Stockholm Surfboard Club SS24 dives into womenswear

Stockholm Surfboard Club has been a hit from the start. Nordic minimalism blended with surf heritage, SSC reinvents surf’s trademark trends with their pieces – which are snapped up by city and beach-goers alike as soon as a new collection drops.

“It’s been an intuitive project from the very beginning. Very passion-driven,” explains creative director and co-founder Manne Haglund Glad. The brand launched in 2019 - a joint effort by Acne Studios co-founder Jonny Johansson, Haglund Glad and CEO Anton Edberg, who both hail from Acne Studios too. Their pieces are chiefly unisex - tops and tailored trousers that cut straight silhouettes, in addition to swim and surfwear (and designer SSC surfboards).

“Everything we do is rooted in a romanticism of surf history, sprinkled with elements of what we see around us in Stockholm,” says Haglund Glad. “A playful approach to outdoor life, away from the flannel shirts and tech gear. We play with airbrushed graphics and old-man tailoring. Quirky but modern, and always a bit nostalgic… I’m such a nostalgic at heart,” he admits. Their upcoming collection, teased here and dropping later this month, was shot at the Queen Classic Surf festival in Biarritz.

The inclusive, women-led event is the perfect showcase, as this collection sees the brand venture into more feminine silhouettes. “It’s the first time you’ll see a dress in the mix,” exclaims Haglund Glad. The brand has grown organically, adding a few new pieces with every collection. “Every move has felt natural to us, and the same is true for bringing in more womenswear. Women’s surf is growing massively right now. We wanted to reflect this in our collection, and Queens felt like the place to launch it.”

Queen Classic Surf, like Stockholm Surfboard Club, is a venture by friends. Margaux Arramon-Tucco, Aimée Arramon-Tucco and Amaya Gomis grew up surfing together in Biarritz. “We saw women’s surf being misrepresented,” Gomis recalls. The emphasis on appearance didn’t sit right with them. “Women’s surfwear, made by men, was too ‘sexy’ - great for a photo, but nothing we could wear in the water all day.”

Seeing the narrow portrayal of the sport in media sparked them to start Queens. “We wanted to start a conversation about inclusivity, and create something for the locals here after Covid,” says Gomis. “To represent communities that were not being given a platform in surf at the time,” Margaux Arramon-Tucco chimes in. “Show the truth, and promote body positivity.”

The festival sets boundaries for attendees to ensure this inclusivity, and a space where everyone feels safe. “They’re pioneers, highlighting female surfers and LGBTQ+ both in and out of the water,” says Haglund Glad of the event. “What started out as friends getting together has turned into a full-fledged party and competition that plays host to the best female surfers in the world.”

“They stand out from the rest of the surf world, moving the sport in a more accepting direction. Which made it extra fun to be a part of and support,” affirms the creative director. And with Biarritz being Surfboard Club’s second home, they’ve long since bumped into each other in the waters there. “SSC and Queens started out at about the same time,” says Gomis. “We have the same surf aesthetic, the same values.”

Which led to SSC designing the festival’s merch, and later asking if Queens wanted to shoot their upcoming collection. “They gave us their trust,” says Arramon-Tucco. And the Queens girls saw Stockholm Surfboard Club fill the gap they’d felt in surfwear. A creative alignment that is as clear in these shots as in our conversations. “It was a shoot made by friends, casting local surfers as models,” finishes Gomis. “It shows surf the way it's meant to be.”