Under The Radar: O. Files
Founded in 2018 by Oscar Jardorf in Copenhagen, O. Files draws inspiration from militaria, minimalism, and a touch of Japanese aesthetics. With a distinctive blend of ruggedness and cleanliness, O.Files redefines contemporary menswear through silhouettes that play with cropped and slouched proportions, and quality garments put together with artisanal precision. The result? Not just designer clothes but clothing with soul.
"I was studying fashion management, and when I was doing that, I was also starting to conceptualize the brand," Jardorf explains to me over Zoom during a family vacation in France. This academic background ultimately provided the skills necessary to navigate the complexities of the fashion industry. The brand [dates] back to 2018. I was just conceptualizing in my head what could be cool to make. I didn't necessarily think I wanted to create a brand, but I wanted to anticipate my iterations of the designs I liked."
Jardorf's journey began with creating a few samples in collaboration with a local tailor in Copenhagen. “We made some first samples and then I felt some kind of demand when I showed them on my Instagram,” he says. “The brand evolved from that moment on.” The organic response inspired O.Files’ first ready-to-wear collection for the Fall/Winter 2019 season.
Jardorf’s eyes light up in excitement when talking about craftsmanship and Danish and Italian tailors. Just a glance at these meticulously crafted pieces reveals the essence of the brand’s aesthetic: O. Files is a celebration of understated, stylish, and intentional menswear. Snow-washed heavyweight cotton sweaters, an effect is achieved through the use of potassium permanganate-soaked stones during the washing process, which creates a burnished and vintage look, hand-applied paint and bleach and vintage-washed denim jackets, each piece telling its own story. This is the world of O.Files, where every detail is a testament to artistry and dedication.
Jardorf cites designers like Helmut Lang and Dries Van Noten as influences though they didn’t directly inspire O. Files. ” We are not trying to tap in everywhere,” he explains. “We're trying to focus on what we are good at.”
Helped also by Julius Wiemann Raffeiner in the design evolution, the theme of Spring/Summer 2024 was "Metamorphosis," the transformation of everyday clothing into something more playful, and full of life. The theme is demonstrated by the collection’s hero piece, a double-lapeled cashmere coat crafted by a small Florence factory known for tailoring pieces for luxury giants like Margiela and Burberry. While crafted with the same precision and quality as its high-end counterparts, it pushes the boundaries of what classic tailoring can be, blending tradition with an innovative design language resulting in a piece that feels both timeless and refreshingly forward-thinking.
Jardorf also points to O.Files’ origami pants as a perfect blend of the brand’s design philosophy, bringing together Scandinavian minimalism and Japanese elegance. "We want to honor our Scandinavian roots and showcase that we’re from Copenhagen," he explains. "But then there's this unique touch, the origami flap. After visiting Japan in December, I realized how many parallels exist between Japanese and Scandinavian culture, particularly in Copenhagen." This fusion, he believes, defines O.Files.
But O.Files is also international. "We want to focus 100% on the community," says Jardorf. The designer and creative director has developed a grassroots following through behind-the-scenes YouTube videos, for instance, a process he describes as a “digital showroom” that serves as a window into the brand’s process. “When we’re creating samples, people see all the effort, all the time, all the thought put into every piece,” Jardorf explains. This level of transparency fosters a deeper connection with the audience, who "feel like they have some kind of attachment to the piece because they saw the first sample."
The YouTube videos also double as a feedback loop, allowing O.Files to gauge whether they’re resonating with their community. “The comment section is a good testing ground,” he notes. "Do they think of what we're doing? Are we on the right path?"
This sense of communal purpose guides O.Files’ next steps. "We want to make our e-commerce even more interactive, to expand it, and grow the community around the brand," Jardorf says.
His brand’s growth is more than business strategy — it’s deeply rooted in creative evolution. "Conceptually, we want to keep pushing boundaries. We have so many exciting ideas for what's next," Jardorf says. The Fall/Winter 2024 collection, releasing in three drops between mid-October and mid-November on O. Files website, is a natural progression. "You'll see echoes of this season’s vision, but with a new twist. I feel like we’re really on the right path when it comes to design. I'm really happy with where we are right now.”
