Growing up in Timmins, Ontario, Canada the winters were cold and harsh but strikingly beautiful. One of my earliest memories is of waiting for the schoolbus in a dark frozen world with the streetlights refracting off the ice fractals that covered every inch of the landscape. Back then, all the stylish moms, the cool successful moms only had time for one type of designer jacket and the label inside said Linda Lundström. It’s the first designer label I remember really aspiring to have and it was all the more wistful because I had to grow up first to get one. In 2009 I was lucky enough to meet the woman herself and befriend her beautiful and talented daughter Mosha Lundström-Halbert. Over the years I’ve come to know this family and I can say with my hand on my heart that to me they are the First Family of Canadian fashion. Last year at Mosha’s wedding in Iceland I arrived at the rehearsal dinner on the island of Videy alone, 7 months pregnant and dressed as a narwhal (it was Nordic fancy dress themed – I’m not just a nutter). They sat me with them at the family table because they are considerate, kind, and extremely classy. After the meal Linda and I joined a group that went skidding down an icy hill to get a close-up look at Yoko Ono’s Imagine Peace Tower. In that moment I was 5 years old again with the wind whipping at my face and the snow spun fast around us like glitter settling in a glass globe souvenir. Linda was the life and soul of the party. I looked at her and thought to myself how lucky I was to know her and her girls – how utterly blessed I feel to call them my friends. On the ferry back to the mainland her youngest daughter Sophie gave a hypnotic performance with an LED hula-hoop to the soundtrack of One Direction’s “Steal My Girl” which is one of Mosha’s all time favourite songs. I remember thinking that I hope when my girls are grown up that the are as bold and confident and incredible as the Lundström women. No doubt they are also so amazing because the love and support of wonderful husband and father Joel Halbert, who is a total legend. Hats off to you Joel!
I’m delighted to say that the 3 Lundström women have come together and have launched a new brand called Therma Kōta which draws on their Icelandic/Canadian heritage and is as beautiful as it is warm. Check out the transformative Sigrún reversible coat below. It comes in Silver and Gold and is spun of the stuff winter dreams are made of. Read on below for Linda’s fascinating answers to my favourite questions.
What’s the first important life lesson you remember learning?
Waste not, want not; and make it yourself. These came from my mom and dad, true Scandinavian pioneers who raised me in Northern Ontario.
How do you think motherhood has most affected the person you are today?
Having children brought fun and laughter into my life. I gained the ability to enjoy simple things and play. Now that they are both adults, I am simply amazed at what wonderful women they are and relieved that it all worked out. Working with my daughters today on Therma Kōta has been incredibly rewarding.
Who are your heroes and why?
In fashion, Madeleine Vionnet (for her innovative designs and as the first woman to have a factory in Paris employing hundreds stitching everything by hand) and Marilyn Brooks (the first Canadian designer to kick-start the whole industry and pave the way for the rest of us).
My heroes are also the First Nations indigenous people of the past and present who are defending their rights, advocating for treaties to be honoured, negotiating to be participants in the sharing of Canada’s resources and building economic opportunities in their communities. They are heroic in their determination and promise to protect Mother Earth.
What is your greatest luxury?
Swimming in our lake after a real Swedish sauna – a Nordic tradition we keep year-round.
What does fearlessness feel like for you?
It’s a confidence, a knowing, a faith that whatever it is, whatever the outcome, that everything is a gift. A great coat makes me feel like I can pretty much handle anything that comes my way.
Tell me your motto and what it means to you?
Stand out. It so applies to what I am doing now because coats are the package in which we go out into the world. It’s the last thing you put on when you walk out the door the first thing people see. Ours are truly unique and transformational. I can’t think of a better way to make a strong first impression.
📷 Silja Magg
