‘Style Universe’ TOTEME Opens in Palisades Village

By LILY TINOCO | Assistant Editor

A new storefront opened at Palisades Village on Friday, November 10: TOTEME.

The store is located between diptyque and Sephora Studio, in a space previously occupied by Carbon38, which closed earlier this year.

Based in Stockholm, TOTEME was founded in 2014 by Elin Kling and Karl Lindman. It is described as being a “style universe” with a “singular aesthetic.”

“The label explores the appeal of a modern uniform through distinct design cues, meticulous craftsmanship and methodic repetition,” according to a description. “Inspired by women’s lives and needs, the ambition is to define a dress code and wardrobe that backs their purpose.”

TOTEME’s pieces are produced in Italy, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, Lithuania, Romania and China. Shoes and bags are primarily made in Italy, and all of TOTEME’s jewelry is handcrafted in Tuscany, Italy.

There are approximately 43 suppliers in total, and manufacturing countries and factories are chosen based on fabric or category.

“Portugal, for example, has a long tradition of working with jersey, with a wide variety of yarn spinners and knitting mills,” according to its website. “In China, we produce pieces with complex finishes, such as smocking, due to the country’s high technical skills.”

TOTEME stated that it works actively to increase transparency throughout the supply chain and aims to reach full traceability for every piece—“from raw material to finished product”—by 2025. The brand also hopes to source 100% “preferred materials” by 2025.

Some preferred materials used in TOTEME’s current collection include organic cotton produced without the use of synthetic chemicals or genetically modified organisms, recycled polyester and polyamide sourced from plastic waste, recycled cashmere sourced from post-consumer yarn, and European-sourced flax, a natural fiber that requires minimal pesticides and helps preserve soil and water resources, according to TOTEME.

TOTEME has long-term goals driven by environmental sustainability, the brand continued. As a member of the Swedish Textile Initiative for Climate Action, TOTEME intentionally makes decisions “that work in favor of the climate.”

“TOTEME is committed to operate in an environmentally sustainable manner to protect consumers, workers and the environment,” according to its website. “We follow requirements for chemical management in line with current national and EU legislation, including the REACH legislation and voluntary eco-labeling schemes.”