Silas Adler
Designer & Founder of Soulland – Copenhagen
Danish menswear brand Soulland has always impressed us: clear and simple and deeply devoted, on the one hand, to a distinctive Scandinavian aesthetic. On the other hand they always manage to be playful and sporty, enjoying experimenting with patterns, materials, cuts, looks but also presentations and collaborations. Their enthusiasm for off-the-wall projects has even led to the production of an own stamp in partnership with the Danish Post, to a collaboration with Playstation, to a whole collection dedicated to Barbar The Elephant and to a virtual runway presentation via smartphone. Soulland is without doubt one of the few brands that have been taking menswear to a whole new level over the last couple of years, designing collections that are innovative and classic at the same time.
Soulland’s head designer Silas Adler founded Soulland in 2002 when he was only 17. What started as a small brand specialised in printed T-shirts and run by a young, passionate skateboarder without a concept, much expertise or aim, has now grown into the unique menswear brand of today. “With knowledge came a cause and with the cause came the concept,” as Silas once said in an interview. “But my ambitions grew and I wanted to launch a full menswear collection. I had to learn everything from scratch and these things take time. But for me it was the right way and the only way to learn it.”
As a self-taught designer and businessman, as a creative mind who clearly disregards genre boundaries, Silas Adler is our first official Danish supporter. We are very happy to welcome him as a friend of IWISHUSUN.
Soulland stands for modern menswear, but also for experiments regarding the presentation and multidisciplinary collaborations. What is your vision as a creative person for your own work?
Never be secure, never give up and never stop being curious.
What is more important for you, the sense of feel or the sense of sight?
Everything is linked in my life.
Which thing or location in Copenhagen do you love to see everyday?
My home! That’s where my family is.
In Scandinavia the summer solstice is a big celebration – the Danes celebrate Sankt Hans Day on the 23rd of June. What does the sun mean to you?
I’m half Tanzanian so the sun is the god of my forefathers. I’m equally Swedish and the sun is also a god for my Scandinavian forefathers. The sun is light and light is life.
You grew up in Denmark, so you are used to long winters. Do you have a secret remedy that gets you through the dark time of year?
The thing about Danes is that even though we have long winters, we never get used to it. It’s like a collective seven-month depression. We normally use alcohol to get through it.
In your words, what distinguishes life in Copenhagen in winter from summer?
Summer is heaven, winter is hell. And both are important in their way!
Through your label Soulland you travel a lot. Which place and what else would you love to see more often?
New York and Paris. The two true metropolises. New York is the new world and Paris is the old world…
What is your tactic for making the world a better place?
Go by bike instead of a car. Smile instead of not smiling and be active instead of being passive.
When was the last time you gave something back to someone and what did you do?
The person that needs to know, knows..
Who is your personal hero?
David Lynch!
Picture: Sascha Oda.
