ABOUT CASUAL PRIEST
My vision when I created the Casual Priest collection was to strengthen ordained women in their professional role through clothing. I started the brand when a friend asked me to make her a clerical shirt. She wasn’t happy with the shirts on the market that seemed to be made for men. I suggested a comfortable, well-fitted jersey top instead, and when we got so many comments and requests for the top, I made a small collection of both jersey tops and dresses to show at the theological college in Uppsala, [Sweden] in the Spring of 2002. It was very well received by the students, and word spread about this new brand! I realized the need for clerical garments designed for women – not just another men’s shirt harkening back to a “male norm” or a male-dominated history in clergy wear.
The challenge when designing attire for priests and deacons is to create practical pieces that look good, are simple and timeless, whilst communicating self-value and confidence. We have chosen to make items from a versatile and comfortable Viscose Jersey fabric, with excellent qualities that maintain color and shape. We are slowly allowing the collection to grow and develop by introducing new models and qualities. It is also important to think sustainably regarding the design process and for the garments themselves. The quality is high, the design is timeless and we also have a No-Waste attitude in the studio. Out of our production scraps we create a new patchwork-fabric that refine what would otherwise be made waste.
It is important for me to empower people through clothing; Clothing represents who you are, and it is therefore important to feel comfortable, well-dressed, and confident in your clericals. I meet lots of women in ministry, and we often have interesting talks about how you are treated as a woman and a priest. If your clerical clothes can give you a strength to come as you are and feel strong, you can meet people on a deeper level, I think. With these talks with women who are priests as my inspiration, I put together an exhibition… a few years ago It’s called “Casual Priest Stories.”
Today we are selling the Casual Priest-garments in Scandinavia, Europe, North America and Australia, and it is wonderful to receive all the good response from our costumers from all over the world.