After two decades, the Danish brand commemorates the special milestone with a re-release of their very first T-shirt. We speak to its creative director to hear how he grew the brand from the roots up
To mark its journey of 20 years and reflect on all the hard work that's gone into the brand during that time, Danish label Soulland is re-releasing its first-ever T-shirt alongside its most iconic logo T-shirts from over the years. Founded in 2002 by its creative director Silas Oda Adler and his business partner Jacob Kampp Berliner, Soulland has always managed to keep its finger on the pulse, not to mention the brand's exemplary focus on environmental and social sustainability.
The re-launch of the T-shirts marks an important moment for the brand, and celebrates where the fledgling Soulland started out from and where the beloved brand is now. "I think the best way I can describe it is like growing up," Adler says. "I started the brand with no education and no experience. I was young and made so many mistakes, but it became my upbringing, my coming of age. Soulland has been with me for more years than I have been without Soulland."
Photo: Soulland
Photo: Soulland
Photo: Soulland
The first 100 logo-adorned white T-shirts were printed in Copenhagen in the fall of 2002, and until now, haven't been reproduced. "To be honest, I was too focused on elevating the brand in the beginning," Adler says. "I was not good at keeping a good thing going, and I can see that now." With the re-launch of the T-shirts, it's an opportunity to honour and reminisce over the years gone past, with the anniversary drop featuring a variety of archive Soulland logos printed on the backdrop of a crisp white canvas.
Soulland's first-ever t-shirt. Photo: Soulland
Today, Soulland remains one of the Nordics' most popular fashion brands, with its design approach perfectly encapsulating the Scandi cool with a touch of playfulness. "For me, it's a brand that is based on a clear vision and knowledge behind decisions," Adler says. "I know what I want and where I want to go. I also know how to keep the personal and emotional connection and most importantly, I know how to stay curious and fun."
The anniversary collection is available at Soulland.com and selected retailers.