Interview: Meet Johanna Öst

I've interviewed Johanna Öst, a 24-year-old swedish artist and illustrator whose style certainly stands out in the crowd. True to her personal taste, this 18th century lover says she's not interested in trends and thinks that people who have a genuine interest in clothes must think the same. Her almost entirely second hand wardrobe speaks for herself.

Outfits: (1) "I wore this to an exhibition I had in Malung earlier this year. Everything is thrifted or hand me down except the tights", (2) "I love these colours. The t-shirt was a gift from my ex, the shorts are vintage bikini bottoms from ebay, and the shoes are from some cheap market thing" and (3) "Thrifted blouse and shoes, dress hand me down from a cousin, and tights from H&M".

You have a very creative style. When did you start to develop it? Anyone or anything that inspired you?

I've never consciously developed a style, I've just always liked clothes and worn what I like. My inspiration comes from lots of places, everything I see and like. I don't have any specific inspirations and there is always something new to be inspired by :) I have been interested in looks and clothes all my life, but started to actually dress and style myself when I was about 13. I have never followed the "normal" style so to this day I actually have problems realising what others find "normal" and what is more eye-catching. Like when I want to dress down and be really invisible to go buy milk or something, I'm like "are these pants really normal?". My vision of clothes is warped :p

You seem to be very interested in Fashion, however, you're not the kind of person who seems to be blindly following the trends, which is great. How would you describe your own style?

I love fashion and beauty, but I'm not the slightest bit interested in trends. I just don't see the point, and I think most people who have a genuine interest in clothes think the same. I just wear what I like and think everyone should do the same :) I don't really have a style to describe. I like too many things to be able to stick with just one style. What I wear also tends to go along with the way my hair looks at the moment, and there are way too many fantastic hairstyles and colours to stay with one. The way I dress also tends to change a bit with the seasons. There are some overall themes to what I wear though. I like glamourous and over the top things. I like 50s stuff and 80s stuff and princessy stuff, and much more.

Outfits: (1) "I wore this for a night out dancing. The t-shirt, tights and the vintage girdle are all gifts, and the belt is thrifted", (2) and (3) "I wore this to an Alice Cooper concert this summer. The jacket is a fleamarket find, the skirt from some mail order catalogue and the t-shirt is from ebay. The shoes are thrifted, the gloves were a christmas gift from my mother some years ago, and I painted the tights myself".

Tell me about your career as an illustrator and your inspirations as an artist.

I have always been drawing and painting and doing all kinds of creative things, so making money of it was just a natural progression. I had my first exhibition sometime around 1998 and had my first illustration in a book in 2000. Since then I've illustrated a handful of books and some other things like CD-covers and magazines, and I sell my art online and at exhibitions. As with fashion I don't have any specific inspirations as an artist. I get the "what inspires you?" question a lot, but it's so hard to answer because I don't see it like that. I just come up with stuff, and my inspiration comes from everything and nothing. Sometimes I have a more direct inspiration, like something I've seen or heard about, but usually I just come up with something that I think would look good.

Tell me about what you have accomplished in your career and what you'd like to achieve in the future.

I'm very happy to have illustrated for some major Swedish publishers, and consider myself very lucky to have any career at all in art. My illustration jobs are pretty scattered though, and I don't make a lot of money from my art, so I can't really support myself doing only this. I'm currently looking for another job, but I will still paint and illustrate of course. In the future I hope to get more frequent illustration assignments, and be able to live off my art and illustration alone. I also have a huge interest in History, especially the 18th century. I'm currently studying History and hope to someday have a job related to that, like at a museum or a castle. That's another of my career dreams.

"Thrifted dress and shoes, sweater from H&M, tights from Lindex, and the black shirt is from some other common clothing store".

You look very distinguishing not only when it comes to your wardrobe choices, as well as you hair style and make-up, and it seems like (correct me if i'm wrong) you often change the way you look. Does it have to do with your artistic nature or are you just trying to have fun?

What my hair and face looks like is just as important to me as the clothes I wear. I want all of me to look good, not just my clothes :) I've always found it a bit boring when someone is wearing something fantastic, but doesn't seem to care at all what they themselves look like inside the outfit. I don't consciously change my look, it's just that I like so many different hairstyles and makeup styles and all that. It's not like I stop liking one look or get tired of it or something like that. Most of my interests are visual and creative, so I guess that has something to do with me being generally artistic.

Outfits: (1) "A very simple outfit that I really like. Thrifted pants and a sweater I got from my mother", (2) "This jacket is really fantastic. I got it on ebay and the dress I have on under is from ebay as well. The gloves were a gift and the shoes are from Din Sko", and (3) "Shirt from H&M, thrifted shorts and shoes that used to be my aunt's".

Which are the favourite garment/accessories in your wardrobe?

Hmm, I have tons of favourites and my wardrobe is huge, but one favourite is my leather jacket. Another favourite is a pair of neon pink converse knock offs covered with patches that are falling apart by this point. I'm not sure why I love these so much, I just do. (Check both of them here).

What would you never wear?
First I'd just like to say that I hate complaining about the way other people look and think acceptance is one of the most important things ever. Everyone has different taste and that's a good thing! Some things I personally don't care for are those really wide raver pants, most things worn low on the hip when not done in a 60s kind of way, and thongs. There are exceptions to almost every rule though, and I'm sure there are people who wear these things beautifully.

"I worn it for a day of shopping in Stockholm. The coat and collar is from H&M, the sweater is hand me down from my mum. The skirt is from ebay and the shoes are from a shoe store in Åkersberga owned by a friend's family".

On your MySpace page you mention the singer Björk and the Gone with the Wind character Scarlett O'Hara as some of your idols. Are they also a sort of fashion inspiration to you?

I think Björk is one of the best dressed people ever so she's definitely an inspiration, and of course I love Scarlett's dresses :) They are both huge influences on me, but more in other ways than fashion ways I'd say. The people whose taste in fashion I admire the most are Björk and Vivienne Westwood.

You wardrobe is almost entirely vintage (correct me if i'm wrong). When it comes to fashion, do you feel disconnected to the present era or not?

I wouldn't say it's almost entirely vintage, but it's definitely almost entirely second hand. I don't care about the age of things just the way they look. I just don't like to buy expensive things when it's easier to find nicer things for cheap at second hand stores. I only buy expensive things when it's something extra special you can't get any other way, and it doesn't happen often. I may be really into past fashions, but I truly believe I'm living in the best possible time. Today I can wear whatever I like and still be (mostly) accepted. I don't think that would have worked in the 50s for example. I wouldn't mind visiting the 18th century, or going to the 80s for a while as an adult, but I want to live right here.

Johanna wearing one of her favourite 18th century outfits, which she handmade herself, including the wig

Considering the fashion, if you could have lived in another era(s), which would be and why?

I partly answered that above, but if i had to choose it would be the late 18th century. The 1770s, 1780s and the early 1790s. I'd choose it because it's the most interesting time period to me, with the most interesting people and the most gorgeous style and clothes. I'd love to see things the way they actually looked, visit buildings and places and meet the people.

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Johanna's website:

http://johannaost.com/