Rolf Ekroth was inspired by dark Finnish winters for his fall 2025 collection. When the sun sets as early as 3pm, finding ways to boost one’s mood becomes an imperative. For the designer, it’s about “running to survive”—both literally speaking, when it comes to his own well-being, and metaphorically, when it comes to his business. “I think this is a last lap of some kind,” Ekroth said in a preview, explaining how he has been keeping his label afloat by pitching various collaborations to bigger brands. “There’s no way that I can continue to bang my head against the wall like this. I need to find a new way [to move forward with the brand].”
It’s clear that Ekroth is not defeatist: he approached fall 2025 with the view of creating clothes that will sell, from checked bomber jackets to teddy-collared coats. This season’s sporty theme translated into an array of track pants, hoodies and shell suits, but rendered in an unexpected mish-mash of textiles, from technical fabric to boiled wool and flannel.
The storytelling—which has long been one of Ekroth’s strengths—continued in the minutiae of the collection. The zig-zagged edges of the detachable plaid scarf details on coats were intended to represent the frayed edges of one’s well-loved running gear. A green cable knit jumper, covered in silver badges, offered a glimmer of light; as did the watercolor star print, which took his partner Matilda and her sister Emanuela four weeks to hand paint.
For the show, Ekroth had his models walking in the dark—save for the spotlights that followed them around the runway. As Blur’s “No Distance Left to Run” blared out of the speakers during the finale (reflecting the slogan printed on one of the hoodies), it was difficult not to feel moved. Both by the struggles that designers are facing in the current climate, and the amount of love and dedication they’re willing to put into their life’s work, nonetheless.
