“Death anxiety is just not a very funny subject,” AVAVAV creative director Beate Karlsson tells PAPER in reference to the Stockholm-based brand’s new ominously titled collection, “The Hole.” Presented at Milan Fashion Week, the Fall 2025 collection features zombified models arising from a dirt-filled grave wearing streetwear staples that evoke the potentially grotesque realities of human anatomy. Through the presence of frayed rib cages and “leather and jersey treatments that mimic distressed and wrinkled skin,” the collection alludes to the body’s vulnerability and the inevitability of decay. And though the garments’ morbid undertones are, according to Karlsson, “not very funny,” the drama and absurdity of the models’ resurrection is a definite continuation of the brand’s legacy of winking stunts and runway drama. Maybe there is some humor here. It’s just very, very dark.
That dark, coy humor can be seen through the collection’s high school motifs. There’s an American football jersey emblazoned with the word “Loser,” bulky shoulder pads throughout and a pair of red, retro gym shorts straight out of a twisted version of a John Hughes movie. Placing these nostalgic, teenage motifs in a collection haunted by death creates an absurd, discomforting contrast and serves as a grim reminder: Youth (often equated falsely with beauty) is never far away from the realities of the human body, with its skin that sags, bones that break and its inevitable collision course with mortality.
The collection’s dread-filled energy differs from AVAVAV’s own exciting trajectory. The Fall 2025 collection showcases the second edition of the brand’s collaboration with Adidas. This round features the Moonrubber Megaride, an absurdist sneaker with over-sized, clog-like soles, alongside the tamer, yet still bold Modified Superstar. “I really like how a small player like us can marry [our creativity with] someone as big as Adidas,” Karlsson shares. “The merging of two very different DNAs will never get boring for me as a designer.” Never boring for Karlsson, or for AVAVAV’s avid consumers who ate up last season’s track and field-inspired collab. And though this season’s partnership is gothic, rather than sporty, the brand’s fans are sure to enjoy a night of the living dead as much as a day on the field.
PAPER chatted with Karlsson about her new collection, anatomy and how AVAVAV continues to balance integrity with growth.
What was the initial inspiration behind this collection?
Thanatophobia [an intense fear of death or dying] and physical weakness.
A key theme of this collection is anatomy. What inspired you to explore anatomy and what methods did you use to do so?
Since the collection stems from physical weakness, anatomy naturally became a part of building the collection. I’ve explored rib caging and skeleton structures in distressed treatments, in artworks and prints, as well as silhouette. We’ve also played with leather and jersey treatments that mimic distressed and wrinkled skin.
You define this collection as streetwear, which is a term that is definitely up for interpretation. How do you define streetwear?
To me streetwear is everyday wear that is highly comfortable, both in material and silhouette.
You always play with humor in your shows. In what ways did humor show up in this collection?
This collection is probably my first one that has a less evident focus on humor, even though there’s definitely details that are leaning towards satire. Death anxiety is just not a very funny subject, I guess.
Last season you debuted your collection with Adidas Originals. What did the process of working with a giant global brand like Adidas teach you about the industry?
The Adidas Originals partnership has been an incredible learning experience and lots of fun. They’ve become the AVAVAV team’s second family. I really like how a small player like us can marry [our creativity with] someone as big as Adidas. The merging of two very different DNAs will never get boring for me as a designer.
As a young brand in a very competitive market, how do you approach balancing creativity with the realities of operating a business?
I think you need to have lots of integrity, [but meanwhile you need to] stay true and humble about the realities of the “industry rules” and know how and when to adapt or break away from them.
Photography: Ignacio Romualdi
Creative direction, production and video: Odie Senesh
