Manifest
Since the breakout of Covid-19, the freedom maintained by the Scandinavians has been the subject of some admiration, a great deal of envy and most of all; a lot of ridicule and scorn. Whether you think it good or bad, Scandinavians, and Swedes in particular, have had a very different experience of the pandemic
than the rest of the world.
Two factors make up the major differences: Firstly - no lockdown (Sweden), and secondly “Allemansrätten”, the Outdoor Access Rights that give all people the right to go anywhere they want in Swedish nature. The fact that, during the pandemic, we have been able to keep on moving around freely in society and getting on with our lives, and the fact that we have spent much more time outside and in nature, may have had a profound effect on us. It may have caused many Scandinavians to make life changes - large or small - as a direct effect of the pandemic. I am one of these people. And many of my Scandinavian friends have reevaluated their lives and made significant changes to the way they live. I want to explore the subject further and through a series of short interviews collect other stories, of other Scandinavians. The purpose is to gain insight into whether we, since the start of the pandemic, have changed as people and as a society? And I would secondly like to attempt to unlock the key to the question: what exactly constitutes the Scandinavian Art of Living Well? Call it an anthropological field work study of sorts, or a collection of insights into the Scandinavian post-Covid mind. Or just plainly interesting life stories. But whatever Living Scandi might turn out to be, I hope that you will enjoy joining me here and find inspiration in reading it.
About me
I am many things: An academic, a writer, a content producer, a communications- and marketing specialist and branding specialist. I am a skilled editor and sometimes stylist with a keen eye for aesthetics.
Essentially, I am an art historian and scholar specialising in fashion history and theory. I studied for my BA at Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design and I have an MA in the interdisciplinary field of Visual Culture. My BA studies at Central Saint Martins has largely shaped me as a thinker and as a creative. It nurtured me to become innovative and well informed, a responsible writer and communicator, as well as a brand creator and developer. Walking down the same corridors at Charing Cross as John Galliano, Alexander McQueen and Phoebe Philo had done before me, and being tutored for my final year group project by the late and great Louise Wilson was as terrific and brilliant as one might imagine. As an academic, I have been a guest lecturer at The Royal Armoury in Stockholm and I have worked as an archivist, writer and museum educator at Tjolöholm manor house. I have curatorial experience from working on exhibitions for The Victoria & Albert Museum, Museum of London and Kensington Palace.
My career has taken me down many a different path. But the common denominator to all my professional experience is branding and communication. I have worked as a journalist and fashion editor, as a strategic communications consultant, branding consultant and as a copywriter. I have worked freelance and I have run my own communications and branding agency. I have founded my own shoe brand for which I designed the product, created the brand identity, carried out all brand work, marketing, PR and designed, built and ran a showroom.
I have written extensively for many fashion and lifestyle magazines, Swedish and international, and I was a regular contributor to the Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet for many years. I lived in London for seven years and have mainly worked with international clients. To name a few, I have worked with brands such as Ralph Lauren (NYC), Louis Vuitton and Pringle of Scotland.
I am currently running a small consultancy, specialised in communications & branding strategy, content production and copywriting. I am also working on a novel for middle schoolers, where I combine my art history knowledge with a bit of classic mystery fiction.
Ultimately, I am interested in people, in telling stories and through this, from a social, historical and cultural context, explore who we are as a society and as humans.