24/04/2026
Collijns was a major Swedish ready-to-wear manufacturer which, like many others in the industry, reached its peak during the late 1940s and early 1950s. The company’s formal name was AB Gunnar Collijn, and it was something of a pioneer in Swedish menswear production. As early as 1916, it had established a system for manufacturing men’s suits based on assembly-line principles, inspired by methods developed in the United States. This made Collijns garments particularly well suited to mail-order sales, and the brand would, over time, become closely associated with Åhlén & Holm - a mail-order company better known to Swedes today as “Åhléns”.
In 1924, the company introduced a form of price categorisation designed to help customers navigate its wide range according to their needs and means. “Ettan” (number one) was the most affordable category, followed by “Tvåan” (number two), which was marketed as a golden middle ground. “Trean” (number three), in turn, was presented as the most fashion-forward option. In addition, there was “Collijns Extra”, representing the finest garments the company could offer, as well as “Collijns Junior”, aimed at younger men.
The illustration above is taken from a mail-order catalogue by the aforementioned Åhlén & Holm, dating from 1934. The overcoat on the left and the golfing suit on the right belong to the “Ettan” (number one) category, while the three-piece suit in the centre represents the more refined “Trean” (number three).
