HODAKOVA's Incomparable "Converted Goods"

Ellen Hodakova Larsson describes her upbringing as “barefoot.” While she climbed trees at the horse stables where she grew up in rural Strängnäs, Sweden, she watched her parents mend their own clothes and re-upholster their own furniture, and learned that dissecting and reassembling the world helped her better understand it. Since launching her Stockholm-based label HODAKOVA in 2021, Larsson, the winner of this year’s LVMH Prize, has strived to find order in the chaos by developing a systematic approach to transforming heirlooms and household objects into surprising silhouettes with unexpected proportions.

In its ready-to-wear collections, HODAKOVA follows function over fashion in its creative take on traditional tailoring. Each HODAKOVA garment is unique due to their construction almost exclusively from repurposed materials and meticulously curated found objects. The antagonistic “officewear” looks in her Conventional Collection, for example, are crafted from suit trouser waistbands, ballpoint pens, and belt buckles. This bespoke process of upcycling and reconstruction allows Larsson to express her love for storytelling through her pieces. “For me, it’s like a diary. If my family is going through something, or if I’m in love...I have open eyes to the world, so my process can result in surprises,” she says. Working with such unusual components enables Larsson to compose avant garde looks from everyday stimuli—from bras to briefcases: “It can start with just eating with a spoon, and then you end up with a spoon dress. It’s a matter of recontextualization.”

It’s refreshing to discuss a brand built on upcycling without mentioning the word ‘sustainability,’ because, for Larsson, in order for fashion to be environmentally responsible it has to be personal. “Overconsumption means we don’t value material things anymore. We need to reevaluate what is actually luxury,” she explains. “In order for humans to connect to an object, it needs to have sentimental value. I’ve learned that people are so separated from the industrial side of making. But this emotional era that we’re going into now will require more inclusion for more people to be involved instead of just being machines.”

When it comes to the supply chain, HODAKOVA sources, sorts, and manufactures entirely in Sweden, allowing Larsson to form close relationships with her production team while ensuring there is autonomy beyond her original designs. “[The upcycling process] requires them to be part of the design process, because they have to make decisions when they’re stitching pieces together,” she explains. “They’re so proud to be part of that journey.” HODAKOVA’s customers have also become collaborators. After Dua Lipa was spotted with the now-iconic Belt Bag from Larsson’s collection with Gucci—a baguette-shaped handbag constructed entirely from interwoven leather belts—people have been sending requests for specific belt buckles to be included that connect with their own nostalgic memories. “I really enjoy that people can be part of the design in that way,” she reflects.

One particular look that exemplifies Larsson’s philosophy is a showstopping dress from her Fall 2023 collection embroidered with thousands of silver sewing needles. Showcasing an obvious connection to the craft of dressmaking, the needle dress was born from necessity because Larsson wanted something shimmering, but rather than sourcing synthetic sequins, she looked around and saw possibility in the abundance of needles on the cutting room floor. The result is an exquisite contrast of soft, feminine curves with harsh, sharp metal. Most notably, she describes the dress as a process of “collective handiwork” that took longer to make than any other piece. Through this commitment, Larsson realized what sustainability really means to HODAKOVA. “The more time I work on a piece,” she says, “the longer it will last, and people will want to wear it even longer.”

In the same collection, Larsson collaborated with Swedish outdoor retailer Houdini to rework post-consumer recycled sportswear into her signature upside-down and inside-out construction. In Houdini’s own words, before putting anything on the market, its designers ask: “Does this product deserve existence?”, which aligns closely with Larsson’s strong sense of purpose. “I never compromise on anything,” she says. “If I’m going to do it, I’m going to do it for real.” This authenticity comes through distinctly in HODAKOVA’s new Fall 2024 collection, where multiple looks take direct inspiration—and physical materials—from her equestrian upbringing, like a gown adorned with shiny black prize ribbons, a patchwork of tweed berets forming a puff-sleeve blouse, a leather pencil skirt resembling a Chesterfield sofa, and handbags made from deconstructed riding boots. “Being in various horse competitions, and with my dad being a military man, I learned that you have to present yourself a certain way and take care of your clothes,” Larsson explains.

Naturally, Larsson has been fielding questions about scaling up HODAKOVA since becoming a LVMH Prize finalist earlier this year. But even with sixteen retailers across Europe, Asia, and the U.S., Larsson still hand-selects each belt for her bags and has no intention of growing for the sake of growth. “It is important for me to be part of that for as long as I can,” she says. “I believe in small scale and close relationships to everyone working [on the brand]. It’s not driven by money whatsoever. It’s driven by creativity.”

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