Little Liffner

Little Liffner is a Swedish accessories brand to put on your radar. Paulina Liffner von Sydow started her Stockholm-based company in 2012 after a successful career in fashion public relations, with a goal of designing bags that would pair seamlessly with the women who carried them. Read on to discover how she gets inspired and her guide to shopping and eating in her hometown of Stockholm.

Meet Paulina Liffner Von Sydow

TINY BOX IN GREY PYTHON and SADDLE UP SMALL IN MUSTARD available at littleliffner.com

Q: Can you share with us one of your earliest fashion memories?

I always liked clothes and dressing up, but when you talk about high fashion, I think it was when I was a teenager and I started reading fashion magazines. They were always lying around the house because my mom was interested in them. I remember watching the catwalk rather early, which was always my favorite. I was this little editor when I was younger, making collages from magazines. I think I was more into fashion media though than fashion itself.

Q: Was there an initial spark that spawned the idea for Little Liffner?

I was on the editorial side for a few years, then I went to work in fashion public relations where I represented emerging brands in Stockholm, in addition to a few big international brands coming into the Scandinavian market. For me, I always wanted to work with the product. In the public relations industry, you work with ideas all of the time and it isn’t so tangible. I was really yearning to be closer to a physical object. There is something very rewarding about beginning with an idea, producing it and seeing it being made — the full cycle.

Q: What has been the secret to your growth?

I think that the design and the price point together are very important. I once saved up for a very expensive designer bag. I only had it for a couple of weeks and it started to fall apart. I went back to the store and they said 'this happens all of the time'. I didn’t understand how this could happen all of the time, especially since I had spent a month’s salary on this particular bag! I was upset about this and knew there must be a better way. This was one of the sparks that made me really go for it. I wanted to create something that was very high quality, but with a sensible price tag.

Q: Tell us more about your design process.

I am always on to the next season. When I finish one, I move on to the next. Prespring is one of the first collections that I am perfectly happy with everything, I don’t want to make any tweaks. But for fall the theme was dark and moody. My design process always goes back to the materials. They must be clean-cut since that is in the DNA of the brand, plus the materials have to be touch-worthy and the colors have to be on point. Color is hard for me since I am Swedish and we wear a lot of blacks, grays and neutrals; however, I do love color, but I am very particular with it. I feel like it is very easy to incorporate into a fall wardrobe. I also love embossing materials, it makes them feel so luxurious when you add a bit extra to just a smooth surface.

Q: Are there any artists you look to for inspiration?

I can always refer to Mark Rothko for color inspiration. I can consistently go to his art and find something that sparks my creativity, so it is a great starting point. Then I usually just sit around with a bunch of leather swatches and make a jigsaw puzzle. I love this very tactile process.

Q: Your bags are the perfect size, they aren’t too big and they aren’t too small.

I am not sure if it is being Scandinavian or Swedish, but there always must be a functional aspect to what I create. I am constantly thinking, when is someone going to wear this bag and how. My brand is for the woman who is going somewhere and doing something.

Q: The Little Liffner woman is…

On the move; she works, earns her own money and she is conscious of where she invests.

Q: How does your Scandinavian background influence your work?

To be honest, it doesn’t! However, there are some things that are inherent, like the functionality and the cleanness of what I create — things I do without thinking. What does inspire me are the diverse influences that are coming out of the region. For me there are two sides to it: when I’m at home I don’t feel very Scandinavian because I have more of an eclectic style, but when I am elsewhere, I feel like I am, but it is all relative!

Q: Do you design for a particular muse?

There are several, but perhaps it is someone who is building her own business, an artist or a musician. They are strong, independent and comfortable in their own style and don’t feel the need to have the stylish shield of a logo. I want my bags to be the exact opposite; they won’t say a lot about you. I want them to just meld into an outfit. You can wear my bags in different ways, but I want the wearer to be able to project whatever they want onto the bag versus the other way around.

Q: Little Liffner in three words...

Refined, street-smart and playful.

Q: How do you define beauty in a less tangible sense?

That is a big question. I don’t think about it too much, but I also don’t like things that are only beautiful. There has to be a flaw, or something that is off, which is something that I learned when I was working at Elle. I had a great stylist who I would assist and she would teach me to always put something into a picture that was a bit off or even a bit ugly. I believe that something that is perfect will fade, it isn’t interesting. If you look at it a week later, it won’t catch your eye. So, I think beauty is imperfections with a kink or a twist.

LITTLE LIFFNER PURPLE SUEDE BAG available at littleliffner.com

Where to Shop in Stockholm

Q: What is your favorite neighborhood for shopping in Stockholm?

Biblioteksstaden

Q: What are some of your favorite fashion shops in Stockholm?

Natalie Schuterman carries a sharp edit of the top international luxury brands, and then Cos for great value and Scandinavian style.

Q: Are there any local shops that carry your brand, Little Liffner?

Nordiska Kompaniet has a great selection and is a classic Stockholm shopping experience. A cool indie store in Södermalm called Nitty Gritty carries a great assortment of Little Liffner as well.

Q: What about beauty shops – any favorites or places travelers should visit?

COW Parfymeri is an absolute must – great products, amazing atmosphere and an unbeatable location.

Q: What are some quintessentially cool Stockholm-based brands?

Acne Studios at Norrmalmstorg is perfect. Rodebjer for Scandinavian fashion with an arty twist and Filippa K for great basics.

Q: Best place to go for a coffee while shopping?

Il Caffè has delicious coffee and a cool vibe for relaxing after a day of serious shopping.

To learn more, visit littleliffner.com