The Erikssons’ women’s and men’s clothing business closed over 40 years ago. Since then, thousands of unused garments have been hanging in the large commercial property, but only until recently. Now they will be resold in a pop-up shop that has just opened its doors on Sergels torg in Stockholm.
– They can’t hang on until they fall to pieces. It’s much more fun if they come in handy and find new owners, says organizer Alexander Marchesan.
Right up until 1985, the Eriksson family, with Eric Eriksson at the helm, ran several businesses in the large business property in Smålandsstenar in Gislaved municipality, including women’s and men’s ski jumping.
When the store closed, the large warehouse remained intact, and since then the clothes have been stored in the property, which is still in the family’s possessions.
But now the clothes, which date from the 1940s to the 1970s, are now available to the public through a collaboration between Eric Eriksson’s relatives and Alexander Marcheran, who also owns the vintage shop A Marchesan.
Thousands of unused garments
It is estimated that between 10,000 and 20,000 unused items of clothing have been stored over the past decades. There are now between 3,000 and 4,000 in the pop-up shop on Sergel’s square.
– It’s great that the stock can be sold to anyone who is interested and wants this type of clothing, says store visitor Karolina Magnusson.
Alexander Marcheran believes that Erik Ericsson himself would have appreciated the concept.
– It’s great fun to see everyone who comes in here full of anticipation, and I know that Erik Ericsson’s relatives think so too. I also think that Erik himself thought it was a lot of fun, he says.
Difference in clothes then and now
According to Alexander Marchesan, there is a big difference between the clothes of today and those of the past – the further back in time you go, the better the quality.
– The difference in today’s garments is enormous. Those of us who work with old clothes are very aware of it, but where you may not really know it. It’s an incredibly big difference, he says.
– If you compare the 1970s with the 1950s or 1940s, there is also a jump in terms of quality. The clothes are better the older they are.