The

The
brief: to create men’s undergarments that are both
sartorially stylish and environmentally sustainable.

Premium Swedish brand CDLP set a new standard in the underwear
department when it came on the scene/ display stand back in 2016.
Specialising in the use of Lyocell – a silky-soft fabric which
features breathable, anti-bacterial and moisture-wicking properties
– and other innovative, future-oriented fabrics, its line of luxury
essentials (including socks, briefs and thermals) offered men a
serious underwear upgrade.

CDLP’s guiding principles of comfort and functionality (hat tip
to the brand’s Scandinavian heritage) ensure that “first and
foremost, the type of products offered – men’s essentials – are
just that: essentials. Everyday pieces that you do need, as opposed
to excessive trend pieces that you’ll wear for a season and then
get rid of.”

Christian Larson and Andreas Palm, who first met at business
school, set up CDLP while on the road. Now, the brand’s latest
capsule, CDLP HOME, places a real focus on visual journeys and
storytelling. “Traditionally a sanctuary for recharge, the home has
gained status over the past years, and for many has become the
central location for work today. The edit blurs the lines between
loungewear and ready-to-wear, closing a gap between indoor and
outdoor dressing.”

Fronting the tailored loungewear edit is French musician
Sébastien Tellier who’s 2020 Domesticated album compliments the
brand’s latest campaign. Putting the capsule to the test, Mr
Tellier is captured making breakfast, playing the piano, barbecuing
and driving his car to carry out errands – all the while donning
CDLP HOME’s premium accoutrements. One thing we’ll say for 2020:
domesticated males… dressed far better than anticipated.

Brand:

CDLP

Designers names:

Christian Larson, Creative Director/ Co-founder; Andreas Palm,
CEO/ Co-founder

Origins:

Sweden

Homebase:

Stockholm

Type of Brand:

Luxury essentials

How did your upbringing in Sweden inspire you?

Christian Larson [CL] &Andreas Palm
[AP]: We’re both from small towns outside
Stockholm, but were fortunate enough to travel quite a bit growing
up. I think our Scandinavian heritage has formed our appreciation
for functional design, but travelling has inspired us in how we see
our designs in a visual context.

Tell us about how you met in business school…

CL: We were both outcasts (to some degree),
dreaming of creating our own projects rather than pursuing
traditional business careers. We met in a start-up incubator and
instantly became close friends. I dropped out to focus on my career
as a film director, but Andreas completed school. We complement
each other.

We heard that CDLP was set up while you were on the road. What
was your aha moment?

CL: My film career started to take off and it
meant travelling all the time for shoots; Andreas travelled a lot
in his venture as well. As we both shared a passion for exploring,
we tried to join each other on trips as often as we could. Being
best friends with little money, we usually shared hotel rooms, so
we got to know each other very well. One day we came to discuss
each other’s horrific underwear game and the idea took shape to
design better essentials than what we had to choose from. From our
travels, CDLP’s visual identity took shape – the documentary
photography and the characteristic destinations.

How would you define your designs?

CL: All our designs are focused on
functionality and comfort, with attention to responsibility already
in the design process. Aesthetically, we look for understated
luxury in the details: fabric, trims and smart functions. Our
ambition is to create meaningful and timeless designs.

CDLP is “designed with environmental responsiveness”. Can you
unpack that for us?

AP: First and foremost, the type of products we
offer – men’s essentials – are just that: essentials. Everyday
pieces that you do need, as opposed to excessive trend pieces that
you’ll only wear for a season. Our products are made to last,
thanks to timeless design and to a quality that ensures durability
and longevity. We always look to more sustainable options when it
comes to fabrics, and we are keeping our material sourcing and
production as close as possible to minimise transports. All our
fabrics are sourced within Europe and our products are made in
Italy and Portugal in small-scale, family-run factories that we
have close ties with. From bamboo yarn to organic wood pulp, smart
textiles are used across CDLP.

You specialise in the use of Lyocell. Why is it such a
wunderkind fabric?

CL: There are two aspects: the environmental
and the actual material. Lyocell is a fibre made of pulp from
sustainably grown trees, which is refined in a closed-loop system.
It takes much less water and land to produce than cotton, which is
the conventional choice for underwear. It’s also extremely
comfortable to wear; it’s soft, breathable and it wicks moisture
away from the body better than cotton.

Where is your studio? What’s the vibe?

CL: We’ve had a studio in central Stockholm for
a couple of years now, but as we’ve expanded our team
significantly, we have outgrown our space. We’re just about to move
to a new studio; a big turn-of-the-century apartment, complete with
wood-panelled walls, tiled stoves and huge windows. It’s
beautiful.

What songs do you have on repeat in your studio?

CL: CDLP’s musical identity is quite eclectic.
We actually share our mixtapes (about four times a year) with our
community – they have quite a following on Spotify.

You launched with the Boxer Trunk, now a bestseller. How has
your offering expanded since, and what’s likely to be your next
additions?

AP: Our focus always has and always will be
luxury men’s essentials, but there’s a lot of interesting things
you can do within that world, and we look forward to further
exploring that. During the first few years we focused on underwear,
starting with the Boxer Trunk and then gradually adding more styles
to the range: Boxer Brief, Boxer Shorts and Y-Brief, and eventually
socks. Next up was swimwear, and last year we introduced
t-shirts.

This spring we launched our line of activewear Mobilité, and
we’re now designing a full collection of performance essentials for
2021. We’ve also done some really fun collaborations over the
years, always with our core products as the starting point, but
adding an interesting layer or new take with the help of places or
people we are inspired by and admire.

Shop your own line. What are three of your favourite
pieces?

CL: The first cut is the deepest, so naturally
the Boxer Trunk. In addition to that, I’d have to say our
T-shirts. Wearing a T-shirt made from Lyocell is just something
else. It’s light, silky and extremely breathable. Since I train a
lot, I’d have to say that my third favourite is our Mobilité Boxer Brief, that we released this
spring – it’s performance underwear in recycled PES. Working out in
anything else suddenly became uncomfortable!

The store is located in Stockholm’s main shopping district,
Biblioteksstan. Tell us about some of your fashionable
neighbours.

AP: Head to Byredo for luxury perfume, to JUS
for a great edit of luxury brands, Atelier Saman Amel formodern
tailoring, All Blues for jewellery, and to our newest favourite NK
Sport at NK department store for an extremely well-curated
selection of modern performance wear.

Tell us about your latest project, CDLP HOME.

CL: Many men traditionally come home and dress
down to get comfortable. But with the home now assuming a more
multifaceted role, we wanted to design a collection of essentials
with that same comfort, but also the feeling of dressing up. The
result is a collection of tailored, elevated essentials that blurs
the line between loungewear and ready-to-wear for wearing at home,
or outside. It consists of a long suit, a short suit and a robe,
all made from Lyocell. It’s extremely soft and comfortable. You
just don’t want to get out of these items.

Your concept store is an ode to the iconic Grand Hotel Tremezzo
in Italy. What is it about the hotel that captivates you?

CL: Hotels have always inspired me, especially
those characterful, grand hotels with old buildings and even older
stories. When we designed our first swim collection, we used
Grand
Hotel Tremezzo by Lake
Como as our design inspiration. If we could choose, this is
where we wanted to spend a weekend in great swimwear assigned for
different occasions around this romantic way of “grand-hotel
living”. The project ended up being a collaboration with the hotel,
so we thought it was fun to plaster our first store with images of
its lobby, albeit in quite a punk way.

Three destinations on your travel wish list…

AP: I’d really love to explore Russia more;
it’s somewhere I know very little about still. Apart from that, I’d
love to sail around Italy and visit the north of our home country,
Sweden.

What are you reading right now? What’s next on your reading
list?

CL: With so much going on right now, I’m
reading The Art of Thinking Clearly by Rolf Dobelli – it’s really
helpful. Next up I’m reading Normal People by Sally Rooney; I
recently fell in love with the TV series.

What podcasts are you currently listening to?

AP: Masters of Scale, Making Sense Podcast with
Sam Harris and The Entrepreneurs podcast by Monocle.

We’re fans of the Voices & Voyages section of your website.
What articles should we bookmark for some armchair travelling…

CL: Glad you enjoy it! Voices &
Voyages was a big part of our narrative, since our company came
together on these journeys, so they are a diary of that. Rio de
Janeiro is still close to our hearts. I’d recommend seeing the
film portrait we made of hotelier
François-Xavier Dussol with his incredible place La Suite.

Where is your favourite place in the world and why?

CL: When I think of time off, my mind wanders
to a sailboat in the Mediterranean. That’s where I’m fully present
and happy.

And finally, what’s in your SUITCASE?

CL: I feel the best travelling light, with CDLP
essentials of underwear, T-shirts and swimwear as well as my
cameras and some Kodak Portra film.

CDLP’s Pocket Guide to Stockholm:

STAY

Ett Hem: It promises a top-class personal
experience.

Lydmar: Beautiful, by the water and
central.

Ruin
Retreat: A fabulous place, 15 minutes’ drive outside town.

EAT

AIRA: The newest
foodie destination on the beautiful island of Djurgården.

Babette: Best
pizza, wine and vibe.

Hantverket: Low-key local favourite that attracts all
chefs of the city.

DRINK

The Cadier Bar at Grand Hôtel: A classic bar in
Scandinavia’s foremost grand-dame hotel.

Teaterbaren at Teatergrillen: This is where we go for a glass of
wine, any time of day.

Tjoget:
Internationally awarded bar on the South side, well worth a
visit.

SHOP

JUS: Our favourite
boutique, with the kindest staff, hidden on a backstreet.

NK Sport: An incredible assortment of high-tech
sportswear.

All Blues: A
great assortment of modern jewellery.

Atelier Saman
Amel: A modern tailoring atelier with a global fan base.

DO

Visit Fotografiska: Stockholm’s photo museum.

Cross the small bridge to the island of Skeppsholmen and walk
around to see Stockholm from a different perspective.

Explore the beautiful archipelago by boat.