This summer, Ellen Hodakova Larsson was ready to take to the seas to refresh herself ahead of another fashion season.

What she got was a front-row seat to what happens to the oceans when a summer of oppressive heat rolls in, with no rain or wind to mitigate it. To ease the resulting climate anxiety, expressed in a stream of consciousness poem printed on the folded paper boats left on each seat, the Swedish designer looked to older habits and ways of making for a spring collection that felt surprisingly breezy given its heavy inspiration.

As is her wont, Larsson built around materials that already exist, this time tweaking her textiles with surface treatments in natural materials. Wax from a Stockholm beekeeper made deadstock viscose translucent and papery. Backstage, she also mentioned using pine tar, used to make boats watertight before plastic and metal.

For spring , she pulled back on the more conceptual side of her work, favoring a sleek “conventional wardrobe.” There were little shift dresses, slinky lingerie-style slips with delicately scalloped edges, slimline blazers and shirts. Antique linens were turned into nightgowns and sailor dresses. All with a ‘90s flavor that felt of the moment.

That remained even when she reached for existing objects, hitting pitch perfect between charming and canny recuperation. What she later revealed were old washing machine covers were turned into dresses and a skirt set with blousy volumes. Her now-signature upside-down trousers appeared as skin-baring V-neck shift dresses, while hand-knotted cotton nets and their industrial counterparts became dramatic slinky gowns.

While the core of Hodakova’s sustainable message remained — along with trompe-l’oeil eyes suggesting no one can look away — her refreshing lineup also suggested that she can make it sensual and salable, too.