Efva Attling was born in Stockholm. She made her first piece of jewelry when she was only eleven years old. By the age of sixteen she was a pupil of one of Sweden’s greatest silversmiths. When Eileen Ford spotted her, a twelve-year-long modelling career began. Efva worked as a model in Milan, Paris, London and with Ford Models in New York, but she wanted to change her career, and so she did.
Having music in the family and in her heart, Efva started a band in 1981, called ‘The X Models’. The band had a hit ballad in the 80´s, “Two of us”, which Efva composed. While she kept on writing, singing and releasing records, she was also working with design in different projects. Efva has designed clothes for big, international brands such as Levi’s and H&M, and she also had her own line of maternity wear – “Pretty Pregnant”.
In the year of 1996, Efva went back to her origins: working with silver, gold and precious stones. Efva’s specialty is playing around with words and expressions. This gives the jewelry yet another dimension, ‘as I used to write lyrics, I still want to move people with words. I call my design “Beauty with a Thought”, she says
In addition, Efva has, over the years, designed eyeglasses, champagne glasses and had collaborations with clothing and accessories brands. I suppose this is common when you are a big designer.
I feel her rings with sayings inscribed on them have had their day, particularly as so many other brands have done (and ovedone) the same thing. And maybe her collaborations and work in other areas have made up for that. But some designers overlicense themselves – Gucci and Pierre Cardin during the 80s for example – and dilute their brand. I hope she does not do that.
Today I was in my local stationery shop and saw that Efva has a brand of notebooks and accessories out. Pens, keyrings, wallets, tote bags, bookmarks, and notebooks in varying sizes and designs. They come in lined and unlined paper, and I particularly liked the guest book, which would be perfect for weddings (if we are ever able to have traditional weddings again…). Each piece has a small piece of jewellery (silver or gold) embossed, attached, or dangling from it. Prices are reasonable and it is a way for stationery lovers to get their Efva Attling fix!
