger in Munich.

In an interview with FashionUnited, Alemdar explains how Stylein is entering new markets from Sweden. She discusses the role of quality, longevity and customer loyalty, and how the brand maintains its identity and pricing policy despite rising costs and international competition.

How Stylein's story began almost 25 years ago in New York

Everything happened very naturally, without a plan or agenda. I never had a conversation with myself or anyone else about becoming a fashion designer. I had this sense of urgency when I was looking for pieces I couldn't find in the shops. So I made them myself, without knowing how to sew or draw – and to be honest, I still don't really know how. Back then, I literally started telling everyone I was a stylist, and that's how it all began in New York. My name, Elin, and the word 'stylist' suddenly became a brand.

Despite the initial lack of a plan, Stylein's vision has been incredibly consistent

If you look at Stylein today, the brand has been very consistent for 15 years. However, if you go back 24 years, the collection was much more vibrant, urban, funky and sexy. It was all about expression. I was 20 years old, wearing less rather than more, so the sophistication wasn't really there yet.

How you ultimately defined Stylein's vision

What has kept the vision consistent over the last 15 years comes down to two things. Firstly, my admiration for quality. I'm a huge nerd when it comes to really exclusive materials that I can still present at an affordable level. I've always been inspired by designers like Rick Owens, Helmut Lang and Donna Karan from the nineties. That's where I first experienced incredible quality, and I've kept that at the heart of Stylein for 15 years. The brand's minimalist world naturally grew around these qualities.

The second part is about the muse. For a long time, I was forced to invent stories about why I designed each collection because PR agencies or the press wanted to know the inspiration behind each season. Making four collections a year became absurd. I ended up saying things like, “Oh, I saw this film” or “I visited this city.” It all felt wrong. My business partner Ulrika Fohgelberg once said to me, “Why don't you just build the world around your muse?” And that's exactly what I did. The muse is, of course, me – and also my partner Ulrika, who plays a big part in creating the collection.

Elin Alemdar and Ulrika Fohgleberg Credits: Stylein

You are a female designer creating for women, a rarity in luxury fashion

As a woman, you can imagine lives that feel authentic because they are rooted in your own experiences. When buyers in Paris say to us, “This is actually what I want to wear,” I find that so powerful. Why would you buy something you don't want to wear? I wouldn't design anything I wouldn't wear myself. I'm not an artist making something for the wall – I'm designing a uniform for life.

On longevity versus sustainability in your communications

When it comes to sustainability, the word itself often comes up in our internal processes, but I rarely use it publicly because it's a sensitive topic. It's easy to be hypocritical when working with materials like leather or certain dyes. That's why I prefer to talk about longevity.

We encourage customers to buy less but better, to care for their clothes properly and to enjoy them for many years. We use organic cotton, recycled polyester in our suits and viscose jersey from Turkey, which we have been working with for 15 years. We always strive for the most sustainable option that fits our scale, price point and aesthetic.

On maintaining prices despite inflation

In terms of pricing, we've been able to keep our levels fairly stable in recent years. About three years ago, when cotton and silk prices rose, we saw production cost increases but remained competitive as some competitors raised prices significantly. It helps that our business model is half business-to-business (B2B) and half business-to-consumer (B2C). Effectively, we are the most important buyer for our own stores and online. Nevertheless, we had to navigate very cleverly, and I really think it pays off – customers notice when you don't suddenly raise prices. That builds loyalty and keeps people coming back.

But not all competition is positive, is it?

Competition is always a positive force. We have some competitors in the business who focus on fast fashion at lower prices – and they are incredibly quick to copy us and other brands. Still, I don't want to spend my energy on that, because I just know that the Stylein customer is looking for exactly that quality and the experience of a brand like Stylein.

On the decision to expand internationally

It has been on our radar – and in our dreams – to go international again for a long time. In fact, we were internationally active once before, perhaps 15 years ago, before Lehman Brothers and the recession. I showed at trade fairs in Paris four times a year and sold to about 40 to 50 shops worldwide – in Japan, Europe and the United States. When the first crash came and hit the international markets hard, I decided to put that expansion on hold. We didn't have any loyalty or strong relationships with the buyers yet. They just said, “Oh, you weren't in Paris?” – and suddenly the orders stopped coming in. I listened to one of my mentors who said, “You have to build your home market first. You have to dig where you stand.” And that's absolutely right.

So you then refocused entirely on the Swedish market?

Exactly, we've been doing that for about ten years. We know our customers, we're well-known here, and you can see Stylein on the streets of Stockholm. At the same time, we've expanded our own brand presence with a flagship store.

What prompted you to venture into the international market again?

About a year and a half ago, we received an email from a Korean buyer from Tom Greyhound who said, “Hello, we are interested in your brand. Are you showing in Paris?” And I replied, “Well, I'll show if you want me to show,” because I was just waiting for someone to give me that push. It was the first spark of confidence I needed.

During this year and a half in Paris, we have built up an amazing portfolio: Harrods; Liberty; Selfridges in London; KaDeWe in Germany; Breuninger is coming for spring/summer 2026; Harvey Nichols in Dubai; United Arrows in Japan; and Stockmann in Helsinki.

Are there any other countries you would like to gain a foothold in?

My partner is constantly telling me, “That's enough for now – let's focus on this.” The US will come when the time is right. And I know she's right, we need to focus now.

What do you look for in retail partners?

A good partner is someone who is very close to their business and their customers and knows exactly what they are doing. There are so many buyers who just buy products, put them in the shop and expect them to sell themselves. We need retailers who stay relevant and modern in their communication, create content, run live sessions online and really support us as a brand through storytelling.

Have you noticed differences in how the brand is perceived depending on the partner and country?

The main difference is that the big houses are a bit more fashion-forward, whereas small multi-brand shops in Sweden sometimes find us expensive. When we present the collection in Paris, they say, “Oh my God, that's a very good price.” That's probably the biggest difference. Germany, on the other hand, tends to be more price-sensitive – that doesn't mean they don't buy, but they think about it more carefully.

On the 65 percent increase in wholesale turnover

Yes, and in fact those numbers have gone up even more – after the pre-fall sales in Paris two or three weeks ago, we are now up 85 percent in total sales compared to SS25.

On the challenges of managing such high growth

The increase in volume puts pressure on liquidity. We are buying larger quantities from factories, which then require larger down payments. It's scary, but we just have to go with it. We are ready to take this step – with the right partners who won't go bankrupt, will actually pay us and will sell seasonally.

Are you considering securing external liquidity or bringing investors on board?

Yes, we are actively looking for investors. It's a learning experience for me and my partner, constantly evaluating what our company stands for and what it's worth. So yes, we are looking – but it could take six months or three years. We just know it might be a good idea to bring someone with deeper pockets on board for the future to take the next steps – like opening more shops.

On plans for more physical stores

Our flagship store, which opened just six months ago, has inspired us to dream of opening more in the future. But it will be at least a year before we even start looking for a new location. Building this small shop cost about one million Swedish kronor – it was expensive.

But if you were to dream, what location comes to mind?

We are big fans of London right now. It still feels a bit far off to open a shop there, but maybe one day. Oslo is also interesting – it's our second-largest market after Sweden. And then there's still the dream of New York. We will return one day, but at the moment there are problems with customs and logistics, and I have great respect for the US market, so it's on hold for now.

On the outlook for 2025 and beyond

This year is quite stable – we might see slight growth in 2025 – but we expect the big growth in 2026, as we are already selling ahead. Half of 2026 is already sold, and this particularly affects the area with an 80 percent increase in wholesale. Due to our business model, this will not be fully reflected in total sales, as our own channels may remain similar to the previous year. In total, we normally sell around 53 to 55 million Swedish kronor. Our goal is to reach 100 million Swedish kronor in three years.

This article was translated to English using an AI tool.

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