Philip Lundström and Ludvig Oskarsson have known each other all their lives and this spring they started the company Úma. They travel the world for inspiration, visit flea markets around Sweden and choose to exist only for the local market in Umeå. Right now they sell their vintage clothes in the shop Forum, located in the MVG gallery.
- The idea for Úma was born in Tokyo, says Philip.
He continues:
- Tokyo has a wide range of niche vintage shops and it was there and then that we realised that this type of vintage shop concept with 80-90s clothes is missing in Sweden.
He says that there is a lack of niche vintage shops in Sweden and when they realised that there was a demand, it felt right to start the company.
- We are careful and spend a lot of time finding garments that are of good quality and fit in with our concept. It's also important that there is something for everyone, no matter how much you are willing to spend," says Philip.
Úma's vision
- Our plan is to open a physical store here in Umeå. It feels more fun than starting up and running an online shop. It's great if Umeå gets the first crack at our clothes, even if it's only one or two weeks in Umeå, it feels more fun than selling online," says Philip.
He continues:
- It feels like the retail industry is disappearing and therefore it feels good to be a physical store instead of the web where more and more companies are today. It feels good to be able to offer our customers a certain Úma feeling and we want it to be an experience to visit us.
What's hot right now?
They call the shop Forum, a space in the MVG gallery where they, together with Team Scandi and Picture Skateboards, sell their clothes and products for two weeks, from 1/12 to 16/12.
- "We're delighted to be there for two whole weeks, and we hope that more people will discover us and that our customers will appreciate what we have to offer," says Philip.
This year's Christmas present: the recycled garment
- It's definitely a good Christmas present and it really feels timely. Hopefully it's a little wake-up call for consumers to think twice before they consume something new," says Philip.
Have recently completed the eXpress programme at eXpression Umeå
- If you have something that you are thinking about, come here. It's a great environment to be in and there are several creative people you can bounce ideas off of here. Don't be afraid to get in touch.
Contact Úma
If you have any questions or want to get in touch with Úma, you can find them on Instagram @umaumea, or visit them at their pop-up shop Forum in the MVG gallery until 16 December.
