Johan
Lundell
- Age: 42
- Lives: Jönköping, Sweden
- Occupation: Founder & designer, clothing brand Blankdays. Has previously worked with a number of brands including Encore and Velour, and also with retail chains such as Dressman and MQ.
My main driving force has always been to do things in a better, smarter and more straightforward way than anyone has ever done before. I am meticulous about details and never quite satisfied, but instead constantly looking for new perspectives and improvements.
I have basically always worked with clothes, but my career really took off when a friend and I opened our store, Nostalgi, in Gothenburg 1997. We had come across a large quantity of unused garments from the 1940s—1980s that included everything from suits and dresses to t-shirts and underwear. After a while, we noticed that a lot of designers bought the clothes and put their own tags on them. We realised we were sitting on a goldmine of inspiration and decided to start our own clothing brand, Velour.
Since then I have owned several companies and brands, as well as been the creative director at Stadium and Dressman, for example. At Dressman, I was responsible for the collaboration with the Rolling Stones. I designed the garments and travelled back and forth to New York to get everything approved. It was hard work, but I was very pleased with the results.
Sustainability is the cornerstone of Blankdays and a top priority in everything we do. All aspects of our business – from materials to logistics, offices and warehouses – should have as little impact on the environment as possible. Having worked in large-scale clothing manufacturing, which has a very negative effect on the environment, I want to use my knowledge and experience to alleviate the pressure on our planet.
"I pay a lot of attention to detail"
The idea is simply to make the world’s best essential clothes and accessories – things people really need – in a sustainable way. The products should be long-lasting and have a reasonable price. If more people can afford sustainable clothing, it is a better deal for both the consumer and the environment. This brand reflects who I am, as a person, in so many ways, and I’m incredibly proud of the products. I even shed a tear when we received our first order.
The name, Blankdays, refers to days without meetings, and the logo represents five empty workdays in a calendar. Both the name and logo stem from my previous job experiences, where 90—95 percent of my workdays consisted of meetings. There was no time for development and creativity. I have now added to our company policies that internal meetings should last no longer than 30 minutes and should preferably take place during a walk or jog.