Wearable Art: LIMITATO Is The Menswear Brand To Watch In 2019

LIMITATO is a brand gathering considerable momentum. From our first flirt with them at Ape back in the summer of 2018, the boys from Gothenburg have continued to move in the right direction.

To recap, LIMITATO is a new-wave apparel brand that combines luxury fabrics and style with what they like to describe as “Wearable Art” – a new model for a growing army of menswear enthusiasts who like to stamp their own authority on fashion.

Not professing to be everyone’s taste, LIMITATO is refreshingly happy to be independent, carrying its uniqueness confidently into each new season collection while garnering a cult following along the way.

Taking LIMITATO To The Next Level

Now one of the best-selling brands stocked at luxury department store Harrods, and with their first ever UK press day under the proverbial belt, founders Gustav Peterson and Emrik Olausson are looking ahead to a 2019 that they hope will take their fledgling company to the next level. It’s going to be a challenge, sure, but it’s one that they, along with the wider team, are keen to soak up and enjoy.

“It has seriously been a complete whirlwind at times,” says Peterson. “One day we can be flying into Portugal where the product is manufactured; from there we can be going to look at fabrics in Milan; then back to Gothenburg before heading out to the States, with a London stop-off on the return leg. It’s crazy, but we wouldn’t change any of it.”

Despite the cruel itinerary that sets the tone for most of their working week, the creative forces behind the label are happy to be in the thick of the action, enjoying life to the fullest while evolving a brand that has received many plaudits from industry insiders and those in the know.

“It can be hard to focus on a selection of key ‘must do’ things when we have so much creativity and excitement buzzing around us all day long… his name is Gustav,” says Olausson jokingly. “Seriously, our plan is to do things and do them well, so we are aware that overcomplicating matters or trying to do too many things is therefore detrimental to the business,” he adds.

The LIMITATO Team

The LIMITATO team consists primarily of childhood friends and family members, who work out of an undeniably cool two-floored office on the outskirts of the city. They keep things close on that side of the North Sea, and it’s easy to see why.

“We’ve all been friends since childhood, from adjoining neighbourhoods just outside of Gothenburg,” adds Olausson. “The benefit of us being so close is that we can be comfortable immediately with one-another, we trust one-another implicitly, and equally we can voice concerns or disagreements. It can be fun and quite feisty [at times].” It’s undeniably an advantage for the brand: when you know each other this well, bureaucracy and red tape takes a backseat, leading to greater innovation, creativity and, overall, a better product.

However, though they are a tight-knit group, LIMITATO are always open and willing to welcome newcomers to the fold. This year, the company will not only build on their existing retail relationships with the likes of Harrods, Luisaviaroma and Farfetch, but also extend their seasonal collections and look to embark on collaborations with like-minded brands and individuals. On top of that, they’re going to be hosting their first major event, which will take place during the summer months in their hometown.

“The key for us is not to run away with the success we’ve had, but to embrace it and take our learnings onto the next stage,” says Peterson. “We are constantly looking for and working with new creative talent, and already have some superb names on board including Terry O’Neill, Norman Parkinson and artists such as Craig Alan, Sara Pope and Marco Grassi. We also work with amazing partners such as Iconic Images in London,” he adds.

“However, a key focus for us is to create the LIMITATO character and environment, for people to be able to access us and be part of the growing community,” he says. “We plan to expand our pop-up reach globally, but also hold events where we can showcase what makes us tick to the masses, starting with our big launch later in the summer, but we can’t say too much on that… yet.”

What can we expect from LIMITATO moving into AW19 and beyond?

“[For AW19], we are focused on continuing our core lines, but we have amazing oversized, soft cotton-silk mix shirts with cool prints which look so, so good,” says Olausson. “This, combined with our Lennon-inspired military jacket and tailored blazers, will start to show our intent and hopefully solidify the LIMITATO name as not just a ‘one trick pony’,” he adds.

Having recently witnessed the brand’s third showing at Pitti Uomo back in January, the LIMITATO presence already feels more polished – glass display cabinets were combined with clever lighting, giving the product the impact it needed – and their showcase was busy, really busy.

“The attention is overwhelming at times, but we have to remember that this is what we wanted,” adds Peterson. “We live and breath LIMITATO. Yes, we are young, but we have a great support structure and experience involved in looking out for us. This is not a business venture, it’s a passion.” he adds.

Where to buy

For further information on LIMITATO, visit www.limitato.shop – where you can browse, and buy too.

A paid partnership with LIMITATO – words and opinion Ape’s own.