Interview with Mikko Engström, Owner and Co-Founder of Swedish Store Mr Mudd and Mr Gold
by Mark Robinson on November 3rd 2011
Everybody knows Sweden is the mecca of design. So we’ve headed that way once again to learn more about the menswear scene over there, which seems to be looking pretty healthy at this moment in time. Mr Mudd and Mr Gold have really stood out in our opinion, their passion to represent understated brands is quite inspiring to see especially when it’s wrapped up in their beautiful minimal aesthetic.
Conversing with Mikko Engström, the co-owner and co-founder, we were able to extract a little more with regards to the origins and thought processes behind the store, as well as touching upon the general creative scene within Stockholm. We’re pretty sure you will enjoy reading this piece, so direct your eyes down and learn a little more.
1) Could you explain a little bit about yourself and what you do?
My name is Mikko Engström. Im 32, married with 2 kids. I have worked in the business all my life. Before Mr Mudd I was at SOLO for 8 years. Im a WW2 freak and I like handcrafted fine quality clothing.
2) How did Mr Mudd and Mr Gold come about, have you always wanted to build something of your own or was it a case of being immersed in the lifestyle and naturally transgressing into being an owner?
I have always wanted to try and start up something of my own. And I met a guy named Adam who had the same interests/tastes as me and we started planning a store. We wanted to represent fine brands that we liked ourselves and that was not available on the European market.
3) What made you want to start Mr Mudd and Mr Gold? Did the original concept differ from what you stand for today? Also what’s behind the name?
The name comes from a Townes Van Zandt song. Im a huge Townes fan, and I was listening to that song one day as I was on the subway on my way to our office. I thought that it was a good name for a store. Me and Adam are 2 (like Mudd and Gold) and Mudd and Gold could also represent the “irony” of making super high quality (gold) replicas of army/war clothing (mudd).
4) How does Mr Mudd and Mr Gold differentiate from other menswear stores, why do you think your customer chooses to shop with you opposed to elsewhere?
I think that (and hope) our store represents brands that are not too well known by people here in Europe. And that we carry a selection of handpicked gems. Many stores today carry the exact same brands and I think that it would be more interesting if stores would “dare” to be a little bit different.
5) Are there any particular designers that inspire you, and would you ever consider releasing your own line of products?
I’m not really in to the “fashion business” so I don’t really have a favourite designer. I like Army clothes, vintage clothing, denim, things like that. But “fashion” brands that I like are: 45rpm, Kapital, Visvim, Neighborhood.
6) Your store is made up of many brands that are a rarity to find elsewhere, do you pride yourself on unearthing hard to find designers and how have you managed to keep the brands list fresh and exciting?
I try to find brands that are not too well known in Europe, but I have to like the brand also. Not just be the first. And if I feel that a brand I am representing is getting “over represented” I try to find another brand instead. I’m always on the look out for “new” brands (I mean brands that are new to me and the European market).
7) We know you love heritage and we’ve noticed you seem to be attracted to a lot of American brands, what is it that draws you towards them?
I don’t know why really, I have just always liked it. Maybe from a lot of American music and movies, I mostly listen to “old” music and watch “old” movies. Im an old man deep inside. And also that many of the “features” on heritage clothing serve a purpose. Like pockets on workpants, zippers on flight jackets, hooks on deck jackets and more.
8) Opening a store can be quite an exciting yet nervous time, how did you feel the store was received and how did this effect your daily schedule?
I think that the store has had a great response from the beginning. We have been featured in a lot of magazines and blogs all around the world. Nominated as an “outstanding new store” by WGSN. And yet, we really have not had the time to promote our store as we would have wanted to. So we are extremely grateful to everyone that has written about our store.
9) You definitely take more of a design type approach when picking each product for the store, or to add to the selection, do you think you pick with a designers point of view? Admiring the craft and design of each item?
Absolutely. We are extremely picky when we choose our products. It has to be really well made products with a design that speaks to us on a personal level (not just a trend or what is popular at the moment).
10) When you began was it hard to get the attention of the brands in which you wanted to stock? These sorts of brands are difficult to acquire in their own respective countries let alone in Europe.
Yes, it was a bit tricky. But I think that if you have patience and are polite you can come a long way. And sometimes the language barrier can be a problem, that you don’t understand each other. For example with the Japanese brands. But you can get by with a little help from google translate.
11) The interior of your store is very simplistic and minimal in its manner. Is it true that you built a lot of the furniture yourself? Why did you like the idea of wood with the white open backdrop?
The interior is designed and drawn by Swedish architect Daniel Franzén and it was built by Daniel and us. Some of the tables and lockers are designed by Italian architect Enzo Mari, and can be found in his “make-it-yourself-book” Autoprogrettazione (we built them together also). And I love Daniels idea with the wood being the “tree line” and the white representing snowy mountain tops above.
12) Stockholm seems to hold a lot of creative talent, what would you say is the most inspiring thing about where you are situated?
I agree. Stockholm holds a lot of talent, and lots of nice stores. It’s definitely inspiring! Personally I like to walk around the vintage stores and antique shops. I find this very inspiring! My “gem” is ’118 Second Läder’, a great store that sells a lot of vintage leather jackets and accessories and also the home of Sweden’s finest “Clash Jeans”. I could be in their store for a whole day. Love it!
13) What’s the future for Mr Mudd and Mr Gold? Do you have any plans or upcoming projects?
The future is exciting! We have just teamed up with our great friends at the Swedish jeans brand Denim Demon. They are opening their first concept shop in the same space in which we are located. Two great shops at the same address (no shop-in-shop ha I don’t like that expression). It feels nice to add a little bit of Swedish-Sami-touch to the whole thing. Also, more exciting brands are to be represented here at Mr Mudd and Mr Gold for SS12 (unfortunately I can’t give you the name of the brands yet, but I think our customers will be very pleased).
To find out more about Mr Mudd and Mr Gold please head towards the website by clicking the link below
