Over the last couple of years, Karlsson has built a reputation for her conversation-starting designs. Take the kooky chicken-feet boots Doja Cat wore while presenting at the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards, or the eerily realistic The Bum, a wearable silicone replica of Kim Kardashian’s backside she created in 2020. “I don’t necessarily want to design things with the intention of being memeable, and that’s actually been an inner discussion I’ve had with myself,” she says, “am I doing this because I think it will go viral or because it’s something I stand behind as a design?” She adds that she is a conceptual designer because she enjoys finding catchy concepts or creating something that hasn’t been seen before, which “simply does well in social media,” though it’s not a motivation behind her creative process. Still, based on stunts pulled during Milan Fashion Week alone, it’s evident that larger brands are constantly trying to create the sort of moments that come naturally to Karlsson, and her innate talent for the memeable is worth holding onto.
As Karlsson settles into her role at AVAVAV, she’s also looking to find the point where commercially viable products and pure conceptual design meet. “This is the first collection as a designer where I see that it lives in this land between something that’s commercial and conceptual,” she says, “I want to make sure that if something is commercial it still feels very interesting.” Titled “Filthy Rich,” the collection looked to playfully comment on fashion’s fixation on status and wealth. “In a time of recession, cash and escapism are at the top of the agenda,” read the label’s press release this season.
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