Big hugs from two strangers

No extra charge for smiles

There was lots of action at Sergels Torg on Saturday, despite the dreary grey clouds which constantly threatened but failed to deliver rain. Standing in the public square trying to decide where to have lunch, Alex and I were suddenly attacked by a trio with signs bearing the legend: “Free Hugs.”

Before I had time to blink, I had received big bear hugs from

Photographer with her soul on fire

Felicia Margineanu Photo: David B.

Felicia Margineanu is a young woman who seems to be burning with creative passion. She is only 18 years old and already works as a professional photographer, with her own business.
Some months ago Felicia shot three separate fashion/press events for me in a single day, and did a great job. At an age when many of her peers are thinking more about recreation than avocation, Felica is moving full-speed towards the fulfilment of her dreams.

Yesterday evening I caught up with her (and her friend Jonni) on the steps of Stockholm’s Gustav Vasa church, near the Odenplan subway stop.
”I’ve had four shoots already this week,” Felicia told me –and it was only Wednesday!

Many people have already heard about Ms. Margineanu for a special reason: After national elections brought an anti-immigrant political party into the Swedish parliament in 2010, Felicia—just 17 years old at the time—used Facebook to call for a public

The secret life of Swedes

Back from Bali: Nizar in Ray-Bans and Lena shining in gold

When its 23 degrees (73 F) outside and sunny it is compulsary in this country to eat your lunch outside, in the open air. That is what I did on Tuesday, together with my old friend Nizar and his partner Lena. We noshed on spicy Lebanese takeaway on the stone stairs of Stockholm’s Konserthuset, opposite the veggie and flower stalls of the open market.

The couple was back in the Swedish capital after nine months in Bali. Nizar, a native of Indonesia, is working these day as head chef of JP’s Warungclub, one of that country’s top restaurant/nighclubs. (check out video on Youtube where murderous Ninjas invade his kitchen at:”Introducing the New JP’s Warungclub with Chef Nizar / episode #3″).

My first (and only) gig as male model

A shady character

I recently visited the studio of photographer Cengiz Bozkaya in order to have my photo taken wearing various models of Ashade sunglasses. They are a new brand of “organic eyewear” designed in Sweden that will be coming on the market in a few months. A blonde woman named Johanna was the female model.

We took turns standing against a large, three-sided white backdrop wearing the shades and turning our heads in various directions. “Put your chin up a bit up. Look directly in the camera again. Tie your hair back tighter. Hands on the hips, please… and now we’ll try it with your hair fluffier.”

It is an interesting experience to serve as a model for the first time. It was also rather fun. I got to pose

Shawls and trinkets get new life

You can find them at most second-hand stores, the colorful shawls and scarves that once delighted someone at Christmas or a birthday. They often end their lives sadly in a big barrel in a second-hand store. Susanne Beskow, the founder of the he Van Deurs label, takes the textile orphans she finds in the Myrorna charity shops and combines them with vintage costume jewelry to make fun purses and bags.

The “up-cycled” vintage bags can be found at the Van Deur shop in Stockholm, at Snickarbacken 7.

Versace glamour at H&M prices

Part of Versace for H&M collection

The hysteria among fashion addicts sparked by H&M’s recent collaboration with Lanvin has hardly subsided. Now H&M has snagged another celebrity. The Swedish fashion retailer announced today that its autumn 2011 designer collaboration will be with Donatella Versace.

The collection will include ranges for women, men and selected pieces for the home. It will be available from 17 November in some 300 stores worldwide, as well as on-line. In addition, Donatella Versace has also designed a pre-spring collection for H&M which will be exclusively available in countries with H&M on-line sales from January 19, 2012.

“Versace is one of the most important brands of recent times, and their collection for H&M will be glamorous and flamboyant – everything Versace stands for. Donatella Versace is sharing with us iconic designs from the archives. This is such a celebratory collaboration and it is perfect for the party season,” says Margareta van den Bosch, creative advisor at H&M.

Fashion calendar for Fall 2011

Old Customs Warehouse: New venue for Helsinki Design Week

Summer in Scandinavia is brief as a sneeze. Achoo! Before you have time to recover from your pollen allergy it is time to deport your flip-flops and swim suits to the bottom drawer in your closet. August means the start of another round of fashion weeks, fairs and festivals.

Danish collections will hit the runways in Copenhagen from August 3-7. As usual, there will be an infinite number of events at CPH Vision, Terminial 2, Gallery and the Copenhagen International Fashion Fair.
Sweden is next on the program, with the Stockholm Fashion Week, running from August 8-14 and its sister event Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Stockholm, Aug. 9-11.
Oslo Fashion Week takes place during the same time frame, from August 8-18.

Some Finnish styles will be showcased during Helsinki Design Week , September 9-18, followed by a separate shindig–Helsinki Fashion Week— which takes place two months later, from October 21-23.

Frida G. and Alex Skarsgård in Vogue USA

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Swedish model Frida Gustavsson is red-hot, as is the acting career of Alexander Skarsgård. The Swedish duo, together with model Lara Stone, are featured in an editorial called “Spellbound” published in the July 2011 issue of Vogue USA. The editorial was shot by Peter Lindbergh, with styling by Grace Coddington. The mood in the shoot is nostalgic, with references to film noir of the 1940s.

Alexander Skarsgård is no stranger to celluloid and TV. He is already well-known to Yanks from his starring roles in Trueblood and Generation Kill. Together with his actor-father Stellan, Alexander appears in Lars von Trier’s new film Melancholia.

Candy clogs in Helsinki

Clogs seem to be making a comeback this summer. Check out this cheeky footwear from Saara Kivimäki of Helsinki. You can try them on at the Napa Shop if you ever happen to find yourself near Eerikinkatu 18 in the Finnish capital. The bright shoes are available in sizes 41-45, with laces in various colors.

I find it practical to keep a pair of old-school white clogs—big as aircraft carriers– stashed right behind my back door. They’re indestructible, and perfect when I’m barefoot or in socks and want to go onto the lawn on a cold, rainy day.

Artistic spark at Post Fire Dew

Helene Billgren, a popular Swedish artist and scenographer whose work is represented in a number of major museums, has designed a sweet, free-spirited print which appears on several of the shirts in the 2012 collection of Post Fire Dew. The picture seems to say “summer vacation.”
I
I stopped by Berns Bistro on Wednesday to get a look at the new Post Fire Dew collection. The talented senior designer Ylva Liljeförs, who once won Sweden’s main fashion prize (the Golden Button), showed me some of the small, colorful details–such as a row of buttons on the cuffs of a long-sleeved shirt—which give her creations a special flair.

Post Fire Dew, the men’s line of the company Odd Molly, was founded in 2009.