The year was 2007. Cissi was on maternity leave after welcoming her first child, Selma, into the world. Before her maternity leave, she had worked as a store manager at Carlings, a shop specialising in denim. As a new parent, Cissi began to feel restless and started thinking about following her dream of starting her own business.
With Selma in the pram, Cissi took long walks through her beloved Söder in Stockholm. As she wandered the streets, a thought kept returning:
“There must be more people like me who love colourful clothes and care about the environment and sustainability.”
Cissi had always found it a little strange that in a country with so many grey and dark months, we adapt the colours of our clothes to the weather. Wearing colourful clothes all year round helps spread light in the darkness.
Cissi found a small premises to rent on Södermalm
Bondegatan 6 became the first address of her shop. Since the idea was that mother and daughter could match, it felt natural to name the store “Cissi and Selma”. At the time, half of the assortment was children’s clothing and half was for adults. Cissi had always had a passion for retro style, and she decided that half of the shop would be dedicated to new items, while the other half would focus on retro clothing. These retro garments were often made by small designers using recycled materials, in many cases old duvet covers.
Cissi regularly searched for clothes and brands that fit both the store and her vision. Before long, however, she realised that the selection of organic clothing—especially colourful pieces—was almost non-existent. This was when her journey towards creating her own brand truly began to take shape.