THE JOURNAL
Over the past 15 or so years, Scandinavian fashion has come to be synonymous with the idea of minimalism. Cities such as Stockholm, Oslo and Copenhagen have all birthed brands known for their understatement and ability to pare things back. It’s been said so often as to have become a cliche, albeit one that was never entirely true. In fact, it’s never really been a fair representation of Scandinavian design. Across the region, there have always been menswear brands pushing at the edges of this classic design, taking more risks and offering an alternative to the understated stereotype.
Founded in Copenhagen in 2007, NN07 has been central to this more progressive approach to Scandinavian menswear. Since its earliest days, NN07 has been outward-looking, taking inspiration from around the world. The brand’s name reflects this ethos – the double N stands for “No Nationality” – and it still describes itself as a brand with no borders. Rather than the city, or even the region, around it, NN07 is inspired by, and designed for, the world at large.
The brand was founded by two friends Victor Lindh and Ulrik Pedersen. It began life on a visit to Tokyo. Having spoken about their shared interest in design, the duo decided to head to Japan in search of inspiration, a precursor to the international approach that has been with NN07 since the start, informing the brand’s name and design ethos. The original mission was to update the type of clothes that people wore in their everyday lives, creating pieces that could be worn by anyone and for any occasion.
Nearly two decades later, that’s still the message at the heart of NN07. The clothes are the kind of uncomplicated staples that form the backbone of any wardrobe – think well-fitting chinos, lightweight knits and relaxed tailoring.
Looking at NN07’s back catalogue shows that these building blocks and everyday pieces don’t need to be boring, and that you don’t always need to play it safe. Throughout the brand’s history, there have been subtle twists on the kind of classics it has come to be known for. Knitwear comes in luxe alpaca wool or features large hand-embroidered patterns; shirting ranges from crisp white button-downs to watercolour-printed shirts and foliage-embroidered camp-collar versions. Nothing proves the NN07 approach more than its outerwear, though, and one coat in particular.
When the first season of The Bear arrived in 2022, the show’s style instantly became a menswear classic. There were scenes about vintage denim, a global search for the perfect white T-shirt and practically a cameo for Thom Browne. One of the standouts was a cropped blue and brown patchwork jacket worn by Jeremy Allen White’s Carmy, made of a structured wool and finished with two big patch pockets. Almost as soon as the show launched, internet sleuths began hunting for the jacket and it wasn’t long before they found it. The jacket was made by NN07 and would soon become a viral hit. Over the past couple of years, NN07 has occasionally restocked this version of the Gael jacket, each time selling out almost instantly.
The newfound mass appeal of the Gael jacket introduced a whole new generation of menswear fans to NN07. A lot has changed in fashion since that trip to Tokyo nearly 20 years ago, but NN07 has stood the test of time. The brand has stuck to its original mission statement, creating clothes that work for any situation and can form the basis of a modern-day wardrobe. Whether it is slouchy herringbone suits you can wear to the office or technical jackets to protect you from the elements, NN07 has spent the past 18 years proving that your day-to-day clothing doesn’t have to be boring.
Recently, NN07 has carried this idea forward through its collaborations. It has taken on footwear by wrapping hiking boots in textured leather and pony hair with Fracap, created loafers and boat shoes with Sebago and moved into watches with Timex. Across its collaborations, NN07 has followed its original ethos of creating clothes without borders, taking inspiration from anywhere and everywhere to craft an everyday wardrobe that works for anyone. The brand sees its pieces as “future classics” that will last long into the future, staples that can be worn over and over again. That’s the ethos that NN07 has followed since its first collection.
For all the collaborations and Carmy Berzatto-approved jackets, NN07’s power lies in the way the brand has stuck to its original mission. Almost two decades on, the clothes are uncomplicated and wearable without being dull. NN07’s collections are packed with little details – from the fabrics and the fits to the embroidery and patterns used – that make them perfect for elevating the everyday.