In addition, this Dane embraces the messiness of an existence. “Part of [my] manifest is that things are part of life,” says the designer, who likes to look for beauty in imperfections; such as placing a sheet to hide a stain or embroidering a small flower over a tear. “Would you stop wearing a bag because it has a scratch on it? No. You don’t do that because you spent about 2000 euros on the bag,” she notes. “I think we should let our clothes live a little bit.”
By working with flea market finds, Tønder is able to maintain a price level that keeps Kettel pieces reasonably accessible. Access to good design at fair prices is the mantra of Scandinavian design, and that’s what this designer appreciates about what she sees in her hometown. “I feel like Copenhagen fashion week is like a festival. It’s so full of personal style… it’s about the clothes, it’s like, ‘Hey, we’ve got a bunch of gorgeous girls and guys, we’ve got really cool clothes, but actually wearable and actually pretty affordable [that] people can wear on and off the catwalk and in their own way.” One of the interesting things about Kettel Atelier is how Tønder has combined her Danishness with her love for Spain. “I just fell in love with convenience, and the way the [women dress], this half nakedness, the Bohemian vibes; it was something that completely blew me away,” she says. Tønder’s designs have a body awareness that is surprising. Surely, a grandmother never imagined the flowers hand-embroidered on a napkin winking at nipples on a halter top.
