Wrapped up in the warmest of jackets we headed over to Sweden’s bustling capital, Stockholm. A pretty city that sparkles under ice while we shiver in our boots. But whatever the weather, this city produces greatness - from the annual Nobel prize ceremonies, to the D-floor favorite, Abba! We were in for a treat.
Parading around the city we played dress ups with our fresh-faced models, some vintage goodies, and our favorite Stockholm brand (Acne Studios <3). While the day hailed winter over us (see photos for ice!) it didn’t stop us from having a blast and snapping some epic pics—browse above. And before departure, we made sure to fish in a few words from our gorgeous locals—eats, memories, and new year motivations, so you can get to know them too!
Read on to get a little Stockholm insight.
Name: Mai Linh
Nickname(s): Maja
Age: 16
Starsign: Aquarius
Where are you originally from, and how long have you been in Stockholm for?
I’m originally from Vietnam, but I moved to Stockholm when I was 4 month and have lived here since then.
Where are your favourite places to eat, shop and drink in Stockholm?
My favourite place to eat is Miss Voon and my favourite place to shop are NK and & Other Stories. Since I am under 18 I don't have any favourite place to drink :)
When you’re off the clock, where can you be found?
With friends or in bed :)
What are your goals for 2018?
To focus more in school and to develop my modelling experience.
What’s one of your favourite memories from living in Stockholm?
To walk along Djurgården on a sunny day.
Give us two reasons we should move to Stockholm?
The beautiful city and the people.
Name: Saga
Nickname(s): Foxy Sagz
Age: 22
Starsign: Capricorn
Where are you originally from, and how long have you been in Stockholm for?
I’m born and raised at Stureplan - it’s down town and where the parties at.
Where are your favourite places to eat, shop and drink in Stockholm?
My fav restaurant is Melt! It’s inspired by the US in the 20’s. You get your drinks served in crystals and pour it into small coffee cups. During dinner there are small performances and when you’re done eating there is a small burlesque show downstairs you can enjoy!!! Fav place to shop is Humana 2nd hand and fav club is Spybar.
When you’re off the clock, where can you be found?
In the studio with my band writing songs. My band is called Dolores Haze and we are working on our second album. We have a single coming up called Banana, and I’m going to direct the music video for it soon.
What are your goals for 2018?
Have as much fun as possible and create as much as possible!!! And buy more ceramics.
What’s one of your favourite memories from living in Stockholm?
I’ve got waaaaay to many since I’ve grown up here. But I can tell you about one time I tried to sneak in at a music festival.
Stockholm is made up of different islands. The music festival ‘Stockholm music and arts’ was located on one. I wanted to see Paddi Smith so bad and when I couldn’t get tickets I decided to just go on the night and try sneak in. We tried bribing the guards with chocolate and jumping the fence. Then I spotted two German dudes in a tiny rubber boat, we joined them and I convinced us all to paddle in the boat around the island to the festival. I was so excited! We got closer and closer but when we were almost there a flashlight hit us and BUSTED. We had to turn back and I didn’t get to see Paddi. But at least we could say we truly tried! I recommend buying tickets the day they come out, haha.
Give us two reasons we should move to Stockholm too!
The people I’ve gotten to know in this place are simply amazing. People here are very driven and create new clubs, gigs and happenings to make our city more fun! Also, it’s not the biggest city so everyone knows each other, so it’s easy to make friends here, especially if you’re not from Sweden since swedes love to speak English.
Name: Toussaint Ishimwe
Nickname(s): Tusse, sadly.
Age: 23
Starsign: Scorpio
Where are you originally from, and how long have you been in Stockholm for?
I was born in Burundi, a beautiful small country in the heart of Africa. As of today I live in Uppsala where I study at Uppsala university. It’s like half an hour from Stockholm. I spend most of my time in Stockholm since I’m doing my master thesis here and most of the modeling jobs I do are located in stockholm.
Where are your favourite places to eat, shop and drink in Stockholm?
I have a major sweet tooth, so CHOIJ’S Pancake Café is where I love to indulge in my guilty pleasure.
If I’m going for some shopping and to eat I usually go to Mall of Scandinavia, since they have everything under the same roof. They have a wide selection of restaurants and stores. I personally have unfinished business with the food at Indian garden, it’s so good!
Now that summer is approaching, my favourite place to go for some drinks is Slakthustaket.
When you’re off the clock, where can you be found?
I’m spontaneous so I take each day as it comes, but I usually make time for my friends where we go for dinner and some drinks.
What are your goals for 2018?
To reach professional success but most importantly be a better human being than I am today.
What’s one of your favourite memories from living in Stockholm?
I don’t live in Stockholm yet, but my favourite memories got to be summer day parties at slakhuset hosted by ImOnARoof.
Give us two reasons we should move to Stockholm too!
Stockholm is a beautiful city with a ”cool” vibe to it. You should move to Stockholm for its trendy restaurants and for some of the best fashion in Europe.
Name: Magdalena Wolde Selassie (unrelated to Hailie Selassie)
Nickname: Magda, it’s how I introduce myself
Age: 21
Starsign: Libra
Where are you originally from, and how long have you been in Stockholm for?
I am born and raised here!
Where are your favourite places to eat, shop and drink in Stockholm?
Rosendal is perfect in summer, it is a garden but they also have a cafe/restaurant and a little shop. For shopping I’d say Stadsmissionen, but you really need to be on your thifting-grind if you want to find anything good, I usually just hang around in the store to look at all the weird things. For drinks, i recommend any good old ”sunkhak” (Swedish for bars that aren’t that fancy), like Balthazar or Carmen.
When you’re off the clock, where can you be found?
Running around Stockholm town, probably almost late to something half-important. Or on any dance floor ever.
What are your goals for 2018?
I want to keep modelling and I want to pass all my math-courses. That’s all I want!
What’s one of your favourite memories from living in Stockholm?
The Stockholmian spring is amazing! After a couple of months of cold and dark you feel super energised by the sun returning, it is literally the best feeling.
Give us two reasons we should move to Stockholm too!
Cool people and cool architecture!
Name: Carolina Elgemyr
Nickname(s): Carro, Elgen (means moose, after my last name)
Age: 17
Starsign: Libra
Where are you originally from, and how long have you been in Stockholm for?
I was born in the middle of Stockholm. When I was six years old we moved a bit outside the city because my parents wanted me to grow up close to the sea. My friends from school think I live in the countryside, but I would still say that I live in Stockholm as it’s just 30 minutes away and I go to school and hang out there most of the time.
Where are your favourite places to eat, shop and drink in Stockholm?
I like to eat in cozy, genuine places. My favourite food is sushi, and there’s a great place in Södermalm called Cantina Raw. If I want brunch I usually go to Pom och Flora in Vasastan, they have delicious smoothie bowls and avocado sandwiches! In winter it’s freezing in Sweden, therefore I prefer malls in winter such as Mall Of Scandinavia (largest mall in Scandinavia!!) and shopping streets in summer, usually those near Stureplan and Stockholm city.
When you’re off the clock, where can you be found?
Most of the time I’m out with my friends at restaurants, coffee houses and parties. Other than that I often run by the ocean or practice my cello. I’m also an expert in napping and binge-watching series, Friends and Outlander are my favourites at the moment!
What are your goals for 2018?
My main goal right now is to finish school so that I can start traveling as a model as soon as I graduate. I also want to focus more on myself, my health and prioritize things that make me happy.
What’s one of your favourite memories from living in Stockholm?
Late nights out with friends and concerts at Gröna Lund in summer are always great. Especially last year when me and my friends went to see Hov1, a swedish hiphop group. They finished their concert with fireworks and after that we went home together in the sunset and stayed up all night.
Give us two reasons we should move to Stockholm?
It’s a city that’s really close to nature at the same time that it offers a lot of stuff to do. One hour you can go shopping and the next you can take a small boat to an island for coffee. Another great reason is that it’s a city that has something for everyone. There are museums, good restaurants and bars, shopping, cafés, art and beautiful views.
Name: Agnes
Nickname(s): Agge, Aggan, Aggie. But if you ask my dad you would get a hundred more. Just an example would be Skruddi Bananas! I don’t even know how a person could come up with such a name…?!
Age: 17
Starsign: Cancer
Where are you originally from, and how long have you been in Stockholm for?
My dad is half Jamaican but otherwise I’m born and raised in Stockholm. I grew up living in "the city" - the center of Stockholm. But just a few years ago we moved away to the more chill part of town, called Södermalm. It’s definitely more beautiful and less hectic over here.
Where are your favorite places to eat, shop and drink in Stockholm?
Best shopping street for sure is “Krukmakargatan”. It’s pretty low-key but has everything from up n coming brands like l’homme rouge, a cute magazine store called Paper cut, to fancy stores like Nitty gritty. It’s a very little street but got its charm and that’s what I like about it. My best cafe tip is one near my school called Petrus. It’s a bakery with the yummy pastry. I would recommend buying a bread roll called ”smörfralla”. It’s out of this world!!!
When you’re off the clock, where can you be found?
After school I’m with my friends spending my last savings on coffee. At night my boyfriend’s place, he lives five minutes from me. Otherwise I’m out roaming the streets of Stockholm trying to find cheap beer or a party.
What are your goals for 2018?
Giving myself more time to do the stuff I really enjoy doing. I love making jewelry and sewing! It takes time and patience but hopefully I will do more of that. I probably can’t fit it in this year but my future dream is to start a clothing brand with the main focus on accessories and jewelry.
What’s one of your favorite memories from living in Stockholm?
This is such a lame answer but probably the night I fell in love with my boyfriend. Late last summer in August a group of us had been to the bar. When they kicked us out we were roaming the area talking to weird strangers. And in the middle of that I kinda just got lost in this boy that I had known for years. Something just made it sparkle between us that night.
Give us two reasons we should move to Stockholm too!
During the winter, not so much, but in the summer it’s one of the prettiest city’s I know. Without sounding like a 50 years old, I think what really makes this city perfect is the fact that you’re in the city but you’re still close to nature. It’s a huge privilege that my family can go down 10 minuets from our apartment to the water, where our boat is, and then take a trip out to the archipelagos of Stockholm. I feel very lucky to be able to live where I live. If you consider moving or visiting Stockholm I would say that Södermalm, my part of town, is the place to be. It is just so nice and has everything that I found myself rarely having to leave it.
Words: Sian Henderson Images: Erik Djurklou Fashion: Laodika Slavgorodskaya
Toussaint & Magda are represented by Nisch
Mai-Linh & Carolina are represented by Le Management
Saga is represented by Iconic
Agnes is Self Represented
Shot on location around Stockholm, Sweden
