While Fashion Week in Stockholm is far more laid back than other cities, day three was especially so…

Camilla Norrback, known for producing subtle, feminine pieces, presented a reduced dark palette, but her moments of color more than made up for it. A female duo held court center stage, belting out ethereal pop songs and providing a runway tempo for models in belted mini-dresses with forest-green wedge boots. On male models were purple cable cardigans with green buttons. For her, the standouts were a green velvet sleeveless pantsuit and black sheer lace trousers with ankle socks peeking through.

Hope eschewed the runway for their oceanic-inspired fall collection. Their smart, functional his-and-her shoes were displayed on pedestals, as if they were objects of art and, given their craftsmanship and attention to detail, we wouldn’t disagree. The clothing, hanging on racks, was available for guests to interact with. If it weren’t for all the champagne on offer in the packed room, the fact that it was virtually impossible to do so might have been annoying. In a side space, a sensual four-minute video was screened. It followed models young and old in the arctic, dressed in a selection of winter coats, heavy knits and drop-crotch trousers.

Back at Berns Hotel for one of the last shows of the day, Post Fire Dew, a brawny label for the “unfashionable man,” the entire front row blushed. We forgot to take notes as drool-worthy lumberjacks, clad in striped long johns, wooly jackets and practical yet attractive snow boots captivated the audience. A contrast to the svelte, pretty male models seen throughout the week, these bearded Vikings laughed and teased, one stopping at the end of the carpet to provocatively stroke his beard before the cameras. Catcalls could be heard and a standing ovation looked like it might happen, not so much for the audience’s appreciation of handsome cold-weather basics, but for the welcome relief the display of masculinity provided in an otherwise skinny, pallid week.