Toteme is one of those brands you can usually recognise within seconds. The striped scarves, long coats, straight silhouettes and flat boots have become closely associated with its particular version of modern Scandinavian style.
by Mats Gustafson
The individual pieces are often simple: neutral colours, clean lines and very little visible decoration. What makes Toteme worth analysing is the consistency with which those pieces are shaped, combined and repeated. While many brands change direction from one season to the next, Toteme keeps returning to the same proportions, materials and styling formulas.
That repetition gives the clothes a clear identity. Long silhouettes, controlled volume, tonal layering and minimal accessories appear across collections and campaigns, making even a simple outfit feel unmistakably connected to the brand.
The interesting part is not simply that Toteme looks minimal, but how a small number of repeated choices make the clothes feel so distinctive.
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Toteme at a glance
Toteme is a Stockholm-based contemporary luxury fashion brand founded in 2014 by Elin Kling and Karl Lindman. Although they launched the brand while living in New York, it is now based in Stockholm and still feels closely tied to a Swedish way of dressing: practical, pared back and built around pieces that can be worn often.
From the beginning, the idea was to create a kind of modern uniform rather than a completely new wardrobe every season. Toteme still works that way. Familiar shapes return, successful pieces are refined, and the collections are designed to sit alongside one another.
Toteme is generally considered a contemporary luxury brand. It sits above premium high-street labels, but below brands at the very top of the luxury market, such as The Row, Hermès or Loro Piana.
Toteme is best known for its outerwear, especially the Embroidered Scarf Jacket, along with oversized wool coats, striped knits, T-Lock bags, shearling jackets and simple leather shoes. These signature pieces gave the brand a clear identity and helped it stand out among other minimalist labels.
Fashion editors, celebrities and social media increased its visibility, but the appeal was already easy to understand: the clothes felt distinctive without relying on prominent logos.
In my view, Toteme is most worth the price for pieces where the cut, fabric and construction are central, particularly outerwear, knitwear and signature accessories, while some of its simpler basics can be recreated for less.
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The Toteme formula
Toteme’s aesthetic becomes clearer when you stop looking at individual pieces and start looking at what repeats across the wardrobe.
Long lines, controlled volume, substantial fabrics, tonal colours and accessories chosen to match the proportions of the clothes all support one another. None of these choices is especially dramatic on its own. Together, they create a very recognisable way of dressing.
These ideas become easier to recognise when they are applied to complete looks, which is why I also broke them down into six Toteme-inspired autumn outfit formulas that can be recreated with pieces already in your wardrobe.
Long, continuous lines
Across collections, Toteme consistently favours length. Coats extend through the body, trousers are rarely cropped, and knitwear often sits lower on the hip. This creates a continuous line through the silhouette.
Therefore, length becomes a defining feature. Toteme doesn’t use contrast or detail to shape an outfit. They let proportion do the work. This leads to a look that feels deliberate, even when the individual pieces are simple. This is closely connected to proportion and balance, which often have a greater impact on an outfit than decorative details.
Try this: Focus on length first. Choose coats that fall below the knee, trousers that skim the shoe, and avoid cropped lengths or abrupt hems that break the vertical line.
The look for less:
Long wool coats and full-length trousers often capture this part of Toteme’s style more convincingly than shorter or more detailed alternatives. Look for pieces that fall cleanly and keep the line of the outfit uninterrupted.
Shape without obvious emphasis
Toteme uses shape, but it rarely makes it the focus. Clothes are cut to follow the body without clinging to it. The shoulder line and the structure of the fabric often create the shape. Waists are gently shaped, but not highlighted with belts, darts or obvious tailoring details. The shaping is built into the garment without becoming an obvious feature.
Because the silhouette is built into the garment itself, pieces feel strong and complete without needing extra styling. They look finished on their own, as the structure comes from proportion and cut.
Try this: Choose garments that hold their shape naturally. A coat or jacket should feel intentional when worn open, without relying on cinching or tightness.
The look for less:
Look for clean tailoring with some weight to the fabric. Avoid styles that depend on darts or obvious shaping to appear polished.
Controlled oversizing
Oversized silhouettes appear regularly in Toteme’s collections, but they are always deliberate. The pieces have volume, but the effect is more controlled than exaggerated. This is one of the reasons Toteme outfits often feel so effortless. The proportions are carefully considered rather than accidental, something I explore further in The Secret Behind Effortless Outfits That Always Look Elegant.
Coats, knitwear and scarves are often cut with extra volume. However, the overall silhouette stays clean. Because this scale shows up across different pieces, it feels cohesive and easy to wear.
Try this: Choose one oversized piece. Build the rest of the outfit with straight, relaxed shapes and minimal detailing so the proportions stay balanced.
The look for less:
Oversized pieces that look purposeful on the hanger tend to translate best. Shape and fabric weight matter more than following volume trends.
Accessories that follow the same logic
At Toteme, accessories feel like part of the outfit, not an afterthought. Scarves are often large and worn loosely. They help extend the line of the look, instead of adding decoration. Bags are simple and structured. They are chosen to sit naturally within the outfit.
The focus stays on the silhouette. Accessories follow the same logic as the clothing. They reinforce the overall shape without pulling attention away from it.
Try this: Choose accessories that match the scale of your clothes. If your outfit is long or oversized, use larger scarves and structured bags so everything feels balanced.
The look for less:
Larger scarves in heavier materials and clean, structured bags tend to align more closely with Toteme’s aesthetic than smaller and decorative options.
Materials that carry the design
Toteme relies on materials that can support simple silhouettes. Wool coats have weight, knitwear feels dense, and lighter fabrics still maintain structure. Toteme’s knitwear also demonstrates why investing in quality knitwear can transform otherwise simple outfits.
Because the fabrics do much of the visual work, the designs can remain simple. Texture and finish do the work instead of extra details. This is one reason understanding luxury fabrics that make clothes look expensive makes such a difference when building a wardrobe.
Try this: When comparing two similar items, look for the one that holds the intended shape, falls cleanly, feels substantial enough for the design and does not wrinkle too easily. The right fabric does not always need to be heavy, but it should support the silhouette.
The look for less:
Compact knits, brushed wool blends and heavier cottons can create a similar effect, even at a lower price point.
A palette designed for repetition
Toteme’s colour palette is intentionally narrow. Neutrals are layered in related tones instead of contrasted sharply. If you enjoy this approach, I have written more about creating interest in monochrome outfits without relying on bold colour.
The effect is outfits that feel cohesive and easy to repeat. Colour supports the silhouette without drawing attention to itself.
Try this: Build outfits within one colour family, mixing slightly different shades to keep the look cohesive.
The look for less:
High-street neutrals often work best when worn together. Similar shades layered head to toe tend to feel more intentional.
Join readers interested in elegant style, refined interiors and simple ways to elevate everyday life.
What Toteme’s style really represents
Toteme is not about minimalism as a trend. It is about consistency. The same ideas return season after season, refined over time.
That consistency shows up everywhere: in long, uninterrupted lines; in shaping that is built into the garment; in volume that feels deliberate; in accessories and materials that support the silhouette; and in a colour palette designed to repeat easily. Nothing is accidental, and nothing is there only for effect.
This discipline is what gives the brand its strength. Toteme feels modern because it knows what to keep, and recognisable because it does not rely on obvious signatures. The clothes work together, age well and make sense across different contexts.
Seen this way, Toteme’s aesthetic is less about buying into a look and more about understanding a way of dressing. Once the underlying principles are clear, they become easy to apply beyond the brand itself, in how pieces are chosen, combined and worn over time.
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