From North to South: How Style Shifts Across Cultures

Minimalism with warmth, comfort with boldness: two different climates, two different styles

Style is shaped by more than trends — it’s deeply connected to geography, climate, and daily life. When we look at Northern and Southern Europe, it’s easy to notice how different life rhythms are mirrored in how people dress. But what happens when you look a little closer? You begin to see that simplicity isn’t exclusive to the North, and color isn’t limited to the South.

Scandinavian Style: Clean Lines, Bold Colors

Scandinavian fashion is often labeled as "minimalist," but it’s a rich and layered kind of minimalism. Yes, it embraces clean silhouettes and functionality, but it also allows space for bold color blocks and large-scale prints — especially in brands like Marimekko, known for its vivid, abstract patterns and strong visual identity.

Other Scandinavian labels like Ganni, ARKET, Filippa K, and COS all interpret minimalism in their own way: sometimes playful, sometimes muted, but almost always rooted in ease and timelessness. Fabrics are often smooth and structured, and color palettes can go from soft neutrals to vibrant primaries — a surprising contrast to the cool, gray climates they come from.

Mediterranean Style: Texture, Lightness, Simplicity

Mediterranean fashion used to be synonymous with rich patterns, small motifs, and vivid floral prints — drawing inspiration from the region’s sun-soaked nature and artisanal past. But in recent years, this style has undergone a quiet transformation. Today, many Mediterranean brands lean toward solid, natural tones, textured fabrics like muslin, seersucker, and woven straw, and flowing silhouettes that feel effortless and free.

Instead of busy patterns, fabric texture has taken the lead. A wrinkled cotton, a breathable linen, or a coarse open weave can now express what a pattern once did: richness, detail, and cultural warmth.

Brands like Masscob, Baserange, Sessùn, and Jacquemus reflect this new direction — and in this same spirit, ME LIKE stands as a strong, independent voice that blends the tactile softness of the South with the clean shapes of the North.

Scale and Sensation: From Print to Texture

There’s an interesting contrast between how each region approaches visual density. Scandinavian design often uses large-scale prints with open space — designs are allowed to “breathe.” In contrast, traditional Mediterranean motifs were once smaller, more frequent, and visually fuller. Today, instead of visual fullness, material fullness has taken over: where there were once intricate prints, now there are woven structures and layered textures.

In short, the fullness hasn’t disappeared — it’s just changed form.

A New Balance: Where North and South Meet

Today’s fashion is no longer strictly defined by geography. We see more brands — and more wearers — choosing to mix influences. A Northern structure can meet Southern warmth in a single outfit. A textured Mediterranean wrap dress can be paired with bold Scandinavian sneakers. Or a clean, architectural linen piece can carry the softness of coastal living.

ME LIKE, along with the brands mentioned above, is part of this new balance. It doesn’t force a choice between North and South, between simplicity and expression. It embraces both — creating something that feels familiar yet new, minimal yet rich.

✨ Mini Fact Box: Hygge & La Dolce Vita

“Hygge” (Danish) refers to a quiet, cozy feeling of wellbeing — simple pleasures and comfort.

“La Dolce Vita” (Italian) is about living sweetly and fully — enjoying the richness of life.

Both ideas may seem different, but in fashion they meet in the same place: dressing in a way that feels good, natural, and human.