AMSTERDAM - CHRISTMAS SWEATERS FOR PASSOVER

The first time we ever saw Lars Holdhus he climbed on a stage absolutely hammered wrapped in red-and-white plastic tape and started dry humping the androgynous singer of an intensely mediocre rock/electro band. After his stint, he lay still onstage until security pulled him off it and, remarkably, set him loose in the audience again. Afterwards, we found out he has a fabulous collection of Christmas sweaters, and that he’s put pictures of himself wearing the horrific things here. When we saw that, we just had to ask this Amsterdam-based Norwegian superstar a couple of questions.

Vice: Hi Lars, how are you?
Lars: At the moment I'm at the Galapagos islands! It´s too hot to wear sweaters, but I´m looking for Christmas t-shirts at the moment. I brought some Christmas t-shirts with me and some sweaters.

What's the point? How and why did you start collecting these sweaters?
It started with one sweater I found in Germany. Before the Christmas sweaters I was into Disney and cats. In Germany I found one with Christmas and Disney together. I started to wear it and I liked that it was so comfortable. I´m mostly into sweatshirts and not so much into sweaters. There is a big difference for me between those two.

What's the difference?
This is a sweatshirt.
And this is a sweater.

OK, so how often do you wear your Christmas sweatshirts, and to what or which occasions?
I wear them every day. Before I took pictures of them all I was only wearing four of them. I´m afraid of getting stains and dirt on them. That´s why I´m only wearing my favorite sweaters for special occasions like birthdays and holidays.

So which are your favorites?
I have a lot of favorites. The best sweatshirts have a lot of print and details. They tell a story. This is one of them:

What are people's reactions when you wear the sweatshirts?
People ask me why I wear Christmas sweaters in the summertime. People laugh at me sometimes. Most people like it. My friends have started to give me sweaters now and I appreciate that a lot. Something else that's funny: last time I got my friend to bring me a lot of sweaters from United States. When he came to customs they started to check his bags. Everything they found was packages from different people in United States thanking my friend and wishing him a merry Christmas. The customs officer started to take a knife and cut through some of the bags to check what was in it. Then my friend had to explain why he had 40 kilos of Christmas sweaters with him...

Would you consider collecting other types of clothing, for instance different colors of Crocs?
I collect everything I find interesting. I used to collect basketball posters and empty Pringles boxes. Then I started to collect everything. Now I focus on some big collections with a lot of smaller collections on the side. I collect miniature horses. I have around 400 of them from different countries. I take portraits of them also. I have just recently started to collect postcard with ships on them. I also collect Christmas cups, Christmas t-shirts, Christmas denim shirts, Disney cups and horse pictures/paintings.

You're kind of creepy.

JAN VAN TIENEN

Comments

[Hobie]

Um, I'm pretty positive the green one is the best sweater I have ever seen. The flowers on the sleeves are killing me.

[Londrinense]

Wow. Lars was born with one expression, period. He looks exactly like that on all pics. I thought those sweaters made him happy. Chevy Chase and Cosby would envy that collection.

[keith hernandez]

this is why i am pro-sweatshop labor. add a slap-on bracelet and voila you have the ultimate party gear.

[The Host]

Wow... The craftwork on getting the Close bar on the wreath sweater is excellent. That knitter deserves a raise and health benefits.

[lmnop]

I prefer sweater over sweatshirts myself, but I respect his choice

[bigsquid]

collecting empty Pringle containers would be pretty dumb. your basically collecting garbage.

[scrooge]

God i have a problem with xmas at the best of times. but this is making me puke. god we have to enjoy it once a year, why the hell would you put it on people every day! bah humbug.

[Space Cavity]

I see what you're doing Vice! And NO means NO! I can't...first this, then cosby sweaters, then fuckin cat knit sweaters, then people are going to be wearing doily underwea....actually thats cute.

[Captured]

Are those two pictures using that superimposition of sweaters technology because ive never seen anyone master the same shot like this guy.

[Captured]

in FOTC Bret annoyingly flaunts a massive sweatshirt collection. Sweatshirts can suck it because everyone wants a hood eventually.

[is the loe]

Lars says he collects quite a few things. Cute. But I think if you have one Christmas sweater (especially the green one) you've maxed out that collection.

[Hoakley]

i've never taken balloons with me skiing. i have been missing out on the balloon factor of my winter time sports.

[anonymous]

holy shit his collection is truly extensive

[Scaredy Cats are for Dogs...]

Why, It's Matt Damon from that really bad movie with Jude Law. The one with the Jazz and creepy psycho behavior.... Mr. Ripley, that's the one. Creeper McCreeperson is on the rise

[7-11 was an inside job]

i got one just like that for my poodle

[Patrick]

His name is Lars. He has lips Dennis Rodman would die for. Watcha wearin t'day Lars? "Christmas sweatshirt" That's nice Lars. Hey Lars, you wanna grab a cup o' cocoa and sit down and tell me in your sweet, fragmented scandinavian accent about the birth of Jesus while we watch the April flowers bloom and I appreciate the grand mind blowing diversity of humankind? Me too! Oh Lars....

[Zuri]

Nice sweaters. I read his in the Galapagos Islands right now. I am sure his enjoying that Archipelago because it is the most incredible living museum of evolutionary changes, with a huge variety of exotic species (birds, land animals, plants) not seen anywhere else. The landscapes are also out of this world.

I am not sure if he will find sweaters in Galapagos but ee will find many of them in Otavalo in mainland Ecuador.

[Siina]

THIS IS SICK! YOU PERVERT(S)!!!