Rika Studios Hits the Hamptons

Just a reminder: If you are in East Hampton this Thursday and Friday, please come to our Private Salon, which is also Ulrika Lundgren’s first event stateside. I met Ulrika, of Rika Studios, in Amsterdam two years ago, having known and followed her brand, and we immediately hit it off. (You can read our first chat here, and see my Summer in RS here where she featured me). I can’t word it better than I did before so…

“I left [a meeting with Ulrika] inspired by her work, her almost stringent commitment to designing concise, evolving but never too different clothing collections, her partnerships with other female-founded brands, and her warmth and charm. She’s one of the few designers I know who has managed to create pieces that are at once modern and classic, but have an energy and playfulness (her use of color) that feels uncontrived and at the same time, very cool. She is also strategically kept her brand small, which to me, makes it special.”

Sometimes, I just want to live in Ulrika’s world. And her taste goes beyond clothes; now she has an adjacent boutique/art studio, Poetic Playground, that I want to move into. Pre-event, I wanted her to share what’s inspiring her, what she’s bringing and what’s next.

What is inspiring you now and how has your collection evolved and at the same time stayed the same?

I am soo excited to see you soon in East Hampton! I’m in Mallorca at the moment, which is always a inspiring place to come. I’ve been coming here 30 years and still discover new places each time.

I’m busy working on my SS 27 wardrobe with my team in the atelier in Italy. I always travel when I create a new wardrobe; I need to be away from the studio to feel inspired. I like to be surrounded with sun, art, nature and the sea and feel what I want to wear next season. The light here also helps. Miro’s amazing art in Mallorca is playful, artistic, and elegant and positive. It all looks so simple, but so well done. Can Lis, the Danish architect Jørn Utzon’s summer home here is the coolest. Put together, they are a perfect complement to what’s going on for my Rika Studios wardrobe for next season.

I work always on day-to-night looks and styles that will stay a long time in a woman’s wardrobe. I love it when clients tell me they still wear and enjoy items they bought a long time ago.

The fabrics and fit are most important and texture and touch is the key. The base of the wardrobe is usually cream, black, blue, brown, and green. Then the colors— like happy color cashmeres or cotton poplin shirts become the details. In my atelier in Italy we work with Italian fabrics, all made in-house, sometimes in very small quantities.

I love that—to stay small and unique, specialize in craftsmanship and support other small businesses.

You have a new place in Amsterdam, The Poetic Playground. What is the concept behind this boutique? How is different than your other store?

The Poetic Playground is next door to The Townhouse and its been open a year. It was once a Dutch bank, the vault is still inside, and it’s Bauhaus architecture built in the Thirties.

The space has a selection of art, fine jewelry, objects, organic beauty and sculptures. It’s a collection of collaborations with artists in my community from my Rika Magazine and Rika Studios Paper—artists I have discovered and fallen in love with their art and creativity. It’s the perfect match to Rika Studios wardrobe. I like clients to have an experience entering Poetic Playground and to get inspired for their homes as well. Plus, there is always something going on there. Recently, we had a cocktail evening with photographer duo Inez and Vinoodh around their art photography, and in the vault was a unique limited edition jewelry made for PP by IV.

Other cool artists in house include: Hank Grüner sculptures; Elhanati fine jewelry; San Ming and Malene Birger paintings; Cathrine Raben Davidsen art and objects; Leif Sigerson ceramic vases; Perfumer H organic scents; Herbar organic beauty; Mackintosh limited edition trench coats; and Oliver Gustavs scents for home.

Let’s talk about the designs you are bringing with you to the event. You mentioned wanting clothes for late summer lunches and evenings…

I was excited when Kristin invited me to join this event. She is a client of mine and I will never forget the first time I met her at our store with her daughter. She was soooo stylish and simply and effortlessly dressed.

For the event, I was thinking of the favorite pieces Kristin loves to wear, because we both love simple elegant pieces we can wear from daytime to nighttime. For the late summer lunches to garden drinks I like the light Italian cotton dresses and shirts like the Corsica (and here) and Carolina (here and here). Then, the classic Italian cotton poplin pieces such as the Blaze shirt and Park shorts, the Knox shirt, Ralph Jacket and Tim skirt, are playful modern designs you can combine many ways and colors. They are my favorite travel sets and personal wardrobe favorites that I take with me all the time. From Paris to Mallorca to Venice, they are so light in my luggage. I also don’t mind if they wrinkle up a bit.

Then, I’m bringing the Inez and Vinoodh x Rika Studios cashmere sweater collaboration, inspired by all colors of their flower garden in East Hampton, which are perfect for summer evenings and hopefully become a favorite sweater in your wardrobe [I have the red and wear it all the time, what color will I get next?]

For evening I’m bringing some beautiful lace tops and silk dresses.

What is new that you’re debuting?

Something fabulous just arrived from the atelier: the Tux in a silk wool mix in the color Milk. It’s a statement that will be in your wardrobe forever, and is also cool for wintertime cocktail parties.

What will you be wearing early fall?

For early fall I love wear my cropped Tom pants in black nappa leather with a Luis short sleeve cashmere jumper and my Smart Penny’s, or the Steve jacket with white Ulrika pants and the white Pocket Tee is also a favorite.

Are you bringing back my favorite coat EVER, the leopard shearling that I bought last fall (and will wear into my 80s)?

Hahah—the Madison coat, handcrafted in Panther print shearling. Yes, it’s coming back this winter!! I love you how you wear that Jennifer with white pants last winter.

A chic panther-print coat is never a wrong statement…it’s classic elegance.

xx Ulrika

We hope to see you. And, if you can’t make it, but want to do a little phone/FaceTime shopping—we are happy to oblige. Just send me a DM.

x

Jennifer

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