|
After finishing her training Ebba von Eckermann, despite her earlier plans, took a short course in sewing at Märthaskolan and during the 1940´s she was running an agricultural enterprise and at the same time she was a travelling salesperson for a sister company of Märthaskolan called “Märthakonfektion” . At home on her country estate Sandvik in the village Ripsa outside the town of Nyköping, near Stockholm she started to get samples of wool fabrics made up, as she was planning a trip to the US with her husband the following year. This took place in 1949-50 and the journey lead to orders and new contacts, one of them being the department store Marshall Fields in Chicago where the head buyer suggested that she should make a slightly thinner type of woollen cloth that could be made into skirts. They would then be shown to his buyers when they visited Paris the following spring. In Paris Ebba von Eckermann had the opportunity to sell to Dior, something that was important for her ensuing success. In a short time Ebba von Eckermann got a reputation as “The weaving countess” and she received orders from a number of large department stores in the US. She was successful in promoting the “new woman” with roles such as house wife, hostess or working in the professions.
With her own brand “Ebba von Eckermann Textilier” her business in Ripsa expanded and as many as ten weavers were working for the company when it was at its peak. Beautiful hand-woven garments, plaids and scarves in bold colours, a lot of travelling and clever marketing promoting “the Swedish dream” as an important ingredient, meant that Ebba von Eckermann had many tourists coming to Ripsa and there were many articles in newspapers and magazines such as Vogue, Life and National Geographic . The company also collaborated with two other designers, Alice Topp-Lee from the US and Lars Hillingsö from Denmark.
Textile sample Humoresque
Ebba von Eckermann
1952
Ripsa
|
Geule de loupe
Design for skirt: Christian Dior
Textile: Humoresque, EvE
1952 Ripsa
|
Terra firma, skirt,
Ebba von Eckermann
1960
Ripsa
|
The Ripsa jacket
Chrochet pattern
1954
Ripsa |
The Ripsa jacket
1953
Ripsa
|
Textile sample Aurora Borealis
Ebba von Eckermann, 1959
Ripsa
|
Design for dress and coat, Clouds Tavern
Lars Hillingsö, 1964
Ripsa
|
Skirt Clouds Tavern, coat + top Brushwork
EvE, Ripsa
Vouge 1966
|
Design sketch Lyre, jacket
Lars Hillingsö, 1964
Ripsa |
Textile sample Lyre
Ebba von Eckermann, 1964
Ripsa
|
Design sketch Brushstroke, evening dress
Lars Hillingsö, 1964, Ripsa
|
Brushstroke, evening dress
Ebba von Eckermann, 1964
Ripsa
|
Education
1939 Apelryd agricultural college
1940 Svalöv agricultural college
1940 Märthaskolan
Artistic career
1950-80 Ripsa
In the collections of:
Designarkivet
Nordiska museet
Further reading:
Lotta Lewenhaupt, Den glömda kjolen, Signum, Lund, 2011
Ongoing:
The exhibition ”Vävda modedrömmar från Ripsa till New York” at Hallwyllska museet, Stockholm, 14th of October – 8th of January.
Three questions to the designer of the month:
1. What are you working on at the moment?
I am so glad that the book “Den glömda kjolen” became a reality and that it was written by such a distinguished author as Lotta Lewenhaupt, I am also delighted that the exhibition “Vävda Modedrömmar” at Hallwyllska museet received so many visitors.
2. Describe your artistic expression for an uninitiated person.
I was very much influenced by the beautiful nature in the county of Sörmland with it´s soft but also bold colours and also the need for colour during the darker months of the year. All the sales trips to the US, from coast to coast, gave me so many ideas and inspiration from the magnificent nature, the people, the lifestyle, the creativity.
3. How would you like Designarkivet to care for your design sketches?
I am confident that Designarkivet will care for my material that I have saved with the idea in mind that it could be of inspiration and influence to other crafts people in the country side.
|
